Suzuki leaving US

We knew that Suzuki's automotive division was having problems in the United States, but we never imagined that the Japanese carmaker would go as far as to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and completely exit the automobile market in the country (this decision does not affect its global automotive operations). American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), which is the exclusive distributor in the continental United States of Suzuki Motor Corporation automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and marine outboard engines, made the announcement on Monday night, citing several reasons:

"These challenges include low sales volumes, a limited number of models in its line-up, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, the high costs associated with growing and maintaining an automotive distribution system in the continental U.S. and the disproportionally high and increasing costs associated with stringent state and federal regulatory requirements unique to the U.S. market," Suzuki said in a statement.

Suzuki sold 21,188 cars and trucks from January through October this year, a 5 percent decrease over the same period in 2011, despite the fact that the U.S. market as a whole, grew by around 14 percent.

"While the decision to discontinue new automobile sales in the U.S. was difficult to make, today's actions were inevitable under these circumstances," Suzuki said in a statement.

Whereas the company's automotive operations in the U.S. will be shut down, Suzuki said it "remains firmly committed to Motorcycles/ATV and Marine products" in the States.

As for current Suzuki vehicle owners, the Japanese manufacturer said, "consumers will be protected and all warranties will continue to be fully honored".

Dont know if anyone cares but I thought the Kizashi was a pretty good looking car.

Iusedtobefast wrote: Dont know if anyone cares but I thought the Kizashi was a pretty good looking car.

I almost bought one for my MIL. It was very sharp and a very good handling car too.

Well, that sucks. Granted, they haven't sold anything in big numbers here since... ? Wonder who's going to do their warranty work for them.

Too many orphans these days. Glad the bikes are staying.

Still looking at a new base kizashi, $15,999

Edit- down to $14,999

I always wondered why Suzuki wasn't interested in the US market. They've sold nothing interesting for a long time. I'm surprised they lasted this long.

Well, at least parts will be available from the interweb for those orphaned owners.

And they aren't abandoning Canada, so you can get a 2014 Kariachi in 25 years.

I have never seen a Kizashi in the flesh.. and the few suzuki cars I see on the road look a little goofy and are usually pretty beaten up by owners who use, abuse, and throw them away.

EvanR wrote: And they aren't abandoning Canada, so you can get a 2014 Kariachi in 25 years.

Sooner than that There are special rules for CDM cars...

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/VIG_Canada01192007.htm

Zomby Woof wrote: I always wondered why Suzuki wasn't interested in the US market. They've sold nothing interesting for a long time. I'm surprised they lasted this long.

The worst thing is, the EDM/JDM Swift/Ignis/whatever would be perfect for the US market now. If Suzuki would have brought it over when they first released it in Europe/Japan, they might have even gotten a jump on the b-class cars and been out in front, but nope!

I'm getting a new career as a medium. I predicted this over a year ago.

All you had to do was work in a Suzook dealership to understand this.... It took forever to get cars. It took forever to get parts to fix those cars. You would have Suzuki regional managers that really didn't want cars fixed for what it really would take to fix it.

And this was in '05.....

Who?

I just saw the other day that they have a full size pickup

Funny that they could not do what so many other companies have done so well.

Grtechguy wrote: I just saw the other day that they have a full size pickup

Rebadged Nissan Frontiers (the smaller Nissan truck)
renamed the Suzuki Equator.

Grtechguy wrote: I just saw the other day that they have a full size pickup

It is a Nissan Frontier rebadged.

Most of Suzuki's line we don't get. For them it was a mishmash to begin with.

No sales, not selling what they actually produce, why continue?

Their bikes are awesome, that is without saying but their outboards have become the low buck, reliable, secret in the marine industry,

The end was near when the Kizashi launched pretty flat.
I saw the real death nail when there were selling rebadged Dawoos. I have thought for years now that their website was extremely subpar for a car company.

Suzuki makes cars? I thought they were a motorcycle company.

JohnRW1621 wrote: I saw the real death nail when there were selling rebadged Dawoos.

Well then they deserved it.

It's really too bad.

They had a few good cars overseas(.. cough... SWIFT... ) but refused to bring the current models here. The Swift would have slotted up nicely against the Mini, Fiesta, Sonic, and the Fiat 500 that are currently selling very well. They had some interesting Kei cars that would have been fun competition to the Smart and the Toyota/Scion iQ.

The Kizashi was something I considered when looking at my 3, but I wanted an AWD one with a stick. They didn't come that way. It was a good looking little car, and I've heard that it handles very well. Also, there was practically no dealer network and the ones I did find were kinda expensive.

The rest of their lineup was goofy looking or a rebadged 15-year old looking Daewoo, and those just can't compete with the market these days. The Equator looked especially goofy with the giant Suzuki S in the grille. It looked like someone got one of those Superman badges from the chrome aisle at Pep Boys and stuck it to a cut up Toyota Tundra grille.

Yeah, I saw a few Kizashis out and about, I was always surprised how much I liked their looks! Its been in the back of my mind ever since Carguy did a semi-informal writeup about his test drive, and gave it pretty good marks.

Pretty goo dlooking vehicle IMHO

ddavidv wrote: I'm getting a new career as a medium. I predicted this over a year ago.

I'm getting a new career as a large, because I predicted it 5 years ago

They are a major auto manufacturer back home, and make some really cool cars, none of which they bring over here. I can't recall the name, but they had a 2 dr hatch with a J18 motor that looked like a 323. It would have been a big seller and natural upgrade from the Swift, and what did we get? The Esteem.

Even the Kei cars would sell like hotcakes in Canada.

Hate to say it, but I've been expecting this announcement every year since I was in high school.