Suzuki steps up to five-year warranty

SUZUKI Australia has announced the introduction of a new five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty across its range, while also updating its capped-price servicing program.

Stepping up from a three-year/100,000km assurance period, Suzuki now joins volume-selling brands such as Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Ford, Volkswagen, Honda and Holden in offering a half decade of coverage with no distance limit.

Of volume-selling brands, Mitsubishi also offers a five-year warranty, but is limited to 100,000km. Kia continues to lead popular car-makers with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre period.

However, Suzuki has offered a five-year warranty of sorts, with the three-year/100,000km term boosted to five years/140,000km if owners get their vehicle serviced under the brand’s capped-price servicing program at an authorised Suzuki dealer.

Speaking of this, the Japanese car-maker has also adjusted its capped-price servicing program, which now gives customers the option of having their vehicle serviced every 12 months, instead of the six-month/10,000km intervals that have been in place since 2013.

The warranty and servicing programs will be fully transferable to new owners if the vehicle is sold while under warranty.

Through the first eight months of the year, Suzuki has managed 11,574 sales, down 4.1 per cent over the 12,065 it recorded to the same point last year.

The Swift light hatch has been the best seller for the brand, with 4866 units sold – down 11.4 per cent, while the Vitara small SUV is the only other model to record over 1000 sales with 3373, up 2.0 per cent.

With an all-new model arriving at the start of the year, the cult classic Jimny 4x4 small SUV has performed strongly with 983 sales, while the other volume sellers for the brand, the Ignis (868) and Baleno (957), are down year-on-year.

The new warranty and capped-price servicing periods come into effect on October 1.