2005 Suzuki Review

Specifications

A Practical SUV Alternative

With the addition of the compact Forenza and midsize Verona sedans, American Suzuki Motor Corporations (ASMC) sales are way up over last year - or any year before for that matter. New vehicle deliveries are up 22 percent during the first quarter of 2004.

The new cars come from the Japanese automakers $100-million investment in General Motors Daewoo Auto & Technology (GMDAT), the cooperative company that came out of General Motors buyout of Daewoos Korean manufacturing assets. The buyout also included the budget brands line of cars, the Lanos subcompact, Nubira compact and Leganza midsize.

While the Lanos, Nubira and Leganza continue to be sold outside of North America under the Daewoo nameplate, GM and Suzuki have modified each cars grille, added brand specific badges and renamed them for specific markets. For instance, the Leganza is dubbed Verona throughout North America and sold through Suzuki dealers, while GM Canada sells a version of the car named the Epica through its Chevrolet franchises. The same goes for the Lanos, called the Aveo at Chevrolet stores and the Sprint+ in Canadian Suzuki dealers. Suzuki Canada doesnt even get the Forenza or Reno, but then again U.S. Chevy dealers dont get the Optra and new Optra5.

Canadians will get their own version of the Nubira wagon under the Chevrolet Optra moniker this fall, while those on the warmer side of the 49th parallel can purchase the Suzuki Forenza Wagon as recently introduced in Manhattan during the New York International Auto Show.

The car looks good, due to its Pininfarina (yes the same design house that pens most Ferraris) styling, and offers similar performance, interior space and standard features than competitive compact wagons for less money. How much? Expect prices to start around $13,000 and end up at $16,000, or so the automaker says.

“The Forenza Wagon will have a unique combination of feature content and MSRP which gives it a distinct value advantage over competitors like the Ford Focus Wagon, Subaru Impreza Wagon, Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback and VW Jetta Wagon,” stated Koichi Suzuki, president of ASMC Automotive Operations.

For instance the new wagon will be longer and wider than the already largish 2004 Focus Wagon. It will also feature an 8-speaker audio system with steering wheel-mounted controls, 4-wheel disc brakes, passenger-side weight-sensing advanced airbags, side airbags for both driver and passenger-side, speed-sensitive power steering and heated power mirrors as standard features, and a sunroof (top-level models only). The Forenza Wagon will also offer the most cargo capacity in its class when the rear seats folded forward, while rear legroom and front and rear shoulder room is said to be “in the premium compact wagon category.”

“The Forenza has been a fast seller from the start, and were excited to leverage this momentum to target wagon shoppers seeking total recreational and lifestyle utility,” added Suzuki.

American Suzuki is truly stretching its legs, making plans of tripling U.S. sales to 200,000 vehicles by 2007.

“The Forenza Wagon joins the Reno compact crossover vehicle, unveiled in Detroit earlier this year, as the follow-up to last years launch of the Forenza and Verona sedans — and the next logical step in American Suzukis accelerated positioning at the center of the U.S. automotive mainstream,” said Suzuki. “Together, these customer-focused new products dramatically expand Suzukis model line, overall buyer appeal and sales potential in the U.S.”

The Forenza Wagon should be peppy off the line too, due to a 2.0-litre, 16-valve DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine capable of 119 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 126 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Those concerned with the environment take note that the Suzukis little family hauler is an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV), and should also be quite fuel-efficient.

A 5-speed manual transmission is standard with a 4-speed automatic available. It should handle corners respectably due to an independent front and rear suspension, and stop quickly via 4-wheel disc brakes and available ABS.

With greater interior room and similar performance to competitive compact wagons, plus a generous helping of standard features, the Suzuki Forenza Wagon will be a practical SUV alternative appreciated by families looking for a well priced entry-level vehicle.