About Suzuki
Suzuki is the carmaker that proves small can be enormous. It builds compact, light, frugal vehicles better than almost anyone, and through its Indian subsidiary Maruti Suzuki it sits atop one of the world's largest car markets. Americans may remember it mainly for Samurai rollover headlines and motorcycles, but across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America the Suzuki badge sits on hatchbacks, crossovers and tiny off-roaders that people buy for their honesty, economy and stubborn reliability.
The company began in Hamamatsu in 1909 as a loom maker founded by Michio Suzuki, turned to motorcycles after the war and built its first car, the Suzulight, in 1955. Its masterstroke came in the early 1980s, when it partnered with the Indian government on Maruti Udyog; the little Maruti 800 put a nation on wheels, and Maruti Suzuki has dominated Indian car sales ever since. Osamu Suzuki, who ran the company for decades and championed the India bet, died in 2024. Suzuki stopped selling cars in the United States in 2012.
The modern range centers on the Swift hatchback, the Vitara and Grand Vitara crossovers, Japanese kei cars and the cult-favorite Jimny, with India supplying a growing share of Suzuki's global production. Its alliance with Toyota runs deep, with cross-shareholding, shared hybrid technology and badge-engineered models flowing in both directions. The e Vitara, built in India and sold in Europe, Japan and beyond, marks Suzuki's first serious global electric car, arriving later than many rivals but with the company's trademark focus on affordability.
Because the Suzuki name also covers motorcycles, scooters and outboard motors, the news mix here ranges widely, from car launches in India and Australia to motorcycle reveals and industry stories about Toyota engines and hybrid systems the two firms may share. Expect new-model coverage, sales results from India and Japan, electric-vehicle updates, reviews from the many markets where Suzuki thrives, and the odd affectionate look back at a classic Alto or Samurai.