Auto news and reviews from Car Buyer's Notebook.com: Suzuki Archives

August 6, 2008

Suzuki sales up 2%, driven by SX4 lineup

BREA, Calif. - American Suzuki Motor Corp. today announced automotive sales of 8,103 units in July, an increase of 2 percent over last year's July sales total.

The monthly results bring Suzuki's year-to-date figures to 64,351 vehicles. Suzuki's market share has increased 14.3 percent through the first six months of 2008.

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July 23, 2008

Suzuki Hits Red Carpet at 2008 New York International Latino Film Festival

Rising Latina star Melonie Diaz receives Suzuki 'Way of Life!' Award

NEW YORK -- Suzuki Auto made a star appearance as the presenting sponsor of the New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) opening night film "American Son," featuring rising stars Nick Cannon, Melonie Diaz and Jay Hernandez. Suzuki's sponsorship of the NYILFF, which runs from July 22 through 27, 2008 in New York City, is part of the carmaker's ongoing effort to connect its brand and products with a wide range of Latinos -- a segment that represents nearly 10 percent of Suzuki new vehicle sales.

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July 15, 2008

American Suzuki Names Siltanen as New Advertising Agency

BREA, Calif. -- In a move designed to build upon the company's recent success and rapidly improving brand image, American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) today announced Siltanen & Partners (S&P), an independent agency based in Marina del Rey, Calif., as the company's new U.S. advertising agency of record for its automotive division.

The announcement is a significant business decision that not only illustrates Suzuki's focus on ensuring its products and messages are always on target, but it reinforces the company's ongoing commitment to the U.S. market.

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American Suzuki Consolidates Business Divisions

BREA, Calif. -- American Suzuki Motor Corporation announced today that it will consolidate its independent business units - Automotive, Motorcycle/ATV and Marine, along with Corporate Operations - under a new President, Mr. Kinji Saito.

All of the changes are focused on internal restructuring and do not affect the separate dealer bodies that support each of the company's product divisions.

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July 3, 2008

Suzuki offer standard nav system in SX4

BREA, Calif - After an overwhelming response to the company's April announcement that it will add standard navigation to the 2009 SX4 Sport and SX4 Crossover, American Suzuki Motor Corp. today revealed that it will produce a special edition version of the 2008 SX4 featuring standard navigation.

Available in July, the Road TRIP edition of the 2008 SX4 Sport and front-wheel-drive version of the five-door SX4 Crossover marks the first time a new vehicle under $16,000 will offer navigation as standard equipment.

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July 2, 2008

Suzuki reports June sales down 5%

Suzuki reported June 2008 sales of 9,785 units, down 5% from the same month last year.

June 14, 2008

Suzuki sales up 2% in May

BREA, Calif. - American Suzuki Motor Corp. today announced automotive sales of 10,364 units in May, an increase of two percent over May 2007 and the best May sales in company history. The monthly results bring Suzuki's year-to-date figures to 46,463 vehicles.

Suzuki sales continue to be fueled by the popular SX4 model line, which sold an impressive 3,970 units, an increase of 158 percent over 2007.

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May 29, 2008

Cadillac Tops 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

TUSTIN, Calif. -- A study released today by noted automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. summarizes the results of its 2008 model year vehicle satisfaction research. AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring how satisfied an owner is with their new passenger car or light truck.

In a year that promises to be the toughest in a decade, owner-based awards like AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Award will help customers make their purchase decisions.

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Gene Brown to Outline Suzuki's Ambition June 3

LOS ANGELES -- On Tuesday, June 3, 2008, The Motor Press Guild (MPG) will feature at its monthly luncheon Gene Brown, vice president of marketing and public relations, American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC).

Brown will discuss Suzuki's product ambitions and future brand strategy including the new Equator pickup and the recently revealed Concept Kizashi 3 sports sedan.

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May 12, 2008

2008 Fuel Economy Guide Available for Download

The EPA has issued a comprehensive PDF guide to fuel economy of all 2008 vehicles, which you can download by right-clicking here.

In today's gas market, buyers are more sensitive than ever about buying cars that get good mileage, and more important, they want the government ratings to be as accurate as possible -- nobody wants to buy a vehicle that gets 10% worse mileage in the real world than the sticker rating.

To address this situation, the EPA has started using an updated test to assign more accurate MPG ratings to new vehicles, and you can learn about that by watching the video in this post.

Suzuki offers free gas incentives through June

Through June 30, 2008, you can get "free" gas for the summer when you buy a new Suzuki. The gas spiff comes in the form of a prepaid Visa card, that is charged with up to $470 -- which represents the amount of money you would spend on gas for the specific vehicle, for three months of average driving.

For example, if you buy a Suzuki SX4, you will get a Visa card for $355. The value is calculated by assuming an average 1,000 miles per month, with the SX4 getting 28 miles to the gallon and a gas price assumption of $3.29 per gallon.

To figure the gas card value, divide 3,000 miles [3 months] by 28 MPG, which equals 107.14 gallons. Multiply that by $3.26 per gallon, and you get $352.50. Suzuki then round that up to $355.

Here are the gas card spiff for each Suzuki vehicle, which, are offered in lieu of traditional rebates:

Continue reading "Suzuki offers free gas incentives through June"

May 3, 2008

Suzuki sales up 5% for April

BREA, Calif. – American Suzuki Motor Corp. today announced automotive sales of 9,669 units in April, an increase of 5 percent over last year’s April sales total. Year-to-date sales stand at 36,099 vehicles.

April sales were led by Suzuki’s midsize crossover SUV, the XL7, which sold an impressive 3,082 units, an increase of 33 percent over 2007.

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April 28, 2008

2009 Suzuki SX4: First Car in America Under $16K with Standard Navigation

BREA, Calif. -- Establishing an auto industry first, and packing even more appeal into its bold and stylish sport compact, American Suzuki Motor Corp. today announced the addition of a fully integrated standard navigation system to the 2009 Suzuki SX4.

The company's offering marks the first time a new vehicle under $16,000 will include navigation as a standard feature.

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April 17, 2008

Suzuki Showcases SX4 Sport, Zuk Concept at Pittsburgh Auto Show

PITTSBURGH -- Led by the all-new 2008 four-door Suzuki SX4 Sport, American Suzuki Motor Corp. arrives at the Pittsburgh International Auto Show poised to impress show goers with its exciting lineup of value-packed cars and SUVs made for people with active lifestyles.

In addition to Suzuki Auto's full-line of vehicles on display at the show, including the XL7 midsize SUV, media-acclaimed Grand Vitara, and bold and functional five-door SX4 Crossover, Steel City auto enthusiasts will be treated to a look at the Zuk, one of the company's dynamic Suzuki LIVE Series (LIFESTYLE VEHICLES) concept vehicles based on the SX4 Crossover.

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April 5, 2008

April Suzuki Rebates Available at CurrentAutoRebates.com

Suzuki is offering up to a $2,000 rebate or 1.9% financing on the 2008 XL-7 SUV, up to $1,750 or 0% financing on the Grand Vitara SUV and $1,000 or 0% financing on the SX-4 model line.

Programs end 4/30/08.

If you would like to research current auto rebates for all make and models for sale in the United States, check out CurrentAutoRebates.com, a fabulous service that allows you to check up on all rebate programs through a handy PDF report. The service is free and available now!

April 1, 2008

Suzuki Posts 2.6% Sales Increase

BREA, Calif. -- American Suzuki Motor Corp. today announced automotive sales of 10,510 units in March, a year-over-year daily selling rate increase of 2.6 percent over last year’s March sales total.

Suzuki Auto’s strong sales month, which kept it on-pace to match the company’s record-setting 2007 sales year, resulted in a total year-to-date sales volume of 26,430 vehicles.

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March 24, 2008

2008 Suzuki SX4 Crossover

The 2008 Suzuki SX4 crossover, on display at the NY Auto Show, is the most affordable all wheel drive in its class, starting at $15,270.

The SX4 has an inline, 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 143 horsepower and 136 lb.-ft. of torque.

The SX4 gets 21 mpg in teh city,m 28 on the highway, so it's an affordable, fun to drive and versatile car that is also economical to drive day to day.

March 20, 2008

Suzuki Debuts Concept Kizashi 3 at the New York Auto Show

NEW YORK -- Performing onstage at this year's New York International Auto Show in front of a packed house, American Suzuki Motor Corp. hosts the world debut of its sleek and athletic Concept Kizashi 3, which completes the company's star-studded cast of media-acclaimed Kizashi concepts.

In addition to the North American reveals of Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2, the global introduction of Concept Kizashi 3 coincides with Suzuki's announcement that it will produce a sport sedan derived from the Concept Kizashi 3 design.

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March 17, 2008

Suzuki, Ford Turn to "Conquest" Rebates in Soft Market

With new vehicle sales slumping and no good economic news in site, at least two automakers are turning to "conquest" rebates to convince consumers to get into one of their vehicles.

In the auto industry, the term "conquest" refers to a purchase by a consumer who elects to switch the brand of vehicle they choose to buy. It is considered an indicator of the brand's future fortunes and the strength of their current lineup. In general, consumers switch to new brands when a particular vehicle captures the public's imagination, or if the brand is enjoying a growing reputation for quality and value.

From what we've seen so far, Ford and Suzuki are currently offering conquest rebates to customers -- and both of them are for SUVs. Both programs require the customer to currently own a competitive product, meaning an SUV or minivan.

Suzuki is offering $1,000 to a customer who trades in an SUV or minivan to buy the Suzuki XL7, and the customer is required to trade that vehicle into the dealer. The Suzuki program ends April 30, 2008; more info can be found in this PDF.

Ford is also offering $1,000 to customers who buy an Edge SUV, and who own a competitive vehicle, but the program does not require the existing vehicle to be traded in. Ford program ends March 31, 2008.

March 13, 2008

Suzuki sales up 3% in February

Brea, Calif. -- American Suzuki Motor Corp. today announced automotive sales of 8,800 vehicles in February, an increase of 3 percent over last year's February figure. Suzuki Auto's strong February resulted in a total year-to-date sales volume of 15,920 vehicles.

February sales were led by Suzuki's midsize crossover SUV, the XL7, which sold 3,761 units.

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March 12, 2008

Video: Suzuki Kizashi 2 Concept

As the second vehicle in the Suzuki Kizashi series, the Concept Kizashi 2 crossover sport wagon is aimed at drivers with energetic lifestyles.

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Video: Suzuki Kizashi Concept

The Kizashi concept series was developed by Suzuki’s Advanced Design Group to reflect a “dynamic athlete in motion,” symbolizing both Suzuki’s future design direction and stated intent to offer a larger, more upscale sport sedan.

Continue reading "Video: Suzuki Kizashi Concept"

March 8, 2008

The Suzuki Store to Accept Non-Perishable Food Donations

ANDERSON, S.C. -- With Easter just around the corner, many of us are thinking about food and fellowship with family for this special holiday.

But at one of Anderson's local food pantries, the Good Neighbor Cupboard, the thought is about having enough food on the shelves to serve the roughly 500 people that come through its doors seeking sustenance each month.

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March 6, 2008

Suzuki Debuts Concept Kizashi 3 at New York Auto Show

BREA, Calif. -- The New York International Auto Show welcomes American Suzuki Motor Corp. on Thursday, March 20, as the company debuts its sleek and athletic Concept Kizashi 3, the final addition to its acclaimed Kizashi concept series.

The Concept Kizashi 3, which suggests both Suzuki's future design direction and stated intent to offer a larger, more upscale sport sedan, will be joined in New York by the North American debuts of the Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2.

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February 6, 2008

2009 Suzuki Equator Pickup makes global debut in Windy City

CHICAGO -- To bolster its versatile and dynamic product line, American Suzuki debuts its all-new 2009 Equator midsize pickup truck at this year's Chicago Auto Show.

The introduction of the Equator marks Suzuki's first entry into the midsize pickup truck market and expands the company's offering of activity-oriented cars and trucks.

Developed as a joint effort with Nissan North America, Inc., and based on the Nissan Frontier, the 2009 Equator will be available in both Extended Cab and Crew Cab body styles and rear-wheel and four-wheel-drive configurations.

Continue reading "2009 Suzuki Equator Pickup makes global debut in Windy City"

February 2, 2008

Current Auto Rebates Has All the Updated Rebates!

With auto sales down 4.3% in January 2008, many automakers are increasing the rebate and incentive offers they have on the hoods of their vehicles.

Yet keeping track of all the rebate programs can be difficult work, which is why we began publishing Current Auto Rebates, the Internet's first document that lists every rebate program for every vehicle for same in the United States.

This 13-page PDF makes it easy for you to look up rebates on any model you're interested in, and even allows you to contact your local dealer who will give you a free price quote on the ride of your choice.

Since rebate programs can change several times per month, you may want to sign up for free updates to the publication -- when we update the document you'll get an email from us letting you know a refreshed version is available for you to download.

And if someone you know is currently shopping for a new vehicle, you may want to download a copy and email it to them -- they'll thank you for doing so!

January 30, 2008

With Home Prices Dropping, Car Prices Are Sure to Follow

It's accepted wisdom now that overall auto sales will drop in 2008. This is seen as a function of the housing bust, during which as much as 20% of new car purchases were funded by residential real estate profit, home equity cashouts and the general euphoria in real estate related industries.

Now that home prices are dropping -- and will continue to do so until they fall in line with median income -- we believe the average new vehicle transaction price will drop as well. If houses can fall 10%-30% in value, why not cars?

In November we ran a story from Comerica Bank stating the average transaction price of a new vehicle was $29,024. Our projection is this number will fall below $25,000, perhaps in 2009 if not this year, for several reasons:

1. Less money to spend. The option of taking cash out of a home to finance a new purchase is gone. The psychology of spending "free money" to buy a luxe ride will give way to folks actually having to make the payment out of their own pocket. And with many people paying even more for housing due to adjustable rates, they will choose cheaper rides.

2. Gas prices. While $3 a gallon gas isn't as draconian as five bucks, it will have an effect over time. People are already choosing more efficient crossovers and smaller SUVs over the big buses, and V8s are going out of favor. Look for more people to choose V6s in cars and for four-cylinders to pick up in popularity.

3. Negative equity. A greater percentage of folks are upside down in their cars, and have been rolling their balances into new loan agreements. To catch up, their new purchases will have to be cheaper and it's going to take years to eat away at the balance.

4. New frugality. In a tough economy, the value of money becomes more dear. People will start thinking twice about how much money they spend. They will choose cheaper cars, perhaps with more options, but the luxe-marques are in for a rough ride.

5. New wage structures. The Detroit car companies have made big headlines with their new labor deals, that allow them to replace higher paid union workers with new hires at a lower wage scale. The higher wages translated into higher sticker prices; the lower wages will allow for slimmer price hikes and even reductions.

6. Battle for fewer consumers. Don't let the tough talk fool you. As fewer cars are sold throughout 2008, the rebate war will kick into full swing -- and spiffs will help bring down the average transaction price.

This last reason is why we launched Current Auto Rebates, a site that publishes all the rebates for every model in a single PDF file, to make bargain hunting that much easier.

January 27, 2008

2008 Suzuki XL7 Rebates Available at Current Auto Rebates.com

The 2008 Suzuki XL7 has a $1,000 rebate or 1.9% financing available; program ends 2/29/08. The 2008 Suzuki XL7 base price -- $21,349.

Click here to get your free 2008 Suzuki XL7 price quote!