Suzuki Recalling Grand Vitara and SX4 in the States

More than 32,000 Suzuki Grand Vitara and SX4 vehicles are being recalled in the United States over an improperly manufactured component of the tension adjuster pulley that could cause the drive belt to either slip or come off and lead to engine overheating or stalling.

Suzuki said the recall concerns the 2009-2010 model year Grand Vitara SUVs equipped with 4-cylinder engines; 2011MY Grand Vitara vehicles produced prior to October 17, 2010; 2010MY SX4s and 2011MY SX4s manufactured before October 14, 2010.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] said that in the affected vehicles, the tension adjuster pulley for the drive belt that operates the alternator, water pump, air conditioner compressor and power steering pump, has an improperly manufactured internal spring that can break due to repeated stress.

According to the government agency, if the spring breaks, the drive belt can slip, causing a squeaking noise, or come off, in which case, the driver will have to use increased steering effort, while it can also cause the engine to overheat or stall.

The Japanese firm's dealers will replace the tension adjuster pulley with an improved part free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before February 16, 2011.

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Suzuki SX-4's Darker Side: New SZ-L Special Edition for UK Market

A new special edition version of Suzuki's SX4 small crossover called the SZ-L is being launched onto the UK market this week. What makes the SZ-L special is a styling package that adds a number of exterior and interior features.

Available in two colors, 'Silky Silver Pearl' and 'Cosmic Black', the SZ-L model comes equipped with unique gunmetal colored roof rails, front grille, alloy wheels and front and rear skid plates.

Inside, the SZ-L gets Alcantara seat trim in light gray plus a three spoke leather steering wheel with gunmetal stitch detailing and a standard six disc in dash CD changer.

The SZ-L is based on the SZ4 grade and is available only in two wheel drive layout with a 120HP-strong 1.6-liter gasoline engine matched to a manual gearbox. Suzuki claims the small crossover can accelerate from zero to 62 mph (100km/h) in 10.7 seconds and return a combined fuel economy of 45.6mpg UK with CO2 emissions of 143g/km.

Pricing is set at £13,145 and includes the cost of the metallic paint.

READ MORE - Suzuki SX-4's Darker Side: New SZ-L Special Edition for UK Market

Fire Hazard from Garmin Nuvi Prompts Recalls from Suzuki and Nissan

After Garmin announced a voluntary recall of 1.25 million units of its popular Nuvi GPS system at the end of August amidst concerns that the batteries could overheat and catch fire, Suzuki and Nissan followed with a recall on several vehicles equipped with the affected Garmin Nuvi navigation systems including the 750, 760, or 765 models for the same reason.

The recalled Garmin units can be found on certain Suzuki vehicles including the 2008-2010MY SX4 crossovers, 2010MY Grand Vitara SUVs, and 2009-2010MY Equator vehicles, and the 2008-2010MY Nissan Altima, Frontier, Pahtfinder, Rogue, Sentra, Versa and Xterra vehicles.

In both cases, the automakers will notify owners of the affected models, and the repairs will be performed by Garmin technicians who will replace the battery and insert a spacer on top of the battery free of charge.

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Refreshed 2010 Suzuki SX4 with New Petrol Engine Arrives in the UK

Suzuki's mildly updated SX4 hatchback (also sold in Europe with the Fiat Sedici badge) has made its way into the UK with the front-wheel drive petrol models on sale now and the 4x4 petrol and diesel versions to follow in April. The five-door crossover model has been revised for 2010 with some subtle styling and interior changes as well as an introduction of a new 1.6-liter petrol engine that offers 10 per cent more power, 10 per cent lower fuel consumption and 12 per cent fewer emissions than the previous unit.

The new 1.6-liter VVT churns out 120HP and 156Nm or 115 lb-ft of peak torque and can be linked to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic transmission.

The gasoline unit is available in either SZ3 or SZ4 2WD (front-wheel drive) format or as a 4x4 SZ5 model with selectable/automatic four-wheel drive.

According to Suzuki, the petrol SX4 with a manual transmission and FWD can go from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 10.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 185km/h or 115mph while returning 6.2lt/100km or 45.6mpg UK on the combined EU cycle with 143g/km of CO2 emissions.

For those that prefer diesel power, Suzuki offers the 1.6-liter DDiS unit with 90HP and 215Nm or 159 lb-ft of torque. With this engine, the SX4 goes from 0-100km/h (62mph) in 12.2 seconds and returns a combined 4.9lt/100km or 57.6mpg UK.

On the outside, the 2010 Suzuki SX4 hatch gets a redesigned front bumper and grill together with newly styled 16-inch alloy wheels.

Interior refinements include the revised lower centre dashboard panel that houses a new display, the updated instrument cluster that incorporates a driver information display for average and instantaneous fuel consumption, fuel range and outside temperature, and the illuminated audio controls on the steering wheel.

In addition, Suzuki said that the SX4 also gets a larger engine under shield cover together with improved transmission damping and increased rigidity of body parts

Prices for the 2010 SX4 start from £11,640 for the SZ3 petrol version with a manual gearbox.

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Tokyo '09: Suzuki Showcases Swift Plug in-Hybrid and SX4 Fuel Cell Vehicle

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Suzuki exhibited its latest 'green' concept studies for the future including a Swift with Plug-in Hybrid and an SX4 Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV). The hybrid version of the Swift is a supermini aimed at city dwellers that travel around 20 km (about 13 miles) a day and has been designed to be driven primarily on electric power.

It is equipped with 600cc engine that is used to charge a lithium-ion battery that powers an electric motor if capacity level drops. The batter can also be charged through any domestic plug socket.

Suzuki did not release any performance or fuel economy figures nor did it say if it intends to produce the Swift Plug-in Hybrid in the future.

The other 'green' study on display at Suzuki's Tokyo Motor Show booth is the is the SX4 FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) which combines a General Motors-sourced high performance fuel cell with a Suzuki developed high pressure hydrogen tank and a compact capacitor that is used to recover energy during braking and using it to reduce fuel cell loading under acceleration.

The SX4 FCV is currently under test on public roads in Japan as Suzuki plans to to commercialize the car in the near future.

Suzuki Swift Plug-in Hybrid

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Suzuki SX4 Fuel Cell Vehicle

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Suzuki Adds SX4 Saloon to its UK Lineup

Suzuki has finally rolled out a four-door sedan version of the SX4 for the UK market. Measuring 4,510mm in length, 1,730mm in width and 1,545mm in height, the sedan's most prominent feature is its enlarged boot capacity that has 515 liters. Priced from at £11,895, the sedan is offered with a 107HP 1.6-liter engine that powers the car from nought to 62 mph (100km/h) in 10.7 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 112 mph (180 km/h).

According to Suzuki, in combined cycle driving, the SX4 saloon returns a combined fuel consumption of 41.5 mpg UK with CO2 emissions of 165g/km.

The SX4 Saloon is similarly equipped to the SX4 1.6 GLX five-door hatchback and comes with six airbags, four electric windows, MP3/WMA compatible CD tuner, automatic air conditioning, 15-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start and heated door mirrors as standard.

READ MORE - Suzuki Adds SX4 Saloon to its UK Lineup

2010 Suzuki SX4 and SX4 Sedan Facelift Revealed in China

Suzuki's joint-venture in China, Changan-Suzuki, has released a facelift version of the SX4 crossover for the domestic market. Not surprisingly, both the hatchback and sedan variants of the updated SX4 feature the same aesthetic changes as the European version of the car that was scooped undisguised last December. These include the redesigned bumper, reworked grille and concave surfaces above the fog lights as well as a new skid-plate at the rear of the hatchback.

For those that like to pay attention to insignificant details, the China-market and, from the looks of it, the European-spec 2010 SX4's subtly redesign front-end is no different than the one found on the North American market SX4 that has been around since 2006...

The Chine-spec SX4s also feature updated interior trim and a new GPS navigation system.

READ MORE - 2010 Suzuki SX4 and SX4 Sedan Facelift Revealed in China