Suzuki Advice

Looking for something cheap and cheerful to get you from A to B in 2017? Here are the best contenders under $20,000.

Dealers are sharpening the pencils for the end of the year — and these are the best buys.December is a great time to buy a new car as dealers try to clear stock before 2016 arrives.Many buyers are away on holidays so the dealers sharpen their pencils to try to get people in the door and cars off the lot. This year is no exception.Before highlighting the best new-car deals, we should clarify what "2016 Model Year" means.That's the car industry's way of describing when the model is planned for sale, even though they're often released in the second half of the previous year.The contrived confusion is aimed at blunting the need for sharp discounting as the new year rolls around.But regardless of what you are told, the only date that matters is not the model year or the compliance date but the build date of the car.If your car is built in November 2015 but it is being marketed as a "2016 Model Year", it will be regarded as a 2015 model at trade-in time, even if it's at the very same dealer trying to convince you it's next year's model.Does it matter? Not really. But you should know. Besides, the discount you're getting now will likely be worth more than the slight dip in resale.One more caveat — be wary of some low interest rate finance deals.Nissan, for example, has 1 per cent finance on most of its model range. Its cheapest model, the Nissan Micra manual, is $49 a week or $15,850 drive-away. But in the fine print you'll find the repayments must be made within three years — and there is a whopping "balloon" payment of $8210 at the end, more than half the car's cost.On the other hand, Toyota's zero finance deal on certain models is spectacularly good. It is over four years, there is no balloon so, as we discovered, they're practically giving money away.Now, let's go shopping...Small CarsSharp deals are customarily hard to find here because the profit margins are so low — the cut to the dealer on one popular small car is $450.The Suzuki Celerio - is the cheapest mainstream model, still at its launch pricing of $13,990 drive- away with automatic transmission. Learn to drive a manual and pay $12,990.Slightly larger, the trusty Suzuki Swift is good buying at $16,490 drive-away with auto.Toyota's Yaris — with seven airbags and reverse camera — is back at $17,990 drive-away with auto and four years' roadside assistance.The Mazda2 initially looks good at $16,990 drive-away for the manual. Auto brings the price to $18,990 drive-away, which is not as sharp.Honda and Mazda say there are "free on-roads" for the Jazz and Mazda3 respectively, dealer delivery is still in the mix and the prices aren't that sharp.Kia's Cerato sedan and hatch are still at an incredible $19,990 drive-away for auto (metallic paint is expensive at $495). They have a seven-year warranty, front and rear parking sensors but no camera.The Hyundai i30 hatch auto is $21,990 drive-away and you can swap December's $1000 Eftpos voucher for $1000 off the car, so at $20,990 it's good buying. The Elantra stablemate is the same price but will be in run-out within a few months.Toyota's Corolla Ascent Sport hatch is fair buying at $23,990 drive-away with auto.For a little more bling and a good drive, the refreshed Ford Focus Trend is $25,490 drive-away after the $500 test drive discount. That includes auto, satnav, rear camera, alloy wheels, cruise control and a super efficient 1.5-litre turbo engine.Family carsThe most metal for the money at the moment, the just-released new Toyota Camry can be had for $28,990 drive-away at zero finance over four years. It has the cheapest servicing in the business and is economical to run and easy to drive. Standard fare includes seven airbags and rear-view camera.The stablemate Aurion V6 is just $1000 more at $29,990 drive-away, also with the same equipment and the same terms. Warning: this car has so much grunt it can lose traction when accelerating in the wet.The Holden Commodore SV6 "Storm" edition is $39,990 drive-away with auto but $2000 bonus from Holden trims the price to $37,990 drive-away. That's the cheapest VF II yet (though the VE II dropped to $34,990 and $35,990 a couple of years ago).SUVsThe city-sized Holden Trax LS is priced so sharply that dealers have almost run out. More stock is coming late this month and early January.The headline price says $22,990 drive-away with a free auto upgrade — for this month, take off a further $1000, bringing it to $21,990 drive-away or about $6000 off the original RRP.The Mitsubishi ASX LS manual is $25,000 drive-away but there is a free auto upgrade this month, about $5000 off. It has seven airbags, five-year warranty, 18-inch alloys, touchscreen, rear camera and sensors. Good deal.Need a seven-seater? The Mazda CX-9 Classic is still super sharp at $39,990 drive-away; the nine-year-old model will be superseded in February.Much newer but about the same price, the Toyota Kluger seven-seater can be had for $42,990 drive-away.Looking to buy a Holden Captiva 7? Be warned, a refreshed model with a new look and Apple CarPlay is just around the corner.Want to go bush? The Holden Colorado 7 LT will get you there and leave more money for camping gear: with $1000 factory bonus it comes down to $42,990 drive-away, or about $5000 off.Mitsubishi Pajero is also really good buying for the Big Trip. At $55,000 drive-away with auto and five-year warranty, it's a solid choice at a sharp price.

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The global financial crisis is now in the pages of history but car makers like Suzuki are still feeling its impact.In Japan, the GFC hit hard and most makers wound back on development spending and also on the quality of their cars. The lifespan of some cars was stretched and others were renewed with a lot of carryover parts and thinking.The likes of Honda, Mitsubishi and Subaru reasoned they had to step back to go forward but Hyundai and Kia of Korea accelerated briskly at the same time and that's why they now build a lot of Japanese-style cars — think i30 and Sportage for a start — that are better than Japanese cars.At Suzuki, the GFC hit particularly hard. The Kizashi has not been renewed, the latest Swift is only a minor improvement and we're still waiting to see what will happen to the Grand Vitara. But there is a new S-Cross in the SUV space and the Alto tiddler, a car that only sells on price, has just been rated by motor clubs as the cheapest car to run in Australia in 2014.The man who guided Suzuki through the GFC, Tony Devers, has just moved to a strategic post at Suzuki Australia and acknowledges the difficulties it caused. But he is typically upbeat."It is evident that Suzuki Motor Company took a very conservative approach throughout the GFC. However the research-and-development investment is now fully deployed and exciting new product is guaranteed for the short and mid-term," he says."Indeed, we will have at least one new Suzuki model every year for the next five years. You will see an aggressive marketing campaign from us in the short term as we build toward the arrival of exciting new product in the Celerio and iV4 in early 2015."Despite the setback, Suzuki cars are still among the best on warranty claims in Australia, they have a bulletproof reputation on the used-car front and, Devers says, pricing will stay sharp as the company gets on top of supply problems last year that have affected its sales total this year."I enjoy a challenge and am confident of our ability to turn around a slow start with a strong finish," he says. "The pipeline is now back at full production and May signals the return to normal stock levels for the first time this year."He takes issue with the view that Suzuki dropped the S-Cross price twice. "We launched the car at $23,990 drive-away for the GL to cover the initial shipment, which was not as big as we would have liked," Devers says."Last month we moved that price to $22,990, which was always our intended price point when we had sufficient stock."  CHOICESSuzuki Swift - From $15,990 - see reviewsRating: 3.5/5Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cyl, 70kW/130NmTransmission: 5-speed man, 4-speed auto; FWDThirst: From 5.5L/100kmLowdown: A long-term Carsguide favourite, though it's not as much fun as it once was and price pressure has made some rivals — including the VW Polo — more attractive. Four-speed auto is a fail but still honest and solid value, reflected in its class leading sales.Susuki Kizashi - From $28,990 - see reviewsRating: 3/5Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl, 131kW/230NmTransmission: 6-speed man/CVT; FWD/AWDThirst: From 7.9L/100kmLowdown: A sharper price would help its cause, as there is rabid battling in the medium-car class. It is a great drive and quality is good but it comes up against Camry and the crew and suffers because the cabin is more pinched than its rivals Suzuki Grand Vitara - From $24,990 - see reviewsRating: 3.5/5Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl, 122kW/225Nm; 1.9-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel, 95kW/300NmTransmission: 5-speed man, 4-speed auto; AWDThirst: From 6.8L/100kmLowdown: Hidden gem that's easy to recommend to friends and people who need a realistic 4WD. Not just a show pony and can handle proper off-road challenges and towing without breaking the bank. Not as flashy as some rivals.SECOND-HANDThe Swift has become a Carsguide best-buy for parents with first-time drivers. It has a reputation for reliability to match any Toyota, is cheap to run and is pretty good on the safety front.It's also light to handle, easy to park and gentle on the bowsers. For youngsters, it also has a trendy look that is enhanced with a Sport Package that doesn't go crazy on the performance side of the deal.It's good to drive but not a monster. The Swift is always worth a look if you're shopping for a Yaris or Mazda2 for city-and-suburban work, and can make a value choice from a Japanese brand that is as bankable as the best.

Several car brands are boosting their new car warranties, as quality improvements reduce costs. Around the world, cars are getting better and buyers are getting a bulletproof bonus. Warranty costs and claims are falling dramatically at most major makers and that's a reflection of improved quality from the first computer strokes through to the final assembly.There are still flaws, and risk-averse management is rushing to recalls at the first signs of potential trouble, but the overall trend is very positive for most new-car buyers.Renault says its warranty costs in Australia have fallen by a whopping 68 per cent over the past six years, a result that has justified a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty that's even been extended to its Renault Sport performance cars.At Kia, warranty costs since 2005 have dropped by nearly three-quarters. And that's despite the number of cars covered by the company's five-year warranty umbrella more than doubling."Using 2005 as the baseline, costs per unit in June this year were down by 71.2 per cent," says Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth. "At that time, in 2005, the Kia carpark was roughly 60,000 cars under warranty. Now there are more than 140,000 under warranty. So numbers have doubled and costs have more than halved." There was a time when Suzuki boasted that the warranty cost on its Vitara was just $12 for each car sold in Australia. That's an incredibly low figure and illustrates the benefits to buyers.The trend at Suzuki is continuing a similar downward path to most of the majors, with a double-digit improvement since 2010. "Our warranty costs have dropped 11.9 per cent over the past three years," says spokesman Andrew Ellis. He won't go into details but a Suzuki service chief contacted by Carsguide confirms the warranty cost in 2013 was little more than $20 for each car sold. This is probably an industry-leading result."The longer-term trend is greater reliability and less cost for the consumer. We see this trend being maintained," Ellis says. But not every brand is driving its claims down, as Hyundai says a vastly bigger pool of cars and more costly cars has led to a slight increase in its warranty costs over the past three years."Marginally increased warranty costs are to be expected with this shift," Hyundai spokesman Bill Thomas says. "We may see slightly increased warranty costs per unit as we sell more premium vehicles, because people have correspondingly higher expectations of those vehicles. It's not to do with diminished reliability. Ultimately, the customer is the winner."CHOICESRENAULT CLIO RS200 **** - see reviewsPrice: from $29,290 Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo, 147kW/240Nm Transmission: 6-speed double-clutch auto;  FWD Thirst: 6.3L/100km Lowdown: The Megane RS is better known but its baby brother is more fun. The Clio from Renault Sport is a genuine pocket rocket that's now protected by a five-year warranty, great news for people who like to drive.KIA SPORTAGE *** 1/2 - see reviewsPrice: from $25,990Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 122kW/205Nm Transmission: 6-speed man/auto; FWD Thirst: from 8.2L/100km Lowdown: The Sportage is a long-term Carsguide favourite because of its value and class, but it's also one of the most trouble-free Kia models. A starter variant with front-wheel drive makes the value even better.SUZUKI GRAND VITARA *** - see reviewsPrice: from $24,990 Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl, 122kW/225Nm Transmission: 5-speed man, 4-speed auto; RWD Thirst: from 8.7L/100km Lowdown: Hidden gem in SUV land that's just about bulletproof and incredibly capable as a 4WD. Now also winning friends as an affordable, three-door, front-drive price leader and suburban runabout.

James Bond drives an Aston Martin because it’s free. That’s not strictly true, because Aston Martin gives more than just one free car to ensure it is nicely featured in each of the latest 007 movies.It’s what’s called “product placement” and it’s big business in the car world, where the rub‒off from the entertainment industry - it could be Nicole Kidman arriving at a premiere in a shiny new Audi A8 or a Chevrolet Camaro stunting and starring in The Transformers - helps polish a car company’s badge.In the case of Suzuki, it’s all about The Block. The Japanese maker has been starved of new products in recent years but has leveraged its involvement with the top-rating renovation show to push everything from its Harley-cloned motorcycle to its all new S-Cross SUV.“It’s a great way to tell people we exist. It’s like a giant snowball that keeps going and going,” says Suzuki Australia head Tony Devers. Product placement and partnerships are also relatively cheap, compared with a minimum $250,000 to create a top-class television commercial - before paying to screen it.“It’s not a lot more than you would pay for advertising spots in the same show. And it’s a top‒rating show. They are always creating new interest, and the locations are good.”So the show appeals to potential Suzuki buyers, and Suzuki has enough creative control - matching cars to contestants, and creating viewer competitions - to use its involvement to build a halo for the brand.“Our third season is airing now and we’re shooting the fourth. You have to work hard to make it succeed but it’s successful for us.” Devers concedes there has been little on the new-model front recently for Suzuki but believes that’s about to change.“We have two important cars coming next year, the iV4 and the new small SUV, and there are probably another couple as well. So the light is shining at the end of the tunnel. And it’s not a train,” Devers says.Suzuki Swift Price: from $15,990Rating: 3/5Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cyl, 70kW/130NmTransmission: 4-speed auto; FWDThirst: 5.5L-6.2L/100kmA rock-solid small car that continues to sell well to first-time buyers and old‒timers. Not much changed from the previous model, not that it needed changing, and as bulletproof as a Toyota Corolla for less money. It’s fallen behind the class leaders but still a car to recommend to friends.Suzuki Grand Vitara Price: $24,990-$34,990Rating: 3/5Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl, 125kW/225Nm; 1.9-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 95kW/300NmTransmission: 5-speed man, 4-speed auto; FWD/AWDThirst: from 8.7L/100km (2.4)No one complains about the Grand Vitara, which is rock-solid in the city and surprisingly capable for off-road work. Like too many Suzuki models it deserves better than it gets, which is support from fans but little interest from rookie shoppers. It’s a classy soft-roader that can also handle the hard stuff.Suzuki KizashiPrice: from $28,990Rating: 3.5/5Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl, 131kW/230NmTransmission: 6-speed man, CVT; FWDThirst: 7.9L/100kmIf it had a Mazda badge it would have been a superstar. The Kizashi looks good and is a sporty drive but has never had the backing of a big brand. Its only shortcoming is a body that’s too small to compete with the Mazda6 and Camry, and not up to a new Mazda3 or VW Golf. The base car is still a top choice, not so the all-wheel-drive model.SECOND-HANDIf you’re after a compact 4WD that can really battle the Outback, you can do a lot worse than a Grand Vitara. It’s classy and competent, and - as Carsguide has proven many times - great in off-road conditions from rocky climbs to sandy beaches.It is a genuine getaway car that’s flexible and competent. The Grand Vitara is essentially a condensed Toyota Prado but without the premium for a Toyota badge.Its record for reliability is among the best in the business and, for a time, Suzuki claimed the lowest warranty costs in the business - a sure sign of a well-built car that will go the distance in Australia. The Suzuki Swift continues to be a favourite for first-time buyersThis reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover