Overview & Reviews

Born in Japan, Suzuki is an automaker that has made a name for itself by crafting vehicles that emphasize value and affordability. Through the years, the brand's lineup has included sedans, wagons and SUVs. However, in late 2012 the company decided to stop selling new vehicles in the United States.

The company was founded by Michio Suzuki in 1909 as Suzuki Loom Works. By the 1950s, its focus had expanded beyond just loom machines to include both motorcycles and automobiles. In 1955, it rolled out the Suzulight, a compact car that proved to be a harbinger of a new era of Japanese lightweight vehicles. The automaker expanded its lineup to include a truck in 1961. Like its sibling, the tiny Suzulight Carry pickup distinguished itself with its featherweight specification. By the end of the decade, the Suzuki lineup had grown to include the Fronte passenger car, the subcompact Fronte 800 and the Carry Van full-cab van.

In 1970, Suzuki rolled out the Jimny, a four-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicle that resembled a playful version of the Jeep CJ-5. The automaker's roster continued to grow throughout this decade, with the addition of the Alto and the subcompact LJ80.

The 1980s saw Suzuki partnering with General Motors when GM acquired a 5 percent stake in the company. GM made this move partially in response to the growing popularity of subcompacts in the U.S. market. After the purchase, Suzuki products were rebadged and sold as GM vehicles on American shores.

In 1985, the carmaker launched an American outpost, and for the first time, Suzuki-branded vehicles became available in the U.S. The company's first model was the Samurai; available as either a convertible or a hardtop, this compact SUV met with immediate success. However, the Samurai's glory days were short-lived.

In 1988, Consumer Reports published an article in which it deemed the Samurai unsafe, saying it was more likely than most to roll over during certain maneuvers. Suzuki took the magazine to court (and eventually won) but the bad publicity from the article cast a pall on the Samurai that never quite lifted. Suzuki soldiered on, though. By the end of the decade its total aggregate car production had topped 10 million units, and its line had grown to include the compact Swift and the Sidekick, a compact SUV.

During the '90s, Suzuki expanded its reach to include territories like Egypt, Vietnam and Hungary, and launched new models like the Cappuccino convertible and the lightweight Wagon R. On U.S. soil, Suzuki rolled out the Esteem, dropped the beleaguered Samurai, introduced the two-seat, T-topped X-90 and replaced the Sidekick with the Vitara and Grand Vitara.

Suzuki and General Motors purchased ailing Daewoo in 2004, and two of that manufacturer's vehicles were rebadged and given new life as Suzukis. The Suzuki Forenza and Suzuki Verona both had former lives as Daewoo cars.

Through the first decade of the 2000s, Suzuki continued to evolve and improve its models, culminating in the Kizashi, a midsize sedan that was good enough to challenge segment front runners. But with overall sales and consumer interest stuck on a downward trend, Suzuki finally announced bankruptcy and termination of its U.S. vehicle operations in late 2012. The company plans to honor existing warranties, and some Suzuki dealers will continue to provide parts and service.

User Reviews:

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  very happy so far - 2001 Suzuki Swift
  By mdocod - December 7 - 12:26 am

  just bought one of these used a few months ago, has a good rigid feeling build quality to it. with auto-tranny gets about 34-37mpg in town..my girl friend uses this mostly for trips to and from work/stores in and out of town a lot... I use it to delivery pizzas when she doesnt need it, being able to drive 200 miles in a day for a few bucks worth of gas is a real moneysaver. being able to buy this "new" of a vehicle for only $2500 and then getting great milage to boot, cant complain. No mechanical problems to mention. can change oil on this car without jacking it up- the clearance is good for a car- wheels are at corners- so never a problem with speed bumps, no bottoming out.

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  Only gas saves this car - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By M - December 5 - 6:06 pm

  This owner not satisfied with his purchase at all. At best the car is mediocre. Great gas mileage and a decent stock stereo makes this car tolerable.

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  Learning to Like - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By not decided - December 5 - 12:00 am

  I went from a luxury Toyota to an economy Suzuki. Except for power seats and a premium stereo I have the same features. The ride is adequate. My insurance is cheaper. The warranty is great. Its an inexpensive car with a lot of the little options that we have come to want. It has tons of storage, and I had an SUV before.

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  Peepy, Great mpg, and easy to repair - 2001 Suzuki Swift
  By Randall M. - December 3 - 8:56 am

  My Swift sat on the lot over a year until I found it. I just wanted a commuter car with great mileage yet had alittle style. True, most Swifts are driven by senior citizens because of their ease to drive, mine came with a 5 spd and just air conditioning. I figured, it had everything I needed but nothing that I didnt need. Immediately, I used nothing but synthetic oil and put in Bosch platinum 4 plugs. At just 1895 lbs, my Swift is peppy!. Changing brakes and the air filter is a snap!. I consistently get 37mpg on mostly city traffic!. Yet, understand that the interior is generic and the brakes are soft at best. At 50000 miles the interior light and lower fan speeds failed. Still, I Love it.

• 

  A Fun SUV alternative - 2010 Suzuki SX4
  By CWM - December 1 - 6:50 pm

  We bought a brand new SX4 Crossover AWD Technology in Copper last month after having the transmission go out on our Hyundai. After looking at a variety of different cars, my wife saw one of these in the parking lot at Walmart and instantly came home and researched it on the internet. The next day, we went and test drove one. We love the spacious interior, excellent gps, cruise control, power everything, and the beautiful copper color. Selectable All wheel drive is a bonus, as is the CVT transmission with manual shifting ability. The Crossover rides smoothly, but tends to have some body lean and sometimes spongy feel. The engine is powerful, but only above 3,000 RPM. Overall, good car

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  Great Car - 2005 Suzuki Reno
  By tikirob - December 1 - 2:06 pm

  This car has been great. The ride is quite an smooth and the build quility is high. The seats are very comfortable.

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  I Like Mine - 2007 Suzuki SX4
  By 60 year old man - December 1 - 1:46 am

  I got a copper colored one. I really like mine so far. I think it looks good. The price is great for what you get. I love driving mine. I went from a full size SUV to a midsize SUV to this. I like this the best of the three. It is not a $30,000 vehicle so dont expect it to be. It handles nicely, sits comfortably, gets decent gas mileage. I like the warranty (as long as dealer stays around). I am over 6 feet tall and large framed and I feel comfortable driving it. Has plenty of headroom and legroom. View from drivers seat appears much larger than it is. Appears to be well built. My daughter had an early model Suzuki and drove it HARD. It just kept going and going.

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  Takes a beating - 2006 Suzuki Forenza
  By Takes a beating - November 26 - 11:03 pm

  I am in sales so I am always on the road. I drive a lot of miles. This car us great! Always dependable. Has trouble starting from time to time but I just give it a minute after a couple of tries and she starts right up.

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  A great overlooked runabout - 2006 Suzuki Reno
  By Ev - November 26 - 6:36 am

  Its easy to miss the Suzuki Reno. It is overshadowed by the heavily promoted Scions, Toyotas and Hondas, little Suzuki is well, little known. I hadnt heard of the Reno until I saw one at the auto show, and was immediatly drawn to it. After an hour of test driving it, the Reno sits in front of my apartment. Aside from the obsurity of the car, what really sets the Reno apart is the amazing level of standard equipmet. My base model came with side airbags, power windows, locks and mirrors, steering assist, 8 speaker am/fm/cd/tape, and of course the European insired hatch design. My only complaint is the gas mileage is not up to the standards of the class (see Honda Fit, Scion xA, etc).

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  My suzuki X-L7 - 2003 Suzuki XL-7
  By crach - November 26 - 2:00 am

  The car runs smoothly on both highway and local roads. Is able to easily acellerate onto highways. Has no problem in snow, we had a bad winter last year one storm was over 30" our XL- 7 never got stuck. Gas milage could be better it gets around 15 miles/gallon around town, 19/gallon highway. Its had two recalls both were quickly repaired by the dealer. I love the ABS braking, its worked well on slippery rain slicked roads.