Affordability has long been one of Suzuki’s core values when it comes to car-making and the recently introduced Clean Car Discount scheme has now made many of the vehicles in Suzuki’s New Zealand lineup even more attainable.
For the cost of a seven-year-old imported secondhand electric vehicle you can now buy a brand-new Suzuki and also qualify for a Clean Car rebate. At a time when the cost of living is rising to alarming levels, it’s refreshing to witness the actual prices of many new Suzuki cars and SUVs remaining at very competitive levels.
The rebates that buyers of new Suzuki Swift, Swift Hybrid, Baleno, and Ignis vehicles get back recognise the lighter environmental impact of these fuel-efficient vehicles. On the flip side, the Swift Sport, Vitara, Jimny, and soon to arrive new S-Cross are either larger, more performance oriented, or unashamedly off-road ready, yet they can be bought new without attracting a Clean Car fee. When buying a new Suzuki, first registered owners can only win under the terms of the government scheme to encourage more environmentally conscious vehicle choices. There are no losers.
"Suzuki's entire range of cars and SUVs is so fuel efficient and climate friendly that there is not a single vehicle that we sell that attracts a 'gas guzzler' fee when it is first registered for use on New Zealand roads," says Tom Peck, CEO of Suzuki New Zealand.
"What's more, the compact hatchbacks and SUVs that we sell in the $19,990 to $28,500 price segment all attract Clean Car rebates in recognition of their low emissions of CO2.
"These are vehicles that don't cost the earth - in more ways than one."
The most affordable new Suzuki is the $19,990 Baleno GLX manual, offering one of the most spacious cabins in the small car segment and the ability to carry five people in relative comfort. With a 1.4L 68kW engine, the GLX uses an average of 5.1 litres per 100km over combined city/highway use, earning its first buyer a rebate of $1,871.72. The $22,500 Baleno GLX Auto swaps the five-speed manual for a four-stage automatic, and is capable of an average of 5.4L/100km, earning a rebate of $1,407.76. The $25,990 Baleno RS Auto has a state-of-the-art 1.0L direct-injection turbo and six-stage automatic transmission, delivering 5.2L/100km fuel use and a rebate of $1,717.07.
The Swift range hardly needs introduction, having won many hearts, minds, and motoring awards in New Zealand for years. These days there’s a Swift for everyone, starting with the $21,990 GL manual which has fuel use rated at 4.6L/100km, blessing it with a rebate of $2,593.45. Opting for the automatic GL raises fuel use to 4.8L/100km, lowering the rebate to $2,335.69. The turbocharged Swift RS Auto lists for $27,990 and $28,500 (two-tone paint) and earns a $1,820.17 rebate with their 1.0L turbo/six-stage auto powertrains.
Perhaps the canniest buy in the Suzuki NZ hatchback range is a Swift Hybrid available in GLX spec at $27,990 and costing $29,500 as a fully-equipped LTD. Helped by an automatic stop-start system and an extra battery, these officially use fuel at 4.1L/100km, with a low 94g of CO2 emissions per km, allowing their first buyers to claim $3,160.52 rebates.
The Suzuki Ignis range offers three funky-looking compact SUV models, kicking off with the $21,990 GLX manual (rebate: $2,490.34). Two equipment tiers are available for the automatic versions with the GLX costing $23,990 and the LTD listing for $25,500. Both earn rebates of $2,129.48.
Although the Swift Sport, Vitara, Vitara Safari, S-Cross, and Jimny ranges don’t qualify for rebates under the Clean Car programme, it’s still important to note that nor do they burden their first buyers with extra fees under the scheme. Each of these Suzuki ranges competes in a segment where the actual cost of some rival new vehicles within that segment is being further inflated by the implementation of ‘gas guzzler’ fees. This means that Suzuki’s offerings within the sports-hatchback, small to medium SUV, and 4x4 segments are now more cost-competitive than back in the days before the Clean Car programme kicked in.
With government incentives encouraging Kiwis to buy cleaner new vehicles, Suzuki has a range priced to make that vehicle upgrade more achievable. To find out more about Suzuki’s range of fuel-efficient cars and SUVs, visit www.suzuki.co.nz/clean-car-discount