Suzuki

Much like Suzuki’s list prices, maintenance costs for the majority of its vehicles are relatively cheap. The company packages its new vehicles with five-years of capped price servicing, with current maintenance costs of models like the Swift Turbo standing at $1955 over five years, while maintenance of the Jimny costs around $2265 for five years. Compared to its major rivals, these 60-month servicing costs are relatively cheap to maintain a Suzuki here in Australia.

Suzuki has a number of production lines that manufacture its cars, ranging from domestic factories in Japan, to overseas factories that produce its cars in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, China, Hungary, Thailand, Myanmar and Egypt.

Suzuki has hit record-breaking sales figures here in Australia in recent years, with the now-discontinued Baleno making for its best-seller overall in 2022, followed by the Jimny off-roader, the Swift hatchback, the Vitara compact SUV, the Ignis and finally, the S-Cross.

Suzuki, much like its fellow Japanese manufacturers, has cemented itself a very impressive reputation when it comes to the reliability of its vehicles. A study from 2019 placed Suzuki in third place when it comes to reliability with a score of 94.7 per cent, while a 2022 ‘Honest John’ satisfaction index awarded Suzuki second place overall for the most reliable car brand. Models like the Swift have a score of 4.3 out of 5 on ProductReview here in Australia, while the Jimny ranks at 4.4 out of 5 and the Vitara scored 4.2 out of 5, with reports consistently pointing to Suzuki’s well-established reputation for a very reliable vehicle lineup.

Suzuki’s cars are impressively fuel efficient, with the Ignis manual returning fuel economy figures of 4.7L per 100km on a combined cycle in manual form, while the Ignis automatic is rated at 4.9L per 100km. The Swift GL manual returns fuel economy figures of 4.6L/100km, while the Swift GL automatic is rated at 4.8L/100km, and the Swift GLX Turbo is rated at 5.1L/100km. The Suzuki Swift Sport has fuel economy figures of 6.1L/100km, while the Vitara manual is rated at 5.8L per 100km and the Vitara automatic is rated at 6.2L/100km. The Jimny GLX manual has fuel economy figures of 6.4L/100km, rising to 6.9L/100km in the Jimny automatic. The Vitara Turbo 2WD is rated at 5.9L/100km, with the Vitara Turbo 4WD rated at 6.2L/100km. Finally, the Suzuki S-Cross ALLGRIP has fuel economy figures of 6.2L/100km.

Here in Australia, prices for Suzuki’s cars range from $21,490 for the entry-level Suzuki Ignis GL manual to $44,490 for the range-topping Suzuki S-Cross GLXS 4WD. For reference, the Swift range is priced from $23,490 while the Swift Sport is priced at $29,990, and the entry-level Suzuki Vitara is priced at $29,990. Suzuki’s off-road hero, the Jimny Lite 4x4 is priced from $30,490, while the Jimny GLX manual is priced at $31,990.

Suzuki packages its vehicles with a number of active safety features, the most advanced of which includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alerts, rear-view cameras with parking sensors, ISOFIX anchors and airbags. Suzuki’s entry-level vehicles miss out on a number of active safety features, so be sure to check the safety list for cheaper models like the Ignis and Swift.

Suzuki’s engine lineup features a range of small-capacity and fuel-efficient three- and four-cylinder engines. Both the Ignis and Swift are powered by a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine while the Swift GLX Turbo picks up a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine. The Suzuki Swift Sport and Vitara Turbo are powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, while the entry-level Vitara receives a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol. The Jimny’s engine is a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, while the Suzuki S-Cross has a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Suzuki packages its new vehicles sold here in Australia with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, as well as a roadside assistance program and capped-price servicing. This five-year warranty covers any manufacturing defects and faulty materials, which will be repaired or replaced at no charge for the parts or required labour. Suzuki’s five-year/unlimited KM warranty applies to all models, including the Ignis, Swift, Swift Sport, Vitara, Vitara Turbo, Jimny and S-Cross.

Suzuki as a car brand tends to focus on affordable and value-packed vehicles, rather than lead the charge when it comes to technology and innovation. Having said that, its engine developments have created a range of very fuel-efficient powertrains for its vehicles, while the Jimny 4x4 is one of the best pound-for-pound off-roaders for the price thanks to its lightweight platform and clever design. Suzuki’s technology packages typically feature an 8.0-inch infotainment system, though it also offers 9.0-inch displays and a full range of active safety features that match its rivals in terms of safety technologies.