Suzuki Motor Corporation was ranked 10th in the top 10 best car brands in Malaysia for 2009. The corporation sold around 5,000 vehicles in 2009. This is another Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that produces high quality automobiles that has gained wide acceptance in Malaysian market. Besides manufacturing compact automobiles, Suzuki is also involved in production of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), wheelchairs and internal combustion engines.
Top 10 largest automotive brand
As the world’s 9th largest automobile manufacturer, Suzuki owns over 30 main production facilities in 23 countries. Based on statistics provided by Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), Suzuki is the second-largest manufacturer of compact cars and trucks in Japan.
Background
Suzuki Loom Works was established in 1909 by Michio Suzuki in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. It all began for Suzuki then as a weaving looms manufacturer. Then, it would become one of the major players in this industry. By 1929, Suzuki invented a new type of weaving machine which would then be exported to overseas market, further enhancing its standing as one of the major manufacturers for the following years.
Several decades later, the company changed its name to Suzuki Motor Co Ltd in 1954. That year saw Suzuki rolling out more than 6,000 motorcycles each month which would prompt it to move ahead with the next step. During Japan’s light-weight car era, a lightweight car named Suzuki Suzulight was launched in the market to fulfill consumers’ demands and met with tremendous success.
The company would then once again changed its name to Suzuki Motor Corporation in 1990. In 1998, Suzuki formed a strategic alliance with General Motors to penetrate the overseas market. Besides the headquarters in Japan, there are several other Suzuki Corporations around the world such as American Suzuki Motor Corporation, Pakistani Suzuki Motor Company Limited and Suzuki Canada Inc. These corporations were formed based on joint venture agreement with Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan.
Technologies
One of the very distinguishing factors that make Suzuki stand out among the rest is in its revolutionary technologies. Over the years, Suzuki has been rolling out concept cars which have taken the automotive industry by storm.
In 2001, the GSX-R/4 concept car was shown that had an automobile posture but the onset of a super-bike. Later in 2007, the Pixy + SSC concept was introduced that used hydrogen fuel cell and solar panels for power. Another concept which created a lot of hype was the Q-Concept. This vehicle looked like a bubble car like the Nissan Pivo which was unveiled in 2011. The ik-2 Concept was shown in 2015 which would set the stage for its next premium hatchback model.
Suzuki Malaysia
There are mainly five models available for sale in Malaysia – Swift, Swift Sport, Grand Vitara, SX4 Sedan and SX4 Sport Crossover. Generally, Suzuki Swift is one of the more popular models among Malaysian drivers. This compact car with stylish sporty looks and high quality features is dubbed as the best compact car ever. The biggest rivals of Swift are Perodua Kancil, Honda Jazz and Proton MyVi.
It was announced in February 2016 that Suzuki Malaysia has entered into a joint-venture with local Malaysian automotive giant, Proton. This will see all 29 outlets of Suzuki Malaysia to be re-branded using the Proton name in order to provide better customer service for both the automotive brands.
