Fare Thee Well Suzuki … You Might Be Missed

Last week we brought you the news that Suzuki America has decided to close its doors for the last time. In this rough economy, they are not the only ones forced to shutter operations.  The last years were not great ones for the brand and, after a run of almost 30 years, it’s sad to think that they may soon become little more than a fading memory. Still, it wasn’t all bad times. Even a company like Suzuki has had its successes. While that angular “S” logo may fade into gear head trivia obscurity, we’ll always remember our favorites. Consider this our eulogy for Suzuki America. Suzuki was a good car brand. A loyal car brand. Suzuki never fathered any spin off car brands, nor did it take a companion brand. Suzuki was born with many sibling. Still, over the years he was brand of influence. He had his corner of the market and he always treated it well. He is survived by some of his many siblings and remembered by his few true and loyal fans.

 Suzuki Samurai/Jimny

While many have forgotten this tiny little four wheeler. It still has a loyal, albeit small, fan base. As Suzuki’s first real introduction to the U.S market, this is defiantly one of Suzuki’s best. The Samurai may have only joined the U.S market in 86′, but has a history that starts long before that. The first of these mini-off roaders hit market world wide in 1970 under the name Jimny. While it was a tiny engine in an equally small car, this car has been made under one badge or another, in varying generations around the globe for almost 40 years. There is something to be said for longevity. That is one thing this cute climber has in spades. In many ways, the DNA of this car can been seen in much of the future line up of this brand. It is a tiny little truck with a tiny little engine, yet a large heart and a willingness to go place it many not have always belonged.

Notable Feature – This wonder of this car was its versatility. It really fit all different sets of needs all around the world. This explains the many years in production and global acceptance. Suzuki really was one of the original masters of local rebranding and global partnerships. This is a talent now being embraced by much larger firm, like Ford. This car has existed with as many pseudonyms as an international spy. A rose by any other name …

Also Known As List –

Suzuki Caribbean
Suzuki Katana
Suzuki Potohar
Suzuki SJ410/413
Suzuki Samurai
Suzuki Santana
Suzuki Sierra
Chevrolet Samurai
Holden Drover
Maruti Gypsy

Suzuki Escudo

This was another masterful example of a car that has survived in some form or another for quite some time. This small off-roader has been part of the Suzuki global line up since 88′. Most American reader will known this by a different name. This was the Suzuki Sidekick / Geo Tracker. If you are a child of the 80’s or early 90’s, then you see this car in your mind’s eye as we do. Full of overly aggressive high school jocks or their very blonde, early developing, (somewhat unattainable) high school girlfriends. More often than not, Malibu Barbie and her friends were always pilled in with the top off, heading to the beach. (It’s New York !! Why were you always going to the beach ?!?!). Still this car evolved over the years. Eventually it adopted the same name that it carried in most European markets, the Vitara and eventually the Grand Vitara. With each name change came a facelift and at times a total redesign. The pinnacle iteration of this vehicle was created in 99′. This is when a highly modified version of the vehicle was used to dominate the almost 12.5 miles of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado. Most fellow 90’s geeks remember this from the famed Gran Turismo video game series (It was the only car that would do wheelies).

Notable Feature – We talked about what the stigma was behind this car. The largest obstacle it faced was the parking lot at the mall, community colleges and the beach. Still, what people didn’t always give it credit for was the fact that it was in fact a credible off roader. It had some skills. The suspension, transmission, engine and 4 wheel drive system where set up with the idea of getting off the beaten path. While it’s more suburban based driver utilities were finally succumb to, somewhere inside it had the heart of a much more rugged vehicle.

Also Known As:

Asüna Sunrunner
Chevrolet Tracker
Chevrolet Vitara
Geo Tracker
GMC Tracker
Mazda Proceed Levante
Pontiac Sunrunner
Santana 300/ 350
Suzuki Vitara
Suzuki Escudo
Suzuki Sidekick

Suzuki Swift

The Swift, like so many other Suzuki’s, got its start as something altogether different. This car started its life, in a way, as the Cultas. Here in America, we also called this the Geo Metro. Though it had very little in common with today’s Swift, it was the original barer of the name plate. It’s name has changed around the world and its face has been lifted quite a few times, but the concept has always been the same. A compact / subcompact that was easy to produce and inexpensive to buy and own. This is an overall theme with Suzuki. Being a Suzuki, it was also sold under the Chevy, Holden and Geo badges around the world. The Swift we know today has been in production since 2004. The redesign was a major departure from the Cultas-based Swift of yesteryear. A year later, they even released a “Swift Sport”  in Europe. This featured mostly body accents and interior changes. One noteworthy change was the addition of the 1.6 liter engine and manual transmission.

Notable Fact – This car was especially popular under the Suzuki Maruti brand name in India. It was so popular in fact, that a 4 door saloon version was introduced to replace the highly popular Maruti Esteem (Chevy Esteem). The update in 2010 brought a new sport concept to the Indian market as well. The hatchback Swift S would feature a 150hp 1.6 liter 4 cylinder and much sportier body and stance. It also brought a concept for a plug-in version that was announced and shown in Tokyo. This is one of the few model’s that didn’t have much in the way of other names. The Swift name plate was sold globally as a Suzuki.

Also Known As –

Suzuki Cultas

Suzuki Liana

This car is was interesting in the fact that it wasn’t. By most accords this is the most unremarkable cars ever made. It was originally made as the Aerio in its JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) form. For the rest of the world, it was exported as the Liana. Apparently this was an acronym for “Life In A New Age”. You could have called this car FRPA (Futuristic Rocket Propelled Awesomeness) and it still would have been an underwhelming compact sedan. You may ask then, how did it end up on Suzuki’s Greatest Hits list. Well the answer to that takes a little creative logic. It was so unremarkable that it earned remark. For your average gear head, every car has something worth mention. A single redeeming quality could be found about even the most mundane of people carriers. This car is the exception that proves that rule. This car is mostly remembered for being a place holder between the Esteem/Swift and the SX-4 in the Suzuki line up. I guess even the most unremarkable cars have their purpose. They make for great blending vehicles. If you are a spy trying to hide in plain sight, or maybe criminal hiding from the authorities, what better way to hide than a car that you can see through even when it is in front of you.

Notable Feature – This required some thought. What is notable about a car who’s greatest achievement was not being noteworthy? The answer was the great accolade it received for being non-noteworthy. The Suzuki Liana was the “Reasonably Priced Car” on the hit BBC automotive show “Top Gear”. It served faithfully from the shows inception until 2006, when it was replaced by fellow Suzuki/GM family member the Chevy Lecetti (Daewoo Lecetti/Suzuki Forenza).

Also Known As:

Changhe-Suzuki Liana
Suzuki Baleno New G
Suzuki Liana

Suzuki SX-4

The SX-4 was designed specifically for Suzuki’s European markets, where ironically it was released as a Fiat. Eventually Suzuki decided to retail the vehicle globally, as the replacement for the Liana/Aerio in 2006. The car reached success Pretty quickly, as it was warmly received in most of Suzuki’s market. Suzuki produced almost 60,000 units for sale in 2006 alone. The SX-4 (short for Sports X-over 4 all seasons) was designed as a compact car on a cross-over platform. It’s popularity in the U.S, while not noteworthy for most car companies, was surprising for Suzuki. Sold as both a 4 and 5 door, the vehicle has had a variety of small yet efficient power plants.

Notable Feature – This car seems pretty standard, but all and all has been a great thing for Suzuki. Spy shots have been released of what is assumed to be the next generation of this car already. It also has been the base for some pretty impressive rally vehicles. Much more interestingly, a concept version was released a couple years ago that ran a hybrid hydrogen/electric power train. This type of research is indicative of Suzuki’s commitment to long term sustainability of the environment and the brand.

Also Known As:

Changan-Suzuki SX4
Fiat Sedici
Maruti Suzuki SX4
Suzuki Liana (Queensland, Australia)
Suzuki Neo Baleno (Indonesia)

Closing Chapter

We also said before that it hasn’t been all bad times. Suzuki has impressively had a pretty good showing over the years, in the world of off-road racing. The Escudo run of Pikes Peak was only one of the impressive feats managed by this brand. They have competed around the world with the new tuned SX-4 built by factory backed Suzuki WRC (World Rally Championship). A heavily modified SX-4 was used to set the record at Pikes in 2011 by the very same driver who piloted the original Escudo rally car.

As we mentioned earlier, Suzuki America has closed it door for the last time here in the U.S, as they have filed for Chapter 11 (Bankruptcy). While Americans are view this as the end of a brand, truth is, they are simply continuing with out us. Suzuki is not only going to continue to sell cars across the world, it is still part of the GM family and is thriving in some markets. Though this is goodbye for Suzuki here at home … this will not be the last we hear of this brand.

Leave a Reply