SUZUKI KIZASHI 2010 – 2016

Though Suzuki is usually better known for motorbikes it also makes cars. The Kizashi is a stylish machine with a powerful appearance that gives a look of sportiness. In August 2010 the Suzuki Kizashi Sport arrived Downunder. As befits its title this Kizashi has a full-on sports body kit, 18-inch alloys and lowered ride height that further enhanced its already strong appearance. It took the European route of being offered with all-wheel drive for better traction on slippery surfaces. Ice, snow or rain. However, it’s an AWD, not a 4WD… Read more

SUZUKI GETS A GRIP WITH S-CROSS

In pre-politically correct times ‘The man in the street’ was a term used to describe the ordinary male (person). In 2006 I was in Japan watching early SX4 vehicles roll off the assembly lines at Suzuki’s Hamamatsu plant, noting its bland physical characteristics. This MITS manner was reinforced on an extended drive of the small sports utility vehicle on the company’s test track, with its performance providing an uninspiring driving experience. Little has changed over the years, with the SX4 generally flying under the automotive radar, while its siblings –… Read more

NEXT GENERATION SUZUKI S-CROSS

Suzuki Queensland has launched an all-new model with high levels of luxury and active safety features. Note that Suzuki Queensland is a separate entity to Suzuki in the rest of Australia, but it’s expected that the two entities will be very much the same. If you’re in another State or Territory and considering buying a Suzuki we suggest you talk to the dealer of your choice about the new model. The 2022 S-Cross is being released in Queensland with two specification lines: GL-Plus and GLX with the GLX also having… Read more

SUZUKI VITARA AND GRAND VITARA 2005 – 2020

Unlike many ‘toy’ 4WDs on sale these days the Suzuki Vitara is the real deal. Popular with those who like to have fun away from the beaten track the Vitara works well on the beach, on forest trails and even in quite serious off-road conditions. Though the names ‘Grand Vitara’ and just plain ‘Vitara’ were used in different series most people simply refer to them all as Vitara. Basically, the Grand title was used on the 2005 but from the model change of 2015, it disappeared again. When an all-new… Read more

SUZUKI VITARA

The Suzuki Vitara is a car crying out for an update. The design of the five-seat wagon dates way back to 2015, although there has been a minor facelift since then. The little car that could has been overtaken by cheaper and better equipped Chinese offerings from MG and Haval. Significant price increases haven’t helped its quest for the buyer dollar. When we tested this car in 2019, the auto kicked off from $24,490 – it’s now $28,490. The turbo was $29,990 – now $33,490. Suzuki risks pricing itself out… Read more

UPDATED SUZUKI S-CROSS

In a major global online event Suzuki has provided details of its latest S-Cross small SUV due to launch globally in 2022. The global release says the powertrain will use the Suzuki 1.4 litre direct injection turbo-petrol engine. It will drive through an AllGrip Select 4X4 System. It will have a 9-inch display audio with smartphone connectivity, wireless charging, and a 360-view camera to. Safety is a major feature with the S-Cross adopting Suzuki Safety Support, featuring Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention, Weaving Alert, Blind Spot Monitor… Read more

NEW SUZUKI JIMNY LITE

Suzuki Jimny Lite will be sold in Australia from August 2021. Performance and engine specs are unchanged to the current Jimny but it will be available in manual transmission only. The Jimny Lite will ride on standard 15-inch steel wheels, plastic textured side mirror covers, Halogen projector headlights without standard foglights are the only other notable exterior differences to the current Suzuki Jimny. The Infotainment system is rather basic. The Jimny Lite has in-dash radio / CD player and standard Bluetooth. Air conditioning is standard fitment with manually operated climate… Read more

IGNIS PUTS ON ITS PARTY DRESS

The revamped compact Suzuki SUV / hatchback has an engaging ‘funk factor’, according to Stephen Craig, general manager, sales and marketing for Suzuki Queensland, the source of our test vehicle. “Aesthetically, it blends with the revitalised cityscapes where former warehouses and mercantile shipping buildings now are homes to trendy design-savvy professionals,” he says. “It also blends perfectly with the CBD and city fringe urban landscape from a practical point of view, where it easily slots into compromised parking spaces.” So, there you are… Anyhow, make up your own mind when… Read more

NAVIGATOR TAKES A SWIFT TRIP BACK IN TIME

There have been many changes in the modern history of the automobile manual transmission: Starting with three on the tree, then four on the floor, followed by five, and finally today’s six. While the last mentioned is de rigueur in today’s vehicles, there is one vehicle that, for one reason or another, has taken a step back in time with a five-speed manual gearbox. The Series II Suzuki Swift gets under way with the GL 1.2 Navigator five-speed manual. With up to $2000 in added features, including advanced safety technology,… Read more

SUZUKI IGNIS GLX REVIEW

Suzuki Ignis, it’s Latin for ‘fire’, has had two lives on the Australian market. From 2000 to 2005 it was a small three- or five-door hatchback before disappearing for just over a decade and returning, in 2016, as a compact SUV. The current, Series II, version was launched in mid-2020 although it is effectively just a minor facelift rather than having any substantial changes. Suzuki is arguably the world leader in the design and construction of small vehicles and the little Suzuki Ignis is a classic example of the Japanese… Read more