1983 Suzuki Hatch Reviews

Buyers still love 4WDs in Australia. It remains a big-selling segment, but some of its biggest hitters are suffering losses.China is starting to get a foothold in the market with budget offerings posing a serious threat to established regulars.Emissions-heavy vehicles such as 4WDs are also coming under fire from increasingly stringent rules in Australia.Here is the rundown of the best-selling 4WDs up to June 2026. The Ford Everest large SUV is up front with more than 11,000 sales in 2026 so far, despite a near 10 per cent year-on-year drop. It is based on the Ford Ranger, which is the best-selling ute in Australia.The Toyota Prado takes second place with more than 9000 sales so far this year, but it has experienced an even sharper drop of nearly 42 per cent year-on-year.The Prado is a scaled down version of the LandCruiser 300 Series, using a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as opposed to the more powerful V6. Isuzu’s MU-X is third, making 7564 sales up to June, but it too experienced a more minor slump of 3.2 per cent. The LandCruiser 300 Series is currently fourth on the standings, and is the only car in the top five to have experienced a substantial growth in sales. Its 6451 sales constitutes a 26.3 per cent rise compared to first six months of 2025.Toyota also released a performance petrol hybrid V6 variant earlier this year.The Suzuki Jimny rounds out the top five as a much smaller and cheaper competitor to those above it. Priced from $31,990, before on-road costs, the Jimny is down 11.1 per cent compared to this time last year, while still amassing 3882 sales. The Nissan Patrol is down nearly 25 per cent compared to its sales result up to June 2025, with 2843 sales so far in 2026. The current Y62 petrol V8 Patrol will cease production next month, and order books for a new twin-turbo V6 will open later. GWM’s Tank 300 mid-size SUV off-roader has continued to surge up the sales charts in 2026, with 2759 sales so far.The Tank 300 is available in petrol, diesel, plug-less hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups - more varied than any of its competitors. BYD’s Denza sub-brand is another Chinese rival experiencing a solid sales return in Australia.Its B5 plug-in hybrid SUV has already accumulated 1445 sales this year, having only gone on sale in December 2025.Its bigger sibling the B8 is also approaching the 1000-unit mark midway through this year. The ultra-luxury GMC Yukon Denali from the United States is starting to pick up momentum in Australia. The V8-powered eight-seater Yukon Denali went on sale in the middle of last year, but 2026 has seen sales explode by nearly 190 per cent. It remains a low-volume model with only 202 sales, as it carries a $174,990 price tag. The 4WD segment is about undergo some serious changes in the next few months, including an influx of new models.The Mitsubishi Pajero will return to Australia, along with several new Chinese competitors likely to join it over the next 18 months.The anticipated Geely Galaxy Cruiser is slated for a UK launch, meaning Australia could its next step, while the GAC Yue 7 also seems to be on the way. 

Japan’s major carmakers are reportedly looking to band together and standardise componentry in order to stand up against the rise of Chinese players.As reported by Automotive News, this directive is coming from Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) Chairman Koji Sato who is also the Toyota Vice Chairman and Chief Industry Officer.As a start, Sato is looking to standardise wiring harnesses across the Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota brands, which could reportedly increase productivity more than tenfold.There could also be scope to widen the commonality to steel grades, plastics, among other common components to manufacture cars.“Right now, the most important theme facing the Japanese auto industry is improving ‘international competitiveness’,” said Sato to Automotive News.“We aim to strategically create ‘areas of cooperation’ to improve efficiency, thereby accelerating coexistence in the essential ‘areas of competition.“We have a strong sense of crisis that the Japanese auto industry is in a massive period of transition.“Now is exactly the time to further develop and evolve with the challenges and reform initiatives that the auto industry as a whole must face.“Unless things change, we will not survive.”“We are really talking about what we can do together, because we do see that other industries in other countries or other parts of the world are better organised than us,” said Nissan Motor Company CEO Ivan Espinosa to Automotive News.“We will see a lot more collaboration among Japanese OEMs.“We have a big opportunity to start sharing critical commodities, at least having a common spec on certain things.“We’d have something like a JAMA standard that complies with the requirements of all of us, where we certify some suppliers, and then use this freely.”Beyond this parts standardisation across the Japanese carmakers, JAMA is also reportedly looking to commonise logistics, simplify Japan’s automobile taxing system, redesign the country’s autonomous driving infrastructure, secure access to raw materials, commercialise a circular recycling economy, as well as improve talent recruitment.Even if Japan’s major OEMs can band together and standardise componentry, it still may not be enough to compete against the so-called 'China Speed.'As recently reported, BYD Executive Vice President He Zhiqi claimed that 650 new or updated cars have launched in China in the first half of 2026. This equals around 25 vehicles per week.Many Chinese brands are also having breakthrough success in many export markets, including Australia.China overtook Japan earlier this year to become the largest importer of new vehicles in Australia, ending a 28-year streak.In the first half of 2026 a total of 175,151 new vehicles sold in Australia were manufactured in China, according to VFACTS. This is up 70.2 per cent year-on-year.This number is higher when sales figures from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) are factored in, however it doesn’t stipulate the vehicle’s country of origin in its reports. Polestar and Tesla report their sales figures through the EVC, rather than VFACTS.On the other hand, a total of 144,430 new vehicles sold in Australia in the first half of 2026 were imported from Japan. This is down 22.8 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that many Japanese carmakers already have partnerships or joint ventures with Chinese carmakers to produce vehicles in China, mainly for China.However, some of these brands are exporting these Chinese-made models to other markets, including Australia.Examples include the Mazda 6e and soon the Mazda CX-6e, and Nissan is still assessing whether to bring some of its popular Chinese-made vehicles Down Under, like the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute and NX8 hybrid and electric SUV.

Suzuki has a new electric Kei Car on the horizon and it’s reportedly likely to go global.As reported by Autocar, this new electric Kei Car from the Japanese carmaker is set to launch in the UK in 2027.It’ll reportedly be priced from under £20,000 (~A$38,400) in the UK and will rival the Honda Super-One, along with the BYD Atto 1, Renault Twingo, Hyundai Inster and Renault 5 E-Tech, among others.At this stage it’s unclear whether this new Suzuki electric Kei Car will come to Australia, but right-hand drive production gives a local launch a head start.It’s likely this car will be a production version of the Vision e-Sky concept, which was revealed at the 2025 Tokyo motor show.The concept has a tall hatchback look and measures in at 3395mm long, 1475mm wide and 1625mm tall.No other details have been confirmed yet, but with this type of vehicle a 30kWh battery and around 200km of WLTP-claimed range is typical.Beyond the forthcoming Honda Super-One, no other electric Kei Car is not currently available in Australia.Mitsubishi did launch the i-MiEV in Australia in 2010 and it was one of the first electric vehicles (EVs) available locally. It was a modified version of the Mitsubishi i petrol-powered Kei Car.The Japanese carmaker also explored the possibility of introducing the eK X electric Kei Car, but it didn’t follow through as the changes required for Australian Design Rules (ADRs) would make it hard to retain an affordable price tag. It also would likely struggle to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating.Beyond the Japan-only e Every electric Kei-sized van, Suzuki currently only offers one other electric vehicle (EV), the e Vitara. It launched earlier this year and is a rival to the likes of the BYD Atto 2, Leapmotor B10, MG S5 EV and Jaecoo J5 EV. Front- and all-wheel drive variants are on offer and pricing starts at $46,990 drive-away.The Japanese carmaker is reportedly going to launch a third EV in 2029. It will likely sit between the e Vitara and the production version of the Vision e-Sky concept.“It most definitely won't be an electric Swift,” said Suzuki Great Britain and Ireland Director Automobile David Kateley to Autocar.No other details about this second forthcoming EV have been confirmed yet.

Suzuki needs you to buy its first EV in Australia, but is it really priced to compete with rivals?

An affordable 4WD has been given some special edition flair in Australia. Suzuki has confirmed the Jimny Rhino will launch Down Under as a special version of the XL five-door small off-roader.It will start from $44,990 (before on-road costs), which makes it $4000 more than the current range-topping five-door variant. The news comes after the brand opened an expressions of interest portal for the car last month.The Jimny Rhino features “Kinetic Yellow” exterior paint work, which is usually a $1345 option for the three-door variants of the car.The exterior look features painted black and grey stripes along the sides with an image of a rhino on the front doors.The roof is painted in a shiny black colour, giving a two-tone effect. The Jimny Rhino rides on 15-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, with a different design to other Jimny models. Satin silver panels and air vent surrounds continue the new design elements inside the cabin. There are black leather-wrapped door handles with yellow stitching and a ‘Rhino' logo.Customisable interior footwell lighting has eight different colours, including Kinetic Yellow.The Jimny Rhino further receives an upgraded premium Pioneer sound system.The car also comes with a range of accessories, such as a large portable speaker and metal presentation box for the key. It will continue to be powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 75kW and 130Nm. The Jimny Rhino will be available with a manual and automatic transmissions like the rest of the Jimny range. The Jimny is Suzuki’s best-selling model in Australia, offering a cheap and compact off-roading alternative to the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol.It lines up as a rival to the also budget-oriented GWM Tank 300, starting from $47,990 (drive-away). Suzuki’s Aussie special edition Jimny mirrors the brand's other global markets in introducing Rhino versions of its models. Order books for the Jimny Rhino are now open, with deliveries beginning on the 1st of July.  

Australia might be a big country, but we do like our small cars.These little vehicles are generally affordable and typically energy efficient — both the petrol and electric ones. They also fit into tight car spaces and zip through narrow city streets. These pint-sized machines can be fun and easy to drive, which makes them great first cars or even last cars for those who don’t need something giant.So, we have compiled a list of the five smallest cars in Australia.Dimensions: 3860mm long, 1735mm wide, 1520mm tallWho doesn’t like a Suzuki Swift? This Aussie favourite has just scraped into our top five at just under 3.9m long. The Swift is loved for its practicality, with four doors and five seats, and it’s fun-to-drive nature - especially the Sport version. There’s a choice of hybrid and pure petrol powertrains, but no fully electric Swift unfortunately. The Swift scored three stars out of five in its ANCAP safety test in 2024.  Prices start at $24,990 drive-away. Dimensions: 3858mm, 1967 wide, 1460mm tallWhoever said Minis were now so big they’re no longer mini was wrong - also, that was me who said it. The Mini Cooper three-door is the miniest Mini, and the electric version is a tad shorter than the petrol variant. And while it is shortest in height here and only just 3.8m long it’s actually the widest in our top five. The Mini Cooper has four seats, a 210-litre boot and scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating.Prices start at $53,990 for the electric variant and $41,990 for the petrol version.Dimensions: 3825mm long, 1610 wide, 1575mm tallThe Hyundai Inster is a fully electric little SUV with four doors, four seats and a 351-litre boot.A range of up to 360km makes it very usable for city dwellers, or those who don’t do many miles each week.The Inster has rugged but cute looks, and a starting price of $39,000 makes the Inster a very affordable EV.The Inster scored four out of five stars in ANCAP tests. Dimensions: 3631mm, 1900mm wide, 1529mm tall The Fiat 500e has two doors, five seats and a 185-litre boot. Yep, it’s probably the least practical tiny car on our list but it's also one of the most fun to drive with its electric powertrain.It's a small car with a big price. The 500e starts at $58,900. Yes, that's outrageous, and we wouldn't be surprised if at some point the 500e is withdrawn from Australia due to the low sales. Still that might be a good way to bargain your way into one.It also scored four stars in safety tests.Dimensions: 3595mm long, 1595mm wide, 1485mm tallThe Kia Picanto is our top five tiny cars winner at less than 3.6m long. It’s also the most popular micro car in Australia and it's easy to see why. Its starting price is $19,190, the value and standard features are outstanding and it’s good looking. Four doors, five seats and 255 litres of boot space. It’s smaller than it sounds, seriously. There’s no EV version of the Picanto, and the one sold in Australia has a four cylinder petrol engine. The four-star ANCAP rating from 2017 is now out of date.

Some of Australia’s most famous car brands are starting to come under significant sales pressure as Chinese brands win over local customers.According to the latest sales data that covers until the end of May, the biggest movers up the sales charts are the Chinese brands. BYD is up 120 per cent, Chery is up 84 per cent, GWM is up 23 per cent and Geely is up a remarkable 629 per cent.But given the Australian market typically remains at the 1.1-1.2 million mark in any given year, for those brands to experience sales growth, other car makers are taking a hit. And the brands that have suffered noticeable sales declines so far in 2026 are some of the biggest names.Nissan - down 32.8%The Japanese brand has slipped outside the top 10 sellers and it’s hard to pinpoint a particular reason. Nissan is down across its entire line-up, with even its stalwart X-Trail taking a 15.3 per cent sales hit in the first five months of the year.It certainly hasn’t helped that the company has dropped once-popular models, the Juke and Pathfinder, but both were already struggling to find an audience.The arrival of the new Navara may help to pick things up in the second half of the year, while the long-anticipated new-generation Patrol cannot come soon enough. The brand is also pinning a bounce back on a range of new hybrid ‘e-Power’ models due in the near-future to revitalise its line-up. Mitsubishi - down 26.4%In many respects this is an unsurprising result given Mitsubishi culled much of its line-up in 2025, dropping the Pajero Sport and Eclipse Cross, while also changing over to a new-generation ASX.The problem is that aside from the Triton ute, every other model in the current range is in sales decline so far this year. The ASX was the brand’s key model for years, offering an affordable small SUV option to many buyers. But the new, Renault-based ASX is simply failing to have the same results, likely because affordable, small SUVs are a key area of success for the Chinese brands.Mitsubishi has sold just 695 ASX in the first five months of the year, while BYD has sold 2919 Atto 2, Jaecoo has moved 4017 J5 and Chery has found 11,309 buyers - so it’s clear what has hurt the Japanese brands sales.The good news for Mitsubishi is that one of its most beloved models is making a return. An all-new Pajero is set to go on sale by the end of the year and could be a much-needed boost for the brand.Subaru - down 22.1%It was always going to be a tricky period for Subaru, with its two most popular models (Forester and Outback) being replaced within a 12 month period. However, the Forester has been on sale for nearly a year, so the 8.4 per cent sales decline in 2026 is concerning, while the Outback has been met with mixed reviews for its radically different styling.While there is no quantifiable evidence that Subaru is losing buyers to the Chinese brands, looking at the Forester’s mid-size SUV segment it’s clear that Australian buyers have been won over by what the newer brands are offering. The Forester sits behind the BYD Sealion 7 and GWM Haval H6, while the Chery Tiggo Pro 7 and Geely EX5 are closing in. Add to that the arrival of a new Toyota RAV4 and the continued popularity of the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage and it makes for a tough challenge for the Forester.Outback sales are off to a relatively slow start, despite the introduction of the more rugged Wilderness variant, but the competition in the large SUV segment is not easy either, with a diverse group that includes the Toyota Prado, Hyundai Santa Fe and BYD Sealion 8.Subaru will be hoping its new all-electric Uncharted and Trailseeker can make an impact and capitalise on the current demand for EVs, while there is a chance both Forester and Outback sales could pick-up in the second half of the year.Suzuki - down 22.0%The key problem for Suzuki is its legacy is also built on offering affordable small models, so the arrival of so many Chinese brands offering similar (or better) products for similar (or less) money has made life hard for the brand.Sales are down across the board, with even its stalwart Jimny taking a 12 per cent hit in the first five months of the year. The arrival of the new Fronx has helped add new sales, but with so much decline it hasn’t helped the brand’s ultimate sales numbers.Suzuki is hoping that the Jimny Rhino, a new special edition of its beloved compact off-roader can help boost interest. But it will need more than that to reverse its current sales situation, which will be difficult as the competition is only going to get more intense.Volkswagen - down 17.0%It has been a mixed performance for the German brand so far in 2026. Overall sales are down and there have been big drops for some key models, but there has also been some important sales growth.The bad news is the Amarok ute has dropped more than 33 per cent, while its core SUV line-up has also been hit, with the T-Roc down 55.9 per cent, the T-Cross down 49 per cent and the Tiguan down 13 per cent.The good news is the brand is getting some traction with its electric offerings and its updated commercial vehicle line-up. Sales of the ID.4 are up over 455 per cent (only 171 sales behind the Tiguan), the ID.5 is also more popular as is the ID.Buzz van. The new Crafter (up 277%), new Transporter (up 78.1%) and the ID.Buzz Cargo (up 33.7%) are all enjoying a successful start to the year.But VW will need to get the Tiguan and Tayron really firing in the second half of the year - which is possible with the arrival of new hybrid options) if they don’t want to finish in its current position.

Suzuki Australia is teasing a new, special edition version of the Jimny off-roader.The Japanese carmaker has opened a register your interest portal for the car on its local website, confirming it will be called the Jimny Rhino.This Australian-specific Jimny Rhino follows a number of special-edition Rhino versions in other markets, including Malaysia and South Africa, among others.They have all been versions equipped with a smattering of genuine accessories, plus some unique Rhino badging.At this stage Suzuki Australia hasn’t fully detailed what is unique about the Australian-specification Jimny Rhino.The teaser images show it features a unique decal on the side, as well as the genuine accessory wheels and mud flaps.It clearly shows it will be offered in the five-door XL body style. It’s unclear whether it will also be offered in three-door guise.This isn’t the first time that Suzuki has done a special-edition version of the current Jimny. It has previously launched Heritage Edition versions of both the Jimny three-door and Jimny XL.“The Jimny community in Australia is thriving so yes, news of any new Jimny is hugely exciting,” said Suzuki Australia General Manager – Automotive, Michael Pachota.The current-generation Suzuki Jimny first launched in Australia in 2019 in three-door guise and was joined by the Jimny XL five-door in 2023.An update for the Jimny three-door launched in Australia earlier this year, now mirroring what’s on offer in the Jimny XL.There’s now an updated autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, as well as front and rear parking sensors across the line-up.Pricing for the 2026 Suzuki Jimny line-up currently starts at $31,990 before on-roads for the Lite three-door manual and extends to $37,490 before on-roads for the XL five-door automatic.

The Suzuki Vitara nameplate is edging towards 40 years in the Aussie new-car market. And as it’s grown in size and sophistication over four generations, so has the depth of competition it faces.Small SUV heavy-hitters like the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion, Hyundai Kona, MG ZS and Toyota Corolla Cross outsell it by ratios of up to 60 to one (in the case of the Tiggo 4).So, this just-released Turbo Hybrid variant is an important addition to the Japanese maker’s line-up, aimed at snatching extra market share in a hotly contested segment with what Suzuki promises is “enhanced fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and refined on-road performance”.We spent a week with the top-spec ‘AllGrip’ all-wheel-drive version to see if it has what it takes to steer you away from the big guns. If you asked someone to describe a ‘typical’ small SUV, I’d argue the Suzuki Vitara would perfectly align with their response nine out of 10 times… and be pretty close on the 10th.Launched here way back in 2015, the current Vitara received a ‘Series III’ update earlier this year, which included the hybrid’s introduction, and its clean, neatly-wrapped exterior design stands up well, although it’s not as adventurous as more rugged rivals like the Subaru Crosstrek or Toyota Corolla Cross.Inside, there’s a slightly larger 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, but things like analogue instruments, a single USB-A socket (in the front) and a manual handbrake still date the car.And then there’s the elephant in the room... hiding behind a dollar sign. The price.This flagship Vitara Turbo Hybrid AllGrip will set you back $45,990. Okay, it’s a drive-away deal, but that’s enough for a Hyundai Kona Premium 1.6T N-Line AWD, Kia Seltos GT-Line AWD, Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina AWD or Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos Hybrid.And the Suzuki struggles to match that competitive set in terms of equipment bang for buck and perceived quality.Standard feature highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, auto LED headlights, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a reversing camera, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control and climate control. But that bundle‘s pretty much cost-of-entry when you’re in upper-$40K territory.And the air-con is single-zone, the audio system has six speakers, and the car’s general look and feel isn’t spectacular.That old adage of kicking the tyres and slamming the doors when shopping for a car is relevant here, because the Vitara’s doors feel insubstantial, quivering slightly when opened and closed.  And while soft-touch material across the dashtop is fine, hard plastics on the doors don’t sit well with the price tag. But things pick up once you get underway. The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine has enough oomph to get the 1275kg five-seater off the mark cleanly and allow it to keep its head above water in traffic or on the highway.Power delivery is linear and the ‘mild-hybrid’ set-up incorporates a 48-volt integrated starter generator which takes some of the ancillary load off the engine and tips in an extra 50Nm of pulling power when required. Overall outputs are 81kW and a handy 235Nm.The strut front, torsion-beam rear suspension does a great job of keeping this compact and relatively light SUV composed over bumpy urban surfaces. Electrically assisted steering is accurate and road feel qualifies as excellent. When you need to push into the upper rev range engine, exhaust noises start to make their presence felt in the cabin. But overall, the Vitara Hybrid is a surprisingly comfortable ride.At just under 4.2 metres long, the Vitara is a ‘small’ small SUV and while the front part of the cabin is reasonably roomy with plenty of storage options, the back seat ranks as okay in the context of the category. Sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position, legroom is reasonable and headroom is generous but best not to try folding three full-size adults in there too often. There are no adjustable vents, power outlets or a fold-down armrest for back-seaters, and getting in and out is an effort.Boot volume is a reasonable 362 litres, available with the 60/40 split-folding backrest up, that figure expanding to 642 litres with it folded.And there’s a range of thoughtful bins, anchors and hooks back there, as well as a 12-volt outlet and an adjustable floor for the option of a flat load space plus a space saver spare underneath it. Bravo.When it comes to fuel efficiency the Vitara Turbo Hybrid’s official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) figure is 5.9L/100km and over a week of mainly urban driving with some highway running thrown in we saw a real-world average of exactly that – 5.9L/100km. That’s pretty handy in the current fuel price era, but bear in mind the minimum requirement is 95 RON premium.The Vitara is currently ‘unrated’ by ANCAP but includes a decent suite of ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) crash-avoidance features including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and front and rear parking sensors. And it all behaves well in operation.The airbag count runs to six (dual front, front side and side curtain) and there are three child seat top-tether points across the second row with ISOFIX anchors on the outer positions. All to be expected in the category and at this price point.Service is recommended every 12 months/10,000km, which is relatively frequent in terms of distance, but an average of $397 per workshop visit for the first five years is far from outrageous.

The Suzuki Jimny is back with a tech refresh and minor update after a production pause. The line-up now has an updated AEB system as well as adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and front and rear parking sensors. The base-spec Jimny Lite also gets a new 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as part of this latest line-up refresh. Is the Zook worth your cash?