Can Suzuki Kick Up Kizashi Sales?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Road & Track magazine may think Suzuki enjoyed

huge success following the introduction of the Kizashi,

but the numbers don’t really back that perspective up. With 21,347 brand-wide sales year-to-date, the Suzuki brand about as popular as the Dodge Nitro, and only 5,269 of those sales were Kizashis. For a product that was supposed to keep Suzuki in the game in North America, there’s no way around the fact that Kizashi hasn’t “moved the needle.” On the other hand, Suzuki hasn’t done much to market the Kizashi (outside the pages of R&T anyway), and Suzuki is trying to turn things around with a series of ads that are kind of a weird mix of GM’s “ May The Best Car Win” selective comparison strategy and Chrysler’s “World’s Best Vehicle (?)” absurdity. There’s been some mainstream media chatter about Hyundai and Buick’s ability to attract luxury brand buyers now that “value for money is the new black” (gotta love that MSM)… and Suzuki clearly wants in on the anti-snobbery bandwagon. But are these ads enough to put Suzuki on the radar?


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • David David on Dec 25, 2010

    I second the comments about bringing over the Swift. While in Taiwan over the summer you see the swift everywhere, it looks great.

  • Ffdr4 Ffdr4 on Dec 25, 2010

    I don't know about the US, but in Canada, Suzuki dealers have a well earned reputation for poor dealer service, which keeps a lot of buyers away even if they have the right product.

  • Brandloyalty Brandloyalty on Dec 26, 2010

    +1, ffdr4

  • Brettc Brettc on Dec 28, 2010

    A guy at my job just got rid of his Toyota Echo and ended up buying a used SX-4. He said he likes the car, but the fuel economy is horrible. I looked it up on fueleconomy.gov and I was surprised that the EPA ratings for it were so dismal for such a small car. I agree that they should offer the Swift. Although when the CAMI plant was building the Swift/Metro/Sprint/Firefly years ago, no one wanted them. So maybe they shouldn't offer the Swift. But either way, Suzuki needs to either make themselves known or just go away. Seems like they're already well on their way to the "go away" path.

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