Thumbs Up: A lot of content for the price.

Thumbs Down: Plastic upholstery, marginal fuel economy

Buy This Car If: You need a small SUV on a tight budget

If you’re shopping for a compact SUV or crossover, chances are good you’re looking at the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV 4. While both start at a reasonable price, by the time you add in options like a navigation system, they can quickly jump beyond the reach of a family on a tight budget. What if we told you there was another Japanese SUV alternative, with a modest sticker price and a seven-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty?

That alternative would be the Suzuki Grand Vitara, a compact SUV that comes in both rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive, and gives you amenities like power windows and door locks, fog lamps, steering wheel audio controls, keyless entry and a voice-activated navigation system, all for a price that comes in around $23,000 for the RWD Ultimate Adventure model. Base models, which still come reasonably equipped and include the same warranty coverage, start at just under $20,000. It’s a good looking SUV, too, and Suzuki has done an admirable job of making a box-on-box crossover stand out from the crowd.

Up front, there’s a black chrome grille and integrated fog lamps, which aren’t usually included in this price point. From the side, the Suzuki gets mirror-integrated turn signals, 18-inch “smoked alloy” wheels (on Ultimate Adventure models, at least), a blacked-out B-pillar and dark tinted glass for rear seat passengers. Out back, buyers get a full-size spare with a hard cover, a low floor height for easy cargo loading and a limo-tinted rear window to keep valuables out of sight. Overall, the Grand Vitara looks a lot nicer from the outside than you’d expect for the price tag.

Inside, Ultimate Adventure models come with “water resistant, 2-tone” seats, which are one of my few complaints about the Grand Vitara. While the front seats are comfortable enough for even reasonably long trips, the vinyl material isn’t pleasing to the touch, and smells like, well, vinyl. Cloth seats would be much preferred, even if they added a few dollars to the Grand Vitara’s price tag.

Rear seat passengers get a reasonable amount of leg room and copious amounts of head room, which you’d expect in a box-on-box SUV. Rear seats are relatively flat, but feature reclining backs and are comfortable enough for carpooling or day-to-day errands. Like the front seats, the rears are covered in the same heavy-duty vinyl material; on the plus side, it’s very easy to clean, even if you have young children with perpetually sticky hands.

The dash does use a lot of hard plastic, but the design is still pleasing to the eye thanks to a blend of shapes and materials. Aluminum colored plastic is used to trim the center stack, and it integrates well with the aluminum colored trim used on vents and doors. Despite the use of hard plastic, the Grand Vitara didn’t emit a single squeak or rattle during my time behind the wheel, which leads me to believe it’s screwed together with more care than most low-cost cars get.

Instruments are designed with a bit of stylish flair, and feature a center mounted speedometer flanked by a tachometer and gas / temperature gauge. All three are contained in round pods, trimmed in the same aluminum as the rest of the Grand Vitara’s interior.

Suzuki takes a novel and functional approach to navigation. Rather than building in a permanent nav system, the Grand Vitara includes a voice-controlled, portable Garmin navigation system that resides in a dedicated hatch atop the dash. On the down side, it isn’t as large as nav systems in competitive vehicles, but good luck trying to use those to navigate city streets on foot after you park the car.

Although Suzuki used to offer a V-6 option for the Grand Vitara, that was discontinued for the 2011 model year. The sole engine choice for rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive cars is a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder, which produces 166 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a four speed automatic (although a six-speed manual is available, but only on base models), which doesn’t help the Grand Vitara’s acceleration or fuel economy. Not that 0 to 60 performance is important in this segment, but the automatic-equipped Grand Vitara will take over ten seconds to reach the mile-per-minute mark, which is slower than most rivals. Worse, the four-speed automatic only returns 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. That’s V-6 fuel economy, but with four-cylinder power.

On the road, the Grand Vitara is quieter and more comfortable than you’d expect. You won’t confuse it for a luxury crossover, but you can easily carry on a conversation at normal volumes at 70 miles per hour. There’s some wind noise, but I’d call it on par with what you’d get from other vehicles in this segment.

If you occasionally go off the beaten track, the Grand Vitara will likely prove more capable that cute-utes from competitive brands. Suzuki has opted to give the Grand Vitara a generous amount of ground clearance, and narrow front and rear overhangs mean the Suzuki can pick its way over or around most (reasonably sized) obstacles. When equipped with four-wheel-drive (which includes both a high and low range), the Grand Vitara should prove remarkably adept at getting you from place to place, regardless of road conditions. In fact, the Suzuki Samurai, the Grand Vitara’s great-grandfather, has amassed something of a cult following as a go-anywhere, cheap-to-run off-road rig. With genes like that, you can bet the Grand Vitara will be capable, too.

My Suzuki-provided 2012 Grand Vitara Ultimate Adventure edition had a base price of $23,094, including destination charge. Options on my press-fleet tester included all-weather floor mats ($125), first aid kit and cargo mat ($115), premium metallic paint ($130) and Bluetooth phone integration ($250) for an as-tested price of $23,714. For comparison, a similarly equipped Toyota RAV4 Sport FWD would sticker at $26,888, while a comparable Honda CR-V EX would list at $25,005 (and doesn’t include a nav system).

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll say this up front: I hate Continuously Variable Transmissions, and can easily equate them to the decline of Western civilization. They require no skill to operate, produce more noise than forward motion, have a higher failure rate than automatics or manuals and actually promote distracted driving. Ever try to text and drive a six-speed manual? It’s damn hard to do, but texting while driving a CVT is a piece of cake, and the same goes for any other distracted-driving chore.

On paper, the principles are sound. CVTs should accelerate both faster and smoother than manual or automatic transmission cars, but I’ve never driven a CVT that feels fast. I’ve never even driven a CVT that feels as fast as its manual equivalent, and I’m at a loss to explain why. I’m not a huge fan of automatic transmissions, either, but I’d gladly take a modern 8-speed automatic over a CVT any day of the week.

If you’re curious as to how a CVT operates, the video below, courtesy of Suzuki, gives a great explanation in under a minute and thirty seconds. The science is sound, but I still can’t accept that CVTs are the transmissions of the future. They’re not going away any time soon, so we may as well get used to driving cars equipped with them. That doesn’t mean we have to like it.

Recently, I attended the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. Held every May, this show features a vast array of meticulously maintained classic British, European and Japanese cars, exemplary examples of their more modern kin, as well as a beautiful collection of kit cars.  As far as sheer variety in makes, models and years, hands down, this show can’t be beat.

This has become something of an annual treat for me as I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend than by gazing at a gleaming sea of jaw-droppingly stunning automobiles, many of which I guarantee you won’t find at other shows. Plus, participation is open to anyone with an import or a kit car – all you have to do is register, make your car pretty and show up. It’s a great opportunity to display your cherished ride and meet other aficionados of your favorite marques.

I used to come down to show my Saab and hang out with the Saab contingent that makes it out every year. But even though I have a Subaru now, it’s just so much fun that I continue to make the trip to Carlisle (my WRX was parked over by the lone DeLorean, if you happened to be there). Volvo, BMW and Audi clubs also traditionally have a large showing so the weekend is packed with the cars you love, cars you haven’t seen before, your friends from the forums, barbeques – it’s a good time for everyone.  So, if you’re not too far out from Pennsylvania, I definitely recommend heading out there next May to check out the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. To tide you over, provided for your viewing pleasure are some of my favorite cars of the weekend. Enjoy!

Lancia Scorpion

Matte black Volvo V70R

Opel GT and Opel Kadett Coupe

Volvo P1800S

Saab 9-3 Viggens

Ferrari 360 Modena and 328GTS

Citroën 2CV and Smart Roadster Coupe

Gorgeous Audi Quattro

Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

Twin-charged Audi A1

Volvo S60Rs

Saab 99 Turbo

Badass Volvos: PV544 and 142

DKW Junior de Luxe - DKW/Dampf-Kraft-Wagen became one of the four companies that comprised the "Audi NSU Auto Union AG" (now known as Audi AG).

Triumph TR8 and TR6s

Saab 96 V4 convertible - must have been a custom job.

Bimmer Beauties

Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition

Citroën H Van and DS

Audi A7

Honda Z600 / 600 Coupe

Saab Sonetts

Datsun SPL311 Roadster

Opel GT

Thumbs Up: Reasonable performance, bargain price

Thumbs Down: Fuel economy could be better

Buy This Car If: You need basic transportation that won’t disappoint

Review enough cars, and it’s impossible not to become jaded. After a while, three-hundred-horsepower sport sedans feel “underpowered”, and luxury cars become disappointing if they don’t come equipped with all of the latest gadgetry. No lane departure correction, or heated and cooled massaging seats? Give the car a D-. It’s easy to lose sight that the vast majority of buyers aren’t in the market for a car that will hit sixty from a standstill in under four seconds, or give them more luxury and amenities than the presidential suite in a five-star hotel. Many buyers, especially today, are looking for the best bang for their buck on basic transportation.

If that’s what you’re after, and your taste runs to five door hatchbacks, you definitely need to give the 2011 Suzuki SX4 Sportback a look. My tester had a sticker price of just $17,369, yet it came well equipped with such features as cruise control, traction control, stability control, height adjustable seat belts, keyless entry, fog lamps, power windows and door locks, steering wheel audio controls and a trip computer. The engine was better than expected, cranking out a healthy 150 horsepower and foregoing an inexpensive timing belt in favor of a more durable timing chain. Even the warranty will surprise more than a few shoppers: Suzuki covers the powertrain for seven years or 100,000 miles, with no deductible. The warranty is fully transferable, too, which makes buying a used Suzuki even more attractive.

One thing you won’t get for your money is cutting-edge style. Suzuki adheres pretty closely to the traditional box-on-box format, but does dress up the SX4 with a small front air dam, side skirts and a diminutive roof spoiler. Although the SX4 follows a conventional design, it really doesn’t look like anything else on the market today. The shape is reminiscent of the late ‘80s Honda Civic, but it’s more streamlined and much less “boxy”. The SX4 isn’t ugly, but I’d stop short of calling it distinctive; no one will buy an SX4 because of its looks, but no one will be driven out of Suzuki dealerships due the SX4’s lines, either.

The interior manages to deliver more than I’d expect from an entry-level price point car. The seats are cloth, but I view that as a plus and not a negative; too many manufacturers are going with vinyl seats these days, and I’m not a huge fan of sitting on material that doesn’t breathe (no matter how durable it may be, or how much it may look like leather). The seat fabric in the SX4 is comfortable, well ventilated and appears to be durable, which is all I really expect from seats at this price point. Front seats are well bolstered, which may come in handy given the car’s reasonable horsepower and tossable handling.

The rear seats aren’t suited for spirited driving, since they lack any hip or side bolstering. They’re surprisingly roomy for two adults, and give a decent amount of both head and leg room. There’s a third seat belt and shoulder harness for middle passengers, but let’s be clear about one thing: the SX4 is a small car, and three adults aren’t going to be happy in the back seat for long.

As a hatchback, the SX4 gives you a fair amount of versatility for hauling cargo. With the rear seats in place, a rigid cargo cover keeps your stuff out of sight, but this can be easily removed if you need more room. The rear seats fold flat to accommodate oversized cargo, but the trunk well is deeper than the rear seat backs. That’s not a problem for hauling cargo, but don’t expect your dog to be too happy about the arrangement unless you make a few modifications.

The SX4’s dash was built to a price point, but still has style. Suzuki blends different textured plastics to make it more visually appealing, and aluminum trim is used to offset the center console. HVAC and radio controls are simple to operate, and Suzuki even offers a nav system on higher trim models. The instruments include a tachometer, speedometer, temp gauge, fuel gauge and trip computer, which is somewhat of a welcome surprise given the SX4’s price point. Even the leather-wrapped steering wheel, with its integrated cruise control and audio controls, feels like it belongs in a more expensive car.

All SX4 models come with Suzuki’s 2.0-liter four, good for 150 horsepower and 140 ft lb of torque. The car feels faster than it really is, perhaps due to its small size; zero to sixty comes up in about nine seconds, which is a little better than average for the class. Fuel economy, however, isn’t on par with other compact hatchbacks. The SX4 is rated at 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, and my highway-centric driving yielded a measured fuel economy of 28.6 mpg.

On the road, “nimble” is the word that best describes the SX4 Sportback. All SX4 Sportback models come equipped with a sport suspension featuring KYB shocks, and it definitely contributes to the fun nature of the car. If I had to pan the handling at all, it would be for steering wheel feel: it’s too light, and doesn’t provide much in the way of driver feedback. The SX4 also feels like it has a high center of gravity, which could make quick left-right-left transitions interesting at speed. On the road, however, the car is well behaved and surprisingly fun to drive. Gear changes aren’t short, but they are precise and clutch take up is exceptionally smooth.

Like the Kizashi, the SX4 feels like it uses a particularly heavy flywheel. I’m guessing this is to make the SX4 easier to drive, or to make upshifts smoother, but it does hamper your ability to rev-match on downshifts until you get used to it. It’s not a big deal (and may actually help new drivers learn a manual transmission), but it does detract from the overall driving experience for those of us who know how to shift smoothly.

My 2011 Suzuki SX4 Sportback had a base price of $17,244, including a destination charge of $745. The sole option on my tester was a set of floor mats ($125), which boosted the “as equipped” price to $17,369. By comparison, a similarly equipped Toyota Matrix would sticker at $19,875, a comparable Nissan Versa SL would sell for $19,360 and the Kia Forte Hatchback EX comes in with a price tag of $17,590.

The only thing standing between Suzuki and a bigger presence in the US market is their lack of a sufficient dealer network. Their cars are competitive in both price and content, but finding a Suzuki dealer close to you may be a challenge. If you’re in the market for a five door hatch and are lucky enough to have a Suzuki dealer nearby, the SX4 Sportback is definitely worth a look.

Thumbs Up: The best car you’ve probably never heard of.

Thumbs Down: Heavy flywheel, long shifter throws.

Buy This Car If: You’re looking for a genuine bargain in a sporty midsize sedan.

What a difference a year makes: last July I drove and reviewed the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi GTS. Back then, I struggled to find things that I liked about the car, which felt like a Japanese version of the Volkswagen Jetta. I pondered why someone would buy a Kizashi, when for just a bit more money they could buy a Jetta. Nine months later, the roles have been reversed; VW’s new Jetta impresses on price alone, while the updated Kizashi impresses everywhere else. It’s a far better looking car than the new Jetta (which is subjective, I suppose), it feels and looks a lot nicer inside, and I’d be willing to bet that it’s quicker around a racetrack than non-GLI spec Jettas, too. In short, I’m now wondering why anyone would buy a Jetta when they can snap up a Kizashi for just a bit more money.

As for the styling of the 2011 Kizashi Sport, I love it. It doesn’t look like anything else on the market, and it’s one of the few press fleet cars that I often found myself staring at for no good reason. The car’s best angle is the side view, where you can see the steep rake of the windshield, the high beltline and the character line at the bottom of the doors, linking the subtle fender flares. From the rear, you notice the rounded trunklid and subtle lip spoiler, then your eyes wander down to the triangular exhaust outlets embedded in the rear fascia. Someone spent a lot of time on that detail, and it’s one of the styling elements that make the Kizashi stand out. Up front, the blacked out grille offsets the chrome Suzuki logo, and the front fascia is aggressively styled without looking comical. Even the 18” multi-spoke wheels just look right on the car, and the Kizashi is one of the few cars I can think of with true multi-generational appeal. Whether you’re 17 or 70, you won’t feel out of place behind the wheel.

Inside, it’s easy to forget that this car sells for under $30k. There’s an element of style carried off by the Kizashi that not many other manufacturers can match, ranging from the soft-touch stitched vinyl door panels to the multi-grain plastic dash and the contrasting stitching on the leather seats. Even the dash layout itself is a visually interesting blend of shapes, textures and colors. The brushed aluminum trim is really plastic, but who cares? it looks good and serves to break up the flow of the dashboard. I’d prefer a soft touch vinyl on the dash over the harder plastic used, but fit and finish is superb. My Kizashi Sport SLS tester didn’t come with Suzuki’s optional nav system, so controls for the automatic HVAC system and the Rockford Fosgate premium audio system were right where you’d expect them to be. Even the steering wheel was the right shape and size for spirited driving, with controls placed for easy reach while driving.

The instruments are semi-retro, featuring white numbers on a watch-like black background. You get an analog tachometer / temp gauge and an analog speedometer / fuel gauge, set in recessed, chrome-trimmed pods. There’s an LCD driver information display between the two, so trip information can be readily viewed.

The front seats are excellent, covered in surprisingly thick leather and deeply bolstered on top and bottom. The driver’s seat has an adjustable lumbar support and a three position memory, just in case drivers in the same family share the car. The driver’s seat is powered, but the passenger has to slide and tilt their seat the old fashioned way. Both seats are heated, something that buyers have come to expect across a multitude of price points.

The rear seat is relatively spacious, and three adults won’t pose a problem for short trips. Two adults work better, though, and those two get treated to supportive seats with a decent amount of head and leg room. Even the rear door panels are covered in a stitched vinyl, which adds a certain upscale element to the car.

All Kizashi models come with Suzuki’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, mated to either a six speed manual or a CVT with paddle shifters. Buyers opting for a manual transmission get 185 horsepower, while those checking off the CVT option box have to make due with just 180. Buyers also get to choose between front wheel drive and all wheel drive, which will definitely increase the Kizashi’s appeal to buyers who live in snow belt states. Despite Suzuki’s best attempts to convince you that the Kizashi is a sport sedan, the numbers just don’t back it up. Zero to sixty takes almost 8.5 seconds with the manual, and the CVT ups that to over nine seconds. That’s not sport sedan territory, and the long shifter throws won’t do much to make you a believer, either. Fuel economy is decent but not great, something I’d chalk up to the Kizashi’s engine, which uses neither variable valve timing nor direct injection. The EPA rates the Kizashi Sport SLS at 20 MPG city and 29 MPG highway, which is on par with the 24.3 mpg I saw in a mix of city and highway driving.

I don’t remember being impressed with the 2010 Kizashi’s steering or suspension, but that’s changed for 2011. The steering is now nicely weighted at all speeds, where last year’s model was a bit vague at speeds below forty miles per hour. Suzuki put some work into redesigning the suspension on 2011 Sport models, and it does indeed pay off in handling. Turn-in is quick, with a reasonable amount of grip from the tires and suspension. Like any front wheel drive sedan, understeer is the order of the day, but it comes on much later than you expect it to. Even in quick left to right transitions, the Kizashi just feels planted and the back end never felt light no matter how hard I pushed the car. It’s still not a sport sedan (per my comments above), but it is quite a bit sportier than a non-GLI Jetta or even Kia’s Optima sedan.

The engine and transmission do leave me scratching my head. Lift off the gas as you’re depressing the clutch, and the engine holds revs a lot longer than you expect it to. My first thought is that the Kizashi uses a heavy flywheel for improved balance and smoother shifts, but it could be related to fuel injection mapping as well. In any case, it’s not an entirely pleasant sensation for those of us used to rev-matching on downshifts, and it does nothing to help the car’s acceleration. My heavy-flywheel theory would also account for the car’s moderate acceleration and marginal fuel economy, and I’d welcome the chance to drive a Kizashi with a lightened flywheel. I suspect that would yield a quicker, more satisfying near-sport sedan.

As good as the Kizashi is, you rarely see one on the road. I’d chalk it up to a sparse dealer network and, perhaps, incorrectly targeted advertising. Suzuki has tried to pitch the car against competitors like the Audi A4, and that misses the mark entirely. Whether the Kizashi can beat an A4 in braking, or through a slalom course, is entirely irrelevant. Buyer’s shopping for an A4 aren’t going to stop by their local Suzuki dealer before putting cash down on the Audi, since one says ‘status” and one doesn’t. That’s not meant to take away from the Kizashi, because it is a very good sedan in its own right; if I were in charge of Suzuki’s marketing, I’d make sure that prospective buyers of VW Jettas, Kia Optimas, Hyundai Sonatas and ever Nissan Altimas test drove a Kizashi for comparison. My guess is that it would go a long way towards ramping up sales.

The sticker price on my 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport SLS was $25,304, including a $125 premium mat set, $130 premium metallic paint and $350 XM satellite radio, For comparison, a similarly equipped Kia Optima EX would sticker at $25,440 and a comparable VW Jetta SE would list for $23,758, but that’s not available with leather seating or a sunroof. If you’re in the market for either competitor, do yourself a favor and drive a Kizashi: I think you’ll be suitably impressed.

A 2009 GSX-R750

If you ride a Suzuki scooter or motorcycle built between July 2007 and September 2009, expect to get a recall notice in the mail. At issue is the mounting for the power module circuit board inside the rectifier case, which contains a heat sink. If the circuit board was not mounted properly, excessive heat can build up and warp the circuit board, which causes a spike in electric current output. The net result is insufficient charging and battery drain, which could lead to engine stalling and an increased risk of crashing. A complete list of models involved in the recall is below.

Specific models affected by the recall are:

2008 – 2009 Suzuki AN400 Burgman Scooter
2008 – 2009 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2008 – 2009 Suzuki GSF1250 Bandit
2008 – 2009 GSX-R600
2008 – 2009 GSX-R750
2008 GSX1300B B-King
2008 – 2010 GSX1300R Hayabusa
2008 – 2009 GSX650F
2009 – 2010 SFV650
2008 – 2010 VL800 Intruder
2008 – 2009 VLR 1800 Boulevard
2009 – 2010 VZ1500 Boulevard

The recall is expected to begin on or about March 2, and dealers will inspect and replace the power module as necessary. Owners with questions or concerns can reach Suzuki’s customer service line at (714) 996-7040.

Source: Autoblog

If you own a 2009 to 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara or a 2010 to 2011 Suzuki SX4, expect to get a recall notice from the manufacturer in the coming weeks. Suzuki is recalling some 32,300 vehicles, a substantial number for the low-volume automaker, to repair a potentially defective tension adjuster pulley. The pulley keeps the drive belt that runs the alternator, water pump, air conditioner and power steering pump in place; should it fail, drivers will experience a loss of power steering and potential engine overheating. If the battery gets discharged, the car is likely to stall, increasing the risk of an accident. Dealers will replace the pulley with a heavier-duty version when the recall begins later this week.

If you own one of the affected vehicles and have noticed a warning light on the dash (probably the battery warning light) or have experienced a squealing noise under the hood that wasn’t there before , I’d suggest you arrange a service appointment as soon as possible. Customers with questions or concerns can reach Suzuki’s customer service hotline at (887) 697-8985.

Source: Autoblog

Suzuki’s Kizashi mid-size sedan is the best automobile the Japanese automaker has ever produced. It’s stylish, it’s comfortable and it represents solid value for the money; despite this, sales of the Kizashi to date have been disappointing, and that’s an understatement. Suzuki has sold just under 5,300 Kizashis since the car went on sale earlier this year. That’s not exactly Toyota Camry territory, so Suzuki will roll out a new ad campaign beginning on Christmas day.

Called “Kizashi Kicks”, the ads will feature the Kizashi head to head against luxury sport sedan rivals from Audi (the A4), Mercedes-Benz (the C300) and Acura (the TSX). To support the TV campaign, Suzuki has set up a website (www.kizashikicks.com) with videos, car comparisons and all the data you’d ever want to know about the Kizashi. The campaign will run through March 2011, and Suzuki hopes it will be enough to turn around plummeting sales. The automaker sold 101,884 cars in 2007, but is on track to move just under 23,000 units in the U.S. this year.

I’ve reviewed the Kizashi, and it really is a good car, just not a great car. Despite Suzuki’s ad campaign, it isn’t a sport sedan and it isn’t a rival the Acura TSX, the Mercedes-Benz C300 or the Audi A4. It’s a well built car, but it needs serious refinement (especially the engine and transmission) to compete against entry level sport / luxury sedans. My advice to Suzuki is simple: rework the six speed transmission to offer closer ratios, use a lighter flywheel and add more weight to the steering at low speed. Make those changes (and substitute a conventional five speed automatic for the CVT), then pitch the Kizashi against the VW Jetta and the Chevy Cruze. Find the right audience (and the right price point), and there’s no reason you can’t be successful with the Kizashi in the U.S. market.

Source: Automotive News, via Left Lane News

In retrospect, the 1980s weren’t entirely bad. Sure, they gave us weird clothing, big hair and some tragically awful music, but they also gave us factory turbocharged motorcycles, at least for a few years. Between 1982 and 1985, you could walk into your local Honda / Suzuki / Yamaha / Kawasaki dealer, plunk down an astonishing amount of cash, and ride out on a factory-built, forced induction bike, complete with a manufacturer’s warranty.

By 1986, the party was over. Kawasaki was the last manufacturer to produce a factory turbo motorcycle (and it was, arguably, the best of the bunch), but even they pulled the plug when insurance costs and manufacturing expense all but eliminated demand. The bikes were still in circulation, and well into the 1990s you’d find the occasional Suzuki XN85 or Yamaha Seca Turbo on a dealers lot, for sale at astonishingly low prices.

So what ultimately killed the factory turbo bikes? Two things, really: their prices when new were astronomical when compared to conventional bikes of the day, and they were seen by insurance companies as too much of a liability. In fact, by the late 1980s, most motorcycle insurance companies either wouldn’t write policies on turbocharged bikes, or quoted absurd annual rates that far exceed the bikes value. No one in their right mind would spend $4,000 per year to insure a bike that was only worth $2,500, but that didn’t stop insurance companies from quoting grab-your-ankles-and-squeal-like-a-pig rates. Conventional bikes got much, much better, and by the time the last Kawasaki GPz 750 rolled off the production line, a Kawasaki Ninja 900 would match it in performance and handling. Factory turbo bikes had become too expensive and too irrelevant.

Thanks to a misspent youth, I’ve ridden all but the XN85 and the Seca Turbo, which never sold in the same quantities as the Hondas or Kawasakis. Turbo bikes were a handful to ride, and demanded your full attention when you whacked the throttle. The Kawasaki was fairly well behaved for a bike that wanted to kill you, but the Honda had “lightswitch” power tied to a non-sporting chassis. Like driving a Porsche 930, you had to anticipate boost; when it hit, the bike went from “grossly underpowered” to “grossly overpowered for the chassis” in about a millisecond. Maybe the insurance companies were on to something, after all.

Honda CX500 Turbo

A 1983 Honda CX 650 Turbo

Released as the CX500 in 1982, Honda’s entry was first on the market. Featuring a transverse mounted, 80 degree v-twin motor, the CX500’s fuel injection system was best described as “unnecessarily complex”. Nonetheless, the bike made 82 horsepower and turned the quarter mile in 12.38 seconds at 106 miles per hour. In 1983, Honda upped the displacement to 650cc, and the new motor made an even 100 horsepower. Quarter mile times dropped to 11.95 seconds at 112 mph.

Best thought of as a relatively quick touring bike, handling was not the CX 500/650’s forte. After a two year run, the CX Turbo disappeared from Honda’s product catalog in 1984.

Suzuki XN 85

Perhaps the rarest of the bunch, Suzuki’s XN85 was released in 1983. The turbocharged, 673cc inline-four motor was good for 85 horsepower, and the bike was capable of running a 12.3 second quarter mile at 106 mph. Unlike the Honda turbos, Suzuki’s offering actually did well in the twisties, and the frame was carried over into the GS750ES of 1984. Approximately 300 XN85s were imported into the US, and they could be purchased new in dealer showrooms as late as 1988.

Yamaha XJ650 Seca Turbo

Introduced in 1982 and discontinued after the 1983 model year, the Seca Turbo was probably the quirkiest bike of the bunch. First, it was air and oil cooled, which critics saw as a recipe for disaster in a turbocharged motor. Next, it used pressurized carburetors instead of fuel injection, which again drew flack from doubters. Finally, Yamaha stuffed the motor into a Seca chassis, which wasn’t known for spectacular handling, and wrapped it up with bodywork that simply didn’t age well. Despite its failings, the Seca Turbo put out 90 horsepower and was good for a 12.68 second quarter mile, at 106 mph.

Kawasaki GPz 750 Turbo

Kawasaki was late to market with their GPz 750 Turbo, which didn’t hit dealerships until 1984. It was fast, it handled reasonably well and it was jaw-droppingly beautiful, and Kawasaki probably sold more GPz 750 Turbos than the other factory turbo bikes combined. The downside is that the GPz 750 Turbo probably killed more unsuspecting riders than all of the other factory turbo bikes combined as well. In stock form, the GPz 750 Turbo put out 112 horsepower and ran the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds at 125 miles per hour. The bikes were easily modified to produce more power, and many owners built their bikes over 200 horsepower.

In 1984, Kawasaki also introduced the Ninja 900, which did nearly everything as well as the GPz 750 Turbo for a lot less money. Insurance companies were even willing to write policies for the Ninja, when they wouldn’t touch the Kawi Turbo. Sadly, the best of the factory turbo bikes went extinct in 1985, but clean used examples can still be found. If you want to own a factory turbo motorcycle, the Kawi is the one to shop for.

I’m a dog guy, but I have one simple rule: if it fits in the microwave, it isn’t a dog. The animal in question in this EU Suzuki ad would easily fit in the smallest of microwaves, and probably gets its ass kicked by the neighborhood cats on a regular basis. Even so, this would be a pretty bad way for a critter to check out.

I obviously don’t condone doing this in real life, and I assure you that no animals (even small, yappy dogs) were harmed in the filming of this commercial. Judging from the guys overbearing and high maintenance wife, the least of his problems is a gerbil-sized dog taking a dump in his Alpinestars.

Thanks to my buddy Dan for the tip on this classic ad.