Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals

Suzuki is an automaker known for producing small cars positioned towards the pointy end of the price spectrum, but the Japanese brand isn’t about to be drawn into discounting to match the influx of new rivals from China and India.

As it stands, Suzuki’s cheapest model is currently the Swift Hybrid hatch at $24,490 before on-road costs, but it also offers the Ignis from $24,490 drive-away and the Vitara from $28,335 drive-away, even if only dealer stock is available for the latter two models after new safety regulations led to their axing.

Several new models from rival manufacturers have undercut Suzuki in recent times, including the second-generation MG 3 light hatch (from $21,990 drive-away), the Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV (from $23,990 drive-away), and the Mahindra XUV 3XO small SUV (from $23,990 drive-away), but Suzuki says competing on price isn’t a concern.

“We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that’s part of Suzuki’s philosophy: to produce a car for everybody,” Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert.

“With that said, there’s no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for.

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ABOVE: Chery Tiggo 4 (left) and Mahindra XUV 3XO

“With respect to that, I don’t think it’s a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It’s based on producing a vehicle that’s right for the consumer, and it’s a quality product without any compromise.”

Indeed, Suzuki is in the process of updating its current lineup and rolling out new models. The newest car in its lineup is the Fronx Hybrid light SUV, available in a single specification for $28,990 before on-roads, and it’s been confirmed that the currently defunct Vitara will be reborn with hybrid and electric power in early 2026.

It will be difficult for the new Vitara Hybrid to compete with equivalent models from China, as the Chery Tiggo 4 Hybrid is currently Australia’s cheapest hybrid vehicle at $29,990 drive-away. The GWM Haval Jolion hybrid also starts at $32,990 drive-away, and both models pack a comprehensive suite of standard equipment.

Still, Mr Pachota says Suzuki’s “undeniable truth” is that “reliability and quality are paramount”, and it’s this focus that he believes will set the brand apart from its existing and upcoming rivals.

“It’s the most important thing to us. We’re going to price cars effectively to that quality, that a Suzuki customer expects,” he told CarExpert.

“We own our lane. We’re good in it. We’re the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product.

“It’s efficient for the consumer, we always have low running costs, and it’s easy to own, maintain, and operate a Suzuki for an Australian consumer. It’s the Australian consumer’s decision based on the competitor pool.”

The Fronx Hybrid is Suzuki’s first attempt at competing with the budget-minded SUVs listed above, but they won’t be easy to out-sell given year-to-date sales figures of 7996 for the Tiggo 4 and 9029 for the Haval Jolion.

For context, Suzuki’s best-selling model is the iconic Jimny off-roader with 4365 deliveries in the same period – more than double that of the second-placed Swift hatch.

“It doesn’t matter what the origin is of that competitor, and it’s up to [consumers] to define what the value is. We seem to come out on top in the last decade in terms of value for consumers, and our sales reflect that. So, we’re okay,” Mr Pachota told CarExpert.

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