SUZUKI announces its financial results for the FY 2015 Q1 (April 2015 - June 2015).

• Increased sales and operating/ordinary income
• Decreased net income (attributable to owners of the parent)

1. Outline of the Financial Results for FY2015 First Quarter (April 2015 to June 2015)

The consolidated net sales of this first quarter (April 2015 to June 2015) increased by ¥62.5 billion (8.8%) to ¥772.9 billion compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

The Japanese domestic net sales decreased by ¥8.7 billion (3.4%) to ¥247.3 billion year-on-year owing to the decrease in the OEM sales. The overseas net sales increased by ¥71.2 billion (15.7%) to ¥525.6 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in the automobile sales in India.

In terms of the consolidated income, the operating income increased by ¥4.3 billion (8.3%) to ¥55.2 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in the income in India. 

The ordinary income increased by ¥3.0 billion (5.1%) to ¥62.3 billion year-on-year. However, the net income attributable to owners of the parent decreased by ¥5.8 billion (15.5%) to ¥31.7 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in the adjustment of profit attributable to non-controlling interests.

2. The Operating Results by Segment

In the automobile business, the Company made efforts to expand its sales by strengthening its products such as by launching the all-new Alto Lapin minicar and enhancing fuel efficiency of models including the Hustler and the Spacia minicars. 

However, owing to the decrease in the OEM sales, the Japanese domestic net sales decreased year-on-year. The overseas net sales increased year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in India and Pakistan. 

Consequently, the net sales of the automobile business increased by ¥62.9 billion (10.0%) to ¥691.9 billion year-on-year. The operating income increased by ¥6.3 billion (13.2%) to ¥53.6 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in the income in India.

In the motorcycle business, the net sales decreased by ¥4.7 billion (7.2%) to ¥60.9 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the decrease in the sales in North America and Asia. 

The operating income of ¥1.0 billion in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year became an operating loss of ¥2.6 billion.

In the marine and power products, etc. business, the net sales increased by ¥4.3 billion (27.3%) to ¥20.1 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in the sales of the outboard motors in the US. The operating income increased by ¥1.6 billion (63.8%) to ¥4.2 billion year-on-year.

As for the operating income by geographical areas, Japan decreased by ¥6.6 billion (19.7%) to ¥27.2 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in research and development expenses and depreciation. 

However, Asia increased by ¥14.0 billion (93.2%) to ¥29.1 billion year-on-year mainly owing to the increase in the automobile sales in India and Pakistan.

3. Forecasts for the Consolidated Operating Results-Full Year

As for the forecasts for the consolidated operating results, they remain unchanged from the previous forecasts. The Group will work as one to reform in every field to accomplish the below forecasts for the consolidated operation by pursuing the business activity.

(Forecasts for the consolidated operating results-Full Year)

Net Sales	¥3,100.0 billion (up 2.8% year-on-year)
Operating Income	¥190.0 billion (up 5.9% year-on-year)
Ordinary Income	¥200.0 billion (up 2.9% year-on-year)
Net Income attributable to owners of the parent	¥110.0 billion (up 13.6% year-on-year)
(Foreign Exchange Rate)	¥115/US$
	¥125/Euro
	¥1.85/Indian Rupee
	¥0.90/100 Indonesian Rupiah
	¥3.50/Thai Baht

Suzuki takes a well deserved second place in the Warranty Direct/What Car? annual reliability survey.

Lowest cost per claim across all manufacturers

The latest Warranty Direct survey has been published by What Car? Magazine and Suzuki’s renowned reputation for reliability has again been reinforced with another strong result for the brand, scoring 48 points in the Reliability Index. 

The lower the number, the more reliable the brand, and Suzuki’s was considerably lower than the average score across all manufacturers measured which was 149.

Suzuki were in second place overall across 37 manufacturers this year and joined seven other Japanese manufacturers in the top 10.

The Reliability Index takes into account all factors of a repair including the cost of parts, frequency of failures as well as time off the road. Suzuki cars measured in the survey had an average age of 5.35 years, mileage of 39,200 with time off the road of just 1.93 hours in the event of a warranty claim. There were no nasty surprises in store either as the average repair cost across the Suzuki range was £256 – the lowest of all manufacturers.

In the Supermini / City car segment, Suzuki’s low cost of ownership was highlighted even further with the Alto model at an average of 5.15 years old ranking as one of the cheapest cars to repair at just £118. Alto achieved a Reliability Index score of only 14.00 points with an average time off the road of only 1.2 hours. 

Suzuki’s reputation of low cost of ownership continues too with its recently launched Celerio City car now available with new technology Dualjet engine. Dualjet offers even lower CO₂ emissions of just 84g/km and 78.4mpg on the EC Combined fuel consumption cycle. The Swift Supermini is also now available with the Dualjet engine with CO₂ emissions of 99g/km, combined fuel consumption of 65.7mpg and no annual VED to pay.

UK RECALL #3 - SUZUKI - Fuel tank may become loose, due to damaged strapping.

Vehicle Details
Reference :	R/2014/185
Manufacturer Ref :	R14/14
Make:	SUZUKI
Model :	SX4 S-Cross
Launch Date :	16/02/2015
Numbers Involved :	1522
Build Start Date :	15/07/2014
Build End Date :	28/10/2014

Recall Details
Concern :	FUEL TANK MAY BECOME LOOSE
Description :	A fuel tank supporting strap may not have been correctly formed during production. The strap can crack and may, with prolonged use, break.
Remedial Action :	On affected vehicles replace strap.
Vehicle Id :	TSMEYA21S00821254 to TSMEYB21S00821666 TSMJYA22S00183533 to TSMJYA22S00196295 TSMJYB22S00183583 to TSMJYB82S00192102

Other Vehicles Affected (Click the vehicle to perform an extended search)

SUZUKI - SX4 SUZUKI - SX4 SUZUKI - SX4

Suzuki will display two world-premiere concept models at the 85th Geneva Motor Show next month.

Suzuki Motor Corporation will display two world-premiere concept models at the 85th Geneva Motor Show next month, both will offer the design language tahat has become an important part of Suzuki design of recent times, and will move the brand forward with these two new exciting products.

iK-2

The iK-2 is an ideal compact sized car, developed with an innovative theme of “Harmonised Force”. By combining all of the key elements expected in a car of this size the new model raises compact car values to the limit.

iM-4

The iM-4 is an iconic mini 4x4 developed with a concept theme of “Shape the Inspiration”. It is an all-new proposal from Suzuki, packed with its compact 4x4 DNA and new technologies as well as distinctive styling that will give real inspiration to drivers.

Detailed information will be disclosed at the Suzuki press conference, scheduled on

Tuesday, 3rd March 2015 at 11:15 am

On stand 4251, in hall 4

A special website is available on http://www.globalsuzuki.com/geneva2015/

*The 85th Geneva International Motor Show will be open to the press on 3rd and 4th March and then to the general public from 5th to 15th March.

New Suzuki Vitara will require Hungary plant to go back to two shifts to meet demand.

Suzuki will return to two-shift production at its plant in Hungary in December as it builds stocks of the new Vitara, the news agency MTI reported, quoting the unit's CEO, Ryoichi Oura.

Suzuki unveiled the five-door Vitara subcompact SUV at the Paris auto show last month. The model will go in sale in January, competing in a booming segment with cars such as the Renault Captur and Opel Mokka.

Suzuki's plant in Esztergom, northwest Hungary, has worked in one shift in the past months after ending output of the Splash small minivan and the SX4 small SUV.

The factory also builds the Swift subcompact hatchback, Suzuki's top-seller in Europe, and the new SX4 S-Cross, according to Automotive News Europe's guide to European assembly plants.

Suzuki's vehicle sales rose 10 percent to 140,099 in the EU and EFTA countries in the first 10 months, according to data from industry association. Its market share rose a percentage point to 1.3 percent.

Suzuki has said that the Vitara was created specifically with the Europe in mind and the company hasn't decided whether to sell it in other markets. IHS Automotive expects Suzuki to sell about 23,000 units of the model in 2016 in Europe and 27,000 in 2017.

REPORT HERE

Booming small SUV market set to increase with the addition of new models.

Europe's booming small SUV segment is giving a much-needed boost to beleaguered mass-market brands such as Renault, Peugeot and Opel.

The success of models such as the Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008 and Opel/Vauxhall Mokka also is attracting more automakers to the sector as western European sales of small SUVs are forecast to more than double to nearly 1 million by 2020, according researchers at IHS Automotive.

"These cars have hit the zeitgeist of the European market," IHS analyst Tim Urquhart told Automotive News Europe.

Renault sold 87,396 Capturs in the first half of this year, according to figures from JATO Dynamics. That exceeds the 2014 full-year European sales IHS predicted for the Captur last February. It also tops Renault's wildest expectations for the small SUV. "We are surprised. It was much more than we were expecting at the beginning," a company spokesman told Automotive News Europe.

The small SUV, which starts at 16,100 euros in France, is now Renault's No. 2-selling model in Europe after the Clio subcompact. It also accounted for the vast majority of Renault's 14 percent sales growth in Europe during the first half.

To keep up with Captur demand, Renault had to increase output at its factory in Valladolid, Spain, the spokesman said, without giving specific figures. Earlier this year Deutsche Bank reported that installed capacity at the plant for the car had been boosted to 250,000 from 150,000.

Rival Peugeot had to make a similar adjustment after its 2008 small SUV proved more popular than expected. In April, Peugeot announced it would increase capacity by 25 percent to 860 vehicles a day at its Mulhouse, France, factory to fulfill 120,000 orders for the car. The 2008 was second to the Captur during the first half with 73,452 sales (see chart) and is now the brand’s third-biggest seller after the 208 subcompact and the 308 compact. In the first half the 2008 played the biggest role of any Peugeot model in the carmaker’s 7 percent sales gain in Europe, according to JATO figures. The Mokka also made a huge contribution toward Opel’s 8 percent first-half sales rise in the first half.

Better margins

The popularity of the cars has allowed the French brands to play to their small-car strengths and rebuild market shares after sales of their compact and midsize models were undercut by increased competition from premium automakers. “Renault and Peugeot have always been known for manufacturing stylish characterful small cars and these models fit in very well with their self-image,” Urquhart said.

The cars’ combination of budget subcompact underpinnings and relatively high equipment and trim mix also has helped improve profit margins, the analyst said. The Renault spokesman said a little more than 60 percent of buyers in France are choosing the Captur’s second most expensive trim line, which increases the small SUV’s starting price to 19,700 euros. Many customers also are paying extra for personalized options such as two-tone paint and 17-inch alloy wheels, he added, without giving figures. The lure of strong sales and better margins means that the small SUV segment will get a big increase in competitors as Fiat, Honda, Jeep and Hyundai prepare to join the sector.

Fiat unveiled the 500X at the Paris auto show last week ahead of its 2015 launch. European sales of the 500X are forecast to be around 60,000 in 2016, which would be its first full year of sales, according to IHS. The firm predicts the 500X’s sister model, the Jeep Renegade, will account for about 25,000 sales in 2015.

Meanwhile, sales of Honda’s HR-V are forecast to peak at 30,000. Hyundai’s offering for the segment, which is likely to be called the ix25, will top 50,000 units after its launch next year, according to IHS. The firm also expects models from Volkswagen and Mazda to enter the segment before the end of the decade.

Peugeot increased production capacity for the 2008 by 25% to 860 units a day to keep up with strong demand for Europe’s No. 2-selling small SUV.

Younger buyers

A Honda spokesperson said its small SUV “should appeal to a slightly younger demographic than our flagship CR-V.” IHS’ Urquhart said that would tally with the segment, where younger buyers are seduced more by sharp exterior designs and high-tech interior features than the badge. “Styling is the No. 1 decision-making factor,” he said. He added that Ford’s decision to enter the European segment with the India-built EcoSport, which was specifically designed to cope with Brazil’s rough roads, might hurt the automaker. “If you want to sell in Europe, you need to design here. A world car is not necessarily what you need” to attract the masses in the region, he said.

Early demand, however, has been strong for the tech-oriented EcoSport, which already ranked No. 10 in the segment during the first half despite only being available in Europe for a couple of months. Ford of Europe sales head Roelant de Waard told Automotive News Europe that the company foresees strong sales for the EcoSport if demand for small SUVs starts to extend beyond France. “If that market spreads over Europe then we will have a big opportunity,” he said.

A look at 2013 European sales shows that about half of all sales of the Captur (39,628) and 2008 (28,004) came from France, according to IHS. Nationalism also plays a big role among small SUV buyers elsewhere in Europe. Customers in Germany bought 19,599 of the 70,986 Mokkas sold last year in Europe. By comparison, Renault sold just 7,514 Capturs in Germany and 6,589 in the UK.

UK buyers prefer the Nissan Juke, which is made in Sunderland, northeast England. Customer there purchased 37,488 of the 106,434 Jukes sold last year in Europe. Based on those trends IHS predicts Italy will account for the bulk of Fiat 500X sales. The firm estimates that Italy will account for 22,000 of the 57,000 western European sales of the 500X in 2016.

‘Innovative product’

While premium brands are successfully expanding into the compact segment, fewer have dropped down into the subcompact segment. One exception is Audi, which offers the A1 hatchback and plans to add the Q1 subcompact SUV in 2016.

Despite the added competition, IHS predicts that the new models will expand the segment without squeezing existing players. And while the volume brands’ subcompact and compact hatchbacks will lose sales to their small SUV siblings, analysts consider the models to be a step in the right direction for mass-market players. “They appeal to buyers who are more careful about spending money coming out of a crisis but still want road presence and the high-up position of the SUV,” Urquhart said. “It shows more mainstream makers are able to come up with innovative product that gets people into showrooms.”

REPORT HERE

SEPTEMBER SALES - SUZUKI CARS - Best ever Q3 for the city car & suv maker.

Suzuki GB PLC is pleased to announce record registrations for the third Quarter of this year at 11,705 units, beating the previous closest record by 52 units set in 2004. It is also a record market share for the period at 1.74 per cent.

It was a record September for new registrations too with sales of 8,070 cars, overtaking the previous best figure by 150 units, also achieved in 2004. Year to date, Suzuki has sold 31,431 cars making it the highest figure ever recorded for the brand in the first nine months of the year. Suzuki aims to achieve more than 37,000 sales by the end of this year.

The high upturn in sales over the last nine months has proved yet again that demand remains strong for Suzuki’s stylish range of models in the UK. This year, sales of the Zero VED Alto city car have again made it the most popular car in the range with 12,000 units sold.

The good news for Suzuki buyers continues into the winter as well with a further extension of its VAT Free offers now running until December 31. Alto, Splash, Swift (except Sport) and the outgoing SX4 models are all included and represent significant savings.

Looking to the near future, Suzuki will introduce two new models in the fastest growing segments of the market, one of which is the Celerio City car that will go on sale in February 2015. This all-new model will be produced in Thailand and offers room for five occupants, class leading luggage capacity and exceptional fuel economy.

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this month, the new Vitara SUV model will go on sale next April. Vitara will be available with a choice of petrol or diesel engines, optional 4x4 capability via Suzuki’s ALLGRIP technology and will also be offered with a wide range of personalisation options. The new car will be built for Europe in Hungary at Magyar Suzuki alongside S-Cross and Swift.

GENEVA - Suzuki launches new city car, the CELERIO

Suzuki Motor Corporation is unveiling the new European-specification CELERIO. The New CELERIO has been developed as an “A+ compact” car - a new type of A-segment vehicle which exceeds its category’s standards.

The driver-friendly, compact size has not been compromised as regards best-in-class space and utility and offers a comprehensive package. The lightweight, rigid body is accompanied by class-leading low CO₂emissions delivered by the new powertrain.

The European-specification model includes a newly developed engine with a dual-injection system for low CO₂ emissions. Coupled with reduced body weight and improved aerodynamics, models with a combination of the K10C engine and the Engine Auto Stop Start system provide class-leading low CO₂ emissions of 85 g/km. The automated manual transmission version features the newly-developed Auto Gear Shift, which provides fuel economy equal to a manual transmission.

The CELERIO’s easy-to-drive, compact body size with a total length 3,600 mm succeeds in providing both an outstandingly roomy interior for an A-segment car and a best-in-class 254 litres of cargo capacity.

Ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show, an Indian specification CELERIO was presented at the Delhi Auto Expo in February 2014. The European-specification CELERIO is planned go on sale in Europe at the end of 2014.

Global Automobile Sales Results (January - December 2013)

New additions to the product range, such as the launch of the SX4 S-CROSS in Europe and the KARIMUN WAGON R in Indonesia, have made up for lower sales in some regions, producing global automobile sales of 2.69 million units for January to December 2013, similar to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

Sales in our European market reached 197,000 units. Following the introduction of the SX4 S-CROSS in September, sales have been up 12% year-on-year, and a continued improvement in 2014 is expected as a result of the introduction of the SX4 S-CROSS.

In spite of tough market conditions, the success of the SX4 S-CROSS has meant that production at Magyar Suzuki, the core European factory in Hungary, reached 161,000 units. In the future, sales of Suzuki cars made in Europe will not be limited to Europe alone but will extend worldwide.

Financial results: 3rd quarter (April - December 2013)

The economic climate surrounding Suzuki in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 saw positive signals for a global economic recovery, such as a slight upward trend in Western countries and an end to the downward trend in Asian countries.

Under these circumstances, the Group's consolidated net sales reached ¥2,075.7 billion, an increase of 13.9% year-on-year. Operating income increased by 45.1% year-on-year and ordinary income rose by 37.6% year-on-year, while net income for the quarter was up by 70.3% year-on-year. As a result, operating income, ordinary income, net income for the quarter, and the profit ratio all posted the highest ever totals for a third quarter. Operating income for automobile business was ¥133.9 billion (35.4% increase). In fiscal 2014, the company will continue to engage in reforms in various segments and is planning to exceed the previous year in terms of sales and net income for the full financial year, with sales of ¥2,850 billion and a net income of ¥105 billion for the year as a whole.

Suzuki offers decent PCP rates on new SX4 S-Cross

Suzuki has some good news this winter for customers looking to purchase a new SX4 S-Cross, the brand’s all new Crossover model.

Launched in October, the SX4 S-Cross is available from £14,999 for the SZ3 1.6-litre petrol model with manual transmission and Suzuki is offering some very competitive PCP (Personal Contract Plan) and PCH (Personal Contract Hire) rates to help new car buyers looking for the best payment option to suit them.

Taking the SZ3 model as an example with its high standard specification of seven airbags, cruise control with speed limiter, air conditioning, 1­6-inch alloy wheels and Daytime Running Lights, Suzuki is offering a low rate PCP of 4.9 per cent APR over a 43 month period until the end of this year with payments of just £189 per month.

Move up the range to the SZ4 with Dual Zone automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, front fog lamps and rear privacy glass as standard and payments are just £10 per month extra over the same term.

Retained value is positive too as established Trade publication Glass’s Guide has listed an average residual value across the S-Cross range of 41 per cent after three years and 60,000 miles. Lower mileage owners can be ensured of an even higher retained figure when it comes to replacing the car.

Personal Contract Hire is always a good option for Business Users and Suzuki Financial Services is offering a headline low rate plan of £179 per month for the SZ-T model over 42 months with a deposit of six monthly payments required. SZ-T is an ideal choice as it offers an even higher standard specification including Satellite navigation, DAB radio, rear parking camera and polished 17-inch alloy wheels.

With regards to safety, SX4 S-Cross is one of the best new cars on the market after the recent NCAP tests with five stars awarded overall and strong scores of 92 per cent for Adult occupancy protection, 80 per cent for Child occupancy protection and 72 per cent for Pedestrian protection which was the highest score amongst any current competitor Crossover.

It is an ideal choice for families as it offers seating for five, luggage capacity of 430 litres and a low cost of ownership with CO2 emissions of 127g/km 1.6-litre petrol (manual transmission) and just 110g/km for the 1.6-litre DDiS model.

Real World fuel economy has been commented as ‘exceptional’ by several of the Automotive magazines with this week’s Auto Express voting it second place in their Top Ten most efficient cars tested in 2013, the S-Cross DDiS achieved an average consumption of 59.6mpg.

The S-Cross is contributing well to the growth of the brand already at almost 1,000 sales since launch and Suzuki is currently the fastest growing top 20 car manufacturer in the UK with strong sales momentum currently 30.4 per cent up year on year. This week, Suzuki passed the 30,000 unit milestone and the projection is to close 2013 at 33,000 units, an increase of 8,000 over 2012.

Suzuki continues with great consumer offers for the rest of the year.

• VAT free campaign further extended until the end of 2013 on Swift, Splash and existing SX4 model.
• Swift 1.2 SZ2 three door on Driveplan PCP requires a deposit of just £159.

Suzuki has more good news for its new car buyers this Autumn with a further extension of its VAT free campaign until the end of the year on all Swift models (except Sport) and Splash. In addition, two models of the outgoing SX4 are included; the 1.6-litre SZ3 and 1.6-litre SZ5 model equipped with four wheel drive.

The highly popular Alto SZ model is now available at £6,499, representing a £700 customer saving on list price. Splash 1.0-litre SZ2 is available from £7,999, Swift 1.2 SZ2 three door at £8,999 and the outgoing SX4 1.6 SZ3 available for £10,495.

Suzuki is also continuing its flexible PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) offers until the end of the year. Alto SZ is available for a deposit of £919 followed by 41 monthly payments of just £109 with the option to pay a final balloon payment of £2,352 at the end of the agreement to keep the car.

Alto offers very low cost of ownership with no annual road tax to pay, thanks to emissions of 99g/km, combined fuel consumption of 65.7mpg and an insurance group rating of 4E.

Moving up the small car range to the Splash SZ2 1.0-litre, the latest PCP offer requires a low deposit of £925 followed by 42 monthly payments of £139 and an optional final payment of £2,856.

The good news also continues for Swift buyers; as an example, the SZ2 three door at £8,999 remains available for a deposit of only £159 followed by 42 monthly payments of £159 and an optional payment of £3,535. The five door SZ2 is also available for £159 per month but requires a slightly higher deposit of £639. The PCP offers include the latest model Swift 1.3 DDiS which has CO2 emissions of just 101g/km and offers 72.4mpg on the combined cycle.

At the top of the Swift range, the award winning 1.6-litre Sport three door continues to be included in the low rate Driveplan PCP offer requiring a deposit of £1,409 followed by 42 monthly payments of £239.

FRANKFURT - Suzuki

• Suzuki reveals the “iV-4” 
• Central development theme, “Grab your field”
• A new proposal from the compact SUV pioneer

Suzuki is pleased to announce that the world premiere of its new compact SUV concept model, the iV-4, will take place at the 65th IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013.

Since launching the LJ series in 1970, Suzuki has expanded its SUV line-up with the Vitara in 1988, Jimny in 1998, and Grand Vitara in 2005. As a compact SUV pioneer, Suzuki introduces the iV-4, a concept model that embodies a new automotive idea: the personal compact SUV.

Development concept

Under the "Grab your field" concept, iV-4 is heir to Suzuki’s DNA in sports utility vehicles (SUV). It’s set apart by its powerful exterior design, which taps into the tradition of Suzuki’s compact SUVs. And it’s every bit as tough and rugged as an SUV should be, truly empowering its user to "Grab your field". This concept model is designed to be personalised, so that customers can turn it into a car which is just right for them and their lifestyle. “i” stands for “individuality”, “V” for “vehicle”, and “4” for “4 wheel-drive”.

Design features

Faithful to Suzuki’s traditional SUV design – straight, sleek lines, clamshell hood, five-slotted front grille – yet with a futuristic feel imparted by touches such as the distinctive kicked-up character lines on the sides, the fog light with built-in laser sensor on the roof, and the illuminated grille.

Large-diameter tyres and wheel design give a foretaste of the powerful road performance of an SUV.
Can be personalised through customers’ individual choice of exterior parts, colour, texture, etc.

The specially created exterior colour is Brilliant Turquoise Metallic, evocative of the sky reflected in a skyscraper. It makes a striking impression with its intense gleam and brightness.
Dimensions of the iV4

• Overall length   4,215 (mm)
• Overall width    1,850 (mm)
• Overall height   1,665 (mm)
• Wheelbase       2,500 (mm)
• Tyre size           235/55R20

Plans for production model

The production model based on the iV-4 aims to be an SUV for the present day: light in weight and boasting among the lowest CO2 emissions in its class. And besides being eco-friendly, the four-wheel drive model will come equipped with ALLGRIP, the next generation of 4WD technology, in order to deliver the powerful drive the user expect of an SUV. It will thus offer a combination of design and off-road performance that goes beyond a typical city SUV.

Suzuki will start launching the production model, based on this iV-4 concept model, at Magyar Suzuki in 2015 and will be releasing it in Europe.

Suzuki history on the SUV market

Suzuki is the pioneer of the compact SUV. Since launching the LJ in 1970 and the SJ series in the 1980s, the company has put a great deal of effort into developing off-road models such as Vitara, Jimny and Grand Vitara.

Back in 1970, the off-road market was dominated by vehicles with huge engines, but Suzuki challenged them with a mini car that delivers the ultimate in off-road performance by combining a high reduction ratio with a lightweight body weighing in at just 600 kilograms. With the launch of the SJ series, which with its elegant straight lines heralded the arrival of the stylish-looking four-wheel drive model, Suzuki also succeeded in winning over female drivers.

In 1988 the Vitara was launched, combining a sturdy ladder frame with a classy-looking European-style body characterised by straight lines. It offered good handling thanks to its elegantly simple suspension with MacPherson struts for the front axle and a centre wishbone for the rear axle.

Then, in 1998, a complete overhaul was made of the LJ and SJ series to create a more modern look and the Jimny was subsequently launched. It was a truly revolutionary model, featuring a longer wheelbase and redesigned ladder frame with air locking wheel hubs installed for the first time.

The Jimny continues to sell well 15 years later, thanks to its many devoted fans ranging from female city dwellers to hunting aficionados.

The Vitara, for its part, was reincarnated as the Grand Vitara, the harbinger of the coming crossover era, which offered great on-road performance without sacrificing off-road capability.

In 2005 the Grand Vitara underwent a full model change. The performance of the suspension was maximised by using a built-in ladder frame and both on and off-road capabilities were enhanced further. In addition, a four wheel drive system with four modes was adopted from this model.

Suzuki’s SUV expertise, developed through long years of tradition in the sector has been harnessed in our crossover models as well. It has ensured the success of the SX4 and is evident everywhere in the new SX4 S-Cross, which is about to go on sale.

When the production model based on the iV-4 is launched in the future, Suzuki will be introducing completely new possibilities into the SUV segment.