The 10 Best Old Suzuki Cars of All Time
From the best-selling Swift to the underappreciated Kizashi, here are some of Suzuki’s best old cars—some of which are even still in production today!
Table of Contents
- What makes an old car great?
- 10. Suzuki Kizashi (2009-2013): A representative of reliability
- 9. Suzuki Suzulight (1955-1969): The one that started it all
- 8. Suzuki Wagon R (1993-present): It’s tall and it’s square
- 7. Suzuki SC100 (1977-1982): The Whizzkid
- 6. Suzuki Fronte (1962-1988): A rear engine with front-wheel-drive
- 5. Suzuki Cappuccino (1991-1998): The odd sports car
- 4. Suzuki L40V (1970-1972): An electronic experiment
- 3. Suzuki Jimny (1970-present): Taking the brand off-road
- 2. Suzuki Vitara (1988-present): An early crossover
- 1. Suzuki Swift (1983-present): The brand’s best-selling vehicle
- How to find affordable car insurance
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Suzuki is a Japanese manufacturer known for producing everything from motorcycles to ATVs to wheelchairs. In 2016, Suzuki was the eleventh-biggest manufacturer of automobiles worldwide. This iconic manufacturer is over 100 years old, and throughout the decades has produced some really exciting vehicles, from the best-selling Swift to the underappreciated Kizashi.
Keeping reading to find out the 10 best old Suzuki vehicles. Whether you’re looking for a used car, or just want to take a trip down memory lane, we suggest you read on. Stay until the end to learn how to save big on your
Suzuki insurance costs
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What makes an old car great?
Even if you’re a tried-and-true Suzuki enthusiast, you know that not all cars are created equal. So what makes a vehicle an all-time hit, rather than a swing-and-a-miss?
The cars we remember the most are those with historical significance, top-notch dependability and functionality, or even just some weird and wonderful never-seen-before qualities.
While this list is full of nostalgia, we wouldn’t necessarily recommend buying all of these vehicles—so make sure to do your research before hitting up the used car dealership.
10. Suzuki Kizashi (2009-2013): A representative of reliability
The
Suzuki Kizashi
was unveiled in the U.S. in 2009 and stuck around until 2013. In 2014, Suzuki announced that it would gradually discontinue this midsize car on global markets. This fantastic car received good ratings, was extremely affordable, attractive looking, and well-engineered. Unfortunately, people just didn’t buy it. Perhaps this was due to the increasing popularity of the SUV, which left wonderful sedans like this one out in the dust.
Still, the Kizashi was instantly competitive in its midsize segment for styling, ride quality, handling, and more, making it one of the most dependable and functional vehicles made by the brand.
9. Suzuki Suzulight (1955-1969): The one that started it all
In 1955, the Suzulight ushered Suzuki into the automobile-making business—previously, the brand only manufactured motorcycles. The Suzulight lineup included sedans, light vans, and even the very first Carry trucks, which are still around today!
The Suzulight SF series—which stood for “Suzuki four-wheel car”—was modeled after the Lloyd 400 by Borgward and designed by founder Michio Suzuki. In some ways, this line of cars was rather ordinary for the time period—but, in other ways, it was nothing short of ingenious.
For example, it came with double-wishbone coil-spring suspension on all four corners and a rack and pinion steering system—two features that were drastically ahead of their time! The vehicle would eventually play a role in Japan’s “People’s Car Program,” which carried out the mission of making more Japanese individuals car owners.
8. Suzuki Wagon R (1993-present): It’s tall and it’s square
Kei cars—or Japanese city cars—are a Japanese sub-segment of vehicles that are required to adopt a maximum engine capacity of 660cc and a very specific list of maximum dimensions in an effort to minimize clutter on highly-trafficked, tight Japanese roads.
The Wagon R looked oddly proportioned—but that’s because it pushed the limits of the regulations. Thus, despite its tiny size, it could cart around an impressive amount of passengers, holding its own against more standard family vehicles like minivans and
hatchbacks
. 7. Suzuki SC100 (1977-1982): The Whizzkid
Suzuki first produced the Cervo, a rear-engined kei sports coupe, in 1977, and then rebranded it to the SC100 for export in 1978—but, in the UK, this little two-door was affectionately known as the Whizzkid.
It was sold in Europe from 1979 to 1982 and helped popularize the Suzuki brand outside of Japan. As of 2014, there were still 96 Whizzkids registered with the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
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6. Suzuki Fronte (1962-1988): A rear engine with front-wheel-drive
The name for this car was pretty obvious—“fronte” means “front” and refers to the kei car’s front-wheel drive. Like many other Suzukis of the time, it also had a weird rear-engine format.
Despite its odd looks, the vehicle was pretty cute, and thus a massive success. It was even raced by Formula 1 driver Stirling Moss and TT rider Mitsuo Itoh, from Milan to Napoli, at over 75 miles per hour!
5. Suzuki Cappuccino (1991-1998): The odd sports car
Japanese kei cars were traditionally focused on economy and affordability, which means that this tiny little sports car really stood out from the crowd. The sales launch of the Cappuccino took place in November 1991 in Japan, with the advertising theme: "fulfilling one's dream of owning a stylish and very affordable two-seater sports car.”
It rivaled similar Japanese kei sports cars like the Honda Beat and the Autozam AZ-1 and, because of its speed and performance, is widely considered the best of the bunch.
This two-door two-seater came with three removable hard-top roof panels, meaning it could be converted from a coupe to a t-top, a targa, or—upon retraction of the rear window and roll bar—a full convertible.
4. Suzuki L40V (1970-1972): An electronic experiment
Did you think that electric vehicles were a new invention? Think again! Suzuki put an electric vehicle out on the road in 1970!
The L40V was a tiny van, based on the Suzuki Carry of the period and designed by legendary Italian car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. It was the firm’s first electric car—a limited-run experiment primarily designed for the 1970 Osaka World Expo as a representation of Suzuki’s ingenuity.
3. Suzuki Jimny (1970-present): Taking the brand off-road
Jimny is Suzuki’s longest-standing nameplate! Originally belonging to the kei class, the Jimny is a series of four-wheel-drive, off-road mini SUVs.This Jeep-like vehicle was launched at a time when most off-road vehicles were large and heavy, so this unique mini vehicle was seen as exciting and refreshing.
Due to the external dimension limitations of the Kei car category, the spare tire had to be fitted behind the front passenger seat, making the Jimny a three-seater. Perhaps more eccentrically, it came in a single version with canvas doors that zipped up!
The fourth and current generation of the Jimny was launched in 2018, with styling reminiscent of earlier models. Unfortunately, it’s a bit hard for Americans to get their hands on a new Jimny, as Suzuki hasn’t sold cars in the U.S. since 2012.
2. Suzuki Vitara (1988-present): An early crossover
In the 1980s, SUVs began to replace station wagons and minivans as the most popular family vehicle. Crossovers—SUVs built on car platforms—were not far behind, with the
Toyota RAV4
being the very first. The Suzuki Vitara was another early option and rivaled the RAV4 in terms of popularity. You might’ve heard of it called by a different name—a Suzuki Escudo, a GMC Tracker, or a Mazda Proceed Levante. These names depended on the market, but around the globe, this car was loved by families who wanted something a little bit more adventurous than a minivan.
1. Suzuki Swift (1983-present): The brand’s best-selling vehicle
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, no one would’ve considered the Suzuki Swift iconic—and the version produced at the turn of the millennium was actually considered straight-up weird.
All of that changed in 2004, however, with the launch of the second generation Swift—a supermini market leader. It combines a cute look with exciting driving dynamics and a sturdy build quality, making it a crowd favorite in the small car realm. Today, it remains the brand’s best-selling vehicle on the market.
How to find affordable car insurance
Whether you’re shopping for something new or used, large or small, one thing is for certain—your vehicle must be protected by reliable
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