Are Suzuki Cars Reliable?

There are lots of reasons why people buy a new car. Perhaps as a treat for a new job promotion, or something bigger because there’s a child on the way. Whatever the case, everyone expects their new car to be reliable.

In their search for reliability, consumers always go back to Japanese car brands. Japanese cars have been known for their bulletproof reliability for decades.

Rock solid engines and transmissions have cemented the country’s status as one of the best producers of reliable machines. And it’s showing no sign of stopping.

Japanese cars cultivated a reputation for reliability back in the 1980s. While British and European cars coughed and spluttered, Japanese cars went on. It’s this reputation for building long-lasting vehicles that’s made them such a huge success in Britain and the rest of the world. No other country is so famed for vehicle reliability.

Suzuki Reliability

Suzuki is one of the most popular Japanese car brands in Britain. It witnessed a record year for sales in 2016, shipping 38,190 cars – 3,700 more than in 2015. Fast-forward to 2017, and it gets even better. Suzuki shipped 40,343 cars, an increase of 5.7 per cent. It’s expected to ship even more in 2018.

Why is it so popular? Because it makes reliable cars.

Go back through over a decade’s worth of vehicle dependability polls and reliability surveys, and you’ll find Suzuki right there at the top of the mix.

Suzuki has a history of ranking in the top ten most reliable car brands in Britain. Across numerous consumer polls, the Japanese brand also consistently ranks in the top five with high satisfaction rates and low reported problems per car.

Below, we’ll list Suzuki’s rankings in a wide range of reliability and dependability polls:

  • 2017 What Car? Reliability Survey – Suzuki rank 4th
  • 2017 Independent Survey – Suzuki rank 4th
  • 2017 J.D. Power UK Vehicle Dependability Survey – Suzuki rank 4th
  • 2016 J.D. Power UK Vehicle Dependability Survey – Suzuki rank 2nd
  • 2015 J.D. Power UK Vehicle Dependability Survey – Suzuki rank 3rd
  • 2015 What Car? Reliability Survey – Suzuki rank 2nd

As you can see, Suzuki always ranks towards the very top of the table for reliability. No other car manufacturer is as consistent as Suzuki.

In our opinion, the J.D. Power UK Vehicle Dependability Survey is the most accurate study of car reliability. It’s one of the most respected polls in the country and is based on the responses of more than 13,000 drivers.

Other Japanese car brands dominate the top five too. It’s only in very recent years that European manufacturers have caught up. And, if you look through the data, Japanese car brands are still rated higher than their European counterparts.

Suzuki’s Reliability Index

We can also assess the reliability of Suzuki cars by looking at the results of Warranty Direct surveys, which give car manufacturers a reliability index score. What Car? Magazine uses this index to compile its list of most reliable cars.

The Reliability Index takes into account all factors of car repair, including cost of parts, frequency of failures and time spent off the road. Because of this, it’s a good benchmark for us to determine how reliable car manufacturers really are.

As a car manufacturer, Suzuki has a Reliability Index of 55. The average score is 100 (lower is better). This makes it the third most reliable car manufacturer in the United Kingdom. The top two manufacturers are also Japanese, which just goes to show how far ahead the Japanese are when it comes to motor reliability.

If you’re interested in buying a new or used Suzuki, you can also view the reliability score of individual vehicles. For example, click here to see the reliability score for the 2010-2017 Suzuki Swift or click here to view the reliability score for the Suzuki Alto. The data is updated every year and will help you find a reliable car.

Buying a Modern Suzuki

Suzuki is a car brand that’s consistently ranked as one of the most reliable. You should have no qualms about buying a modern Suzuki.

All new Suzuki come with a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty, whichever comes first. You can also extend your warranty up to 100,000-miles.

Looking back as far as 2015, we can see that Suzuki has consistently ranked at the top of reliability leader boards. So, you can buy new or used with confidence. If do buy used, only buy from a Suzuki Approved Used dealership. These cars go through a multi-point inspection so offer complete peace of mind whatever the age of the vehicle.