Suzuki are known more in the US for selling rebadged Daewoos, and for having GM sell their stuff rebadged as Geo than for selling their own cars. I'm not sure they have any US models that are the same as the Japanese models apart from the Escudo/Vitara. Don't quote me on that though.

Suzuki is big into small cars. That's primarily what they're known for in the US, but we've barely seen what they can do in this area.

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Suzuki Alto

Consider this is the company that makes the fastest motorcycle in the world. You'd expect them to know a thing or two about small engines. And they do. Most of the Suzukis you'll see tooling around are Kei cars. Something you notice about Kei cars is a lot of them sound like motorcycles. Hmm... They usually aren't using the same engines though.

The Suzuki Alto is Suzuki's main Kei offering. They also have the "Carry," a kei truck, the "Kei" which isn't really very different from the Alto, and the Jimny, which you might know better as the Samurai.

Suzuki Alto Lapin

This is the slightly more upscale, slightly more expensive, slightly less efficient version of the Alto. It still gets 40 miles to the gallon.



Well, it's probably spacioius for a Kei, but if I'm going to make the compromises a Kei car entails, why not go for something which maxes out the fuel economy? Well, it's still cheaper to register I guess.

Suzuki Alto

This is a more conventional Alto, from the late 90s, I think. A new Alto Van can be had now for about $5700, MSRP. I'm not kidding. The current Alto is a little more rounded. I'm not sure what the difference is between the Alto and the Alto Van. The bodies are identical. But the Alto Van starts at 30,000 yen less than the Alto.

Suzuki Alto Works

This is an older "sporty" Alto. "Works" is Suzuki's label for that kind of thing.


You can tell this is Hokkaido because of the windshield wipers. People do that so they don't freeze to the windshield. But this is summer. Uh, what?


The 1983 Alto was the basis of the Daewoo Tico, one of the most common cars in Korea. Daewoo put in a larger engine (a whopping 800cc), however. The Tico looks kind of similar to this Alto.

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Suzuki Cappucino

This is love. This is lust. I want to make babies with this car.

Turbo kei car. Made from 1991-1998. Sold in many countries, but not the US. Dammit.

8.2 seconds to 60. From a 657cc 3 cylinder. At 40mpg. Supposed to be a demon in corners. But at that size how could it not be? This is one of a handful of truly hot Kei cars (also including the Mazda AZ-1, Honda Beat, and Daihatsu Copen.)

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Suzuki Cultus

I think this is like right above the Swift. It may have been sold in the US, but I'm not sure. Regardless, remember in Gran Turismo, one of the super expensive race cars, the Suzuki Cultus Pike's Peak car? Twin 4 cylinder engines? This is what that was based on.

If it were sold in the US, the name would be changed. Fuckin' fundies would be all like "oh that's a car for satanists!"

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Suzuki Damas

Suzuki's Kei van, shared with Daewoo under the same name. However, Daewoos version has different styling...not overall, really, it's a box. But the windows and doors have slightly different shapes.

 

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Suzuki Escudo

We DO get this in the states, as the Vitara.

I just thought I'd throw this in due to, again, Gran Turismo. This is what the most powerful, fastest car in the series is based upon. Except with two engines. And lowered, and chopped a bit, and gutted, and with massive aero parts.

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Suzuki Jimny

This model, and up through the early 90s, was available in the United States. This particular example appears to be the early 70s, maybe late 60s. It's pretty rough, but it does run. I talked to the owner, and I saw him out driving it later. He also has a weird little Austin.

My dad told me about a friend of his who owned one of these, and drove it from Minot, ND, to ...I think he said Nebraska. With a top speed of 45 miles an hour. Now that's patience.


It is Kei, note the yellow plate.


This is a Jimny from after they stopped selling them in the US as the Samurai. The Samurai had a larger engine, but the same body as the Jimny. Later US Suzuki 4x4s were larger, including at least the later model year Geo Trackers.

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Suzuki Kei

Perhaps the most redundant car in a car market full of redundant cars. Yes, it is sold concurrently with the alto. Yes, it is a Kei car. Yes, it is fucking pointless.

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Suzuki Selbo Mode

The Suzuki Selbo seems to have been the equivalent of the Kei. It was made from at least the 70s until 1998. And damn, the 70s Selbo looked cool. (Think miniature muscle car) Anyhow, that look went away, and eventually the car did, too.

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Suzuki Carrier

Kei pickup. All you redneck truck-lovers out there, this is the sort of thing your children will be driving. Weep while I laugh.

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Suzuki Swift

Remember the Geo Metro? That was a rebadged Suzuki Swift. Or well, the base metro was. The Swift eventually went away in the US, but it kept right on going in Japan, and this is what it became. One thing it became was bigger. But it still kept the 1.3 liter engine. Funny how after looking at all these Kei cars, that doesn't seem small.

This car is coming to the US in 2008 or so. Or maybe the next generation. It's supposed to be quite the fun drive. We actually already get this platform in the Suzuki SX4.

Yes, that is a Suzuki Swift cop car, in Tokyo. Obviously not the same generation as the one above.

I don't know what he was standing around for for so long.

I'm pretty sure this is the front of the same generation Swift as above. I might be wrong, though.

 

Now we're done with the Japanese cars. Well, the somewhat normal ones, anyway. On to the US & Europe.