In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Will Suzuki come back to the United States?
- Is lifting a Subaru a bad idea?
- Are Korea-built Buicks any good?
The first question comes from a fan who wants to know if Suzuki (the automaker) will come back to the USA.
Q: (Via: AskNathan@TFL.com) Nathan, I know you’re a Suzuki fan and I loved the stuff you guys did with your Samurai.
Have you ever owned any other Suzuki? My mom owned a Grand Vitara for a long time and finally traded it in for a Nissan Rogue. It was a very reliable car that was great in Connecticut snow. She bought it new and traded it in with over 250,000 miles on the odometer. It was supposed to become my car in high school but my dad helped me get a older Ford Ranger instead. He hated that Suzuki for some reason.
Maybe that’s why they left? There were so many Americans who hated it just for being from Japan maybe? I saw stories on the Jimny and I think it would be so cool to have here in the USA! Do you think it will ever come here? I am thinking about going in the service when I’m done with high school. Maybe I can get one if I go over seas? If I do would you like to drive it if I can bring it to the USA?
I’m a big fan and I hope you guys keep making fun videos!
– Brett
A: Sadly, new Suzuki vehicles will not be coming to the United States anytime soon,
There are a lot of reasons Suzuki failed in the United States, bogus magazine stories, small inventories, thin dealership coverage and a lack of sales are chief among them. Yes, there was prejudice against the brand, and some of their choices for U.S. production were poor. Still, they built a solid reputation for rugged, economical SUVs and they often performed better than expected.
I owned a 2000 Suzuki XL-7 as well, and it was a sweet little truck. Equipped with a manual transmission and a fairly robust 4×4 setup, I modified it and had a blast. I’m sad I sold it, but it was past its prime, and I needed more space.
I love the Suzuki Jimny too, and I wish there was a way to legally get the new ones imported here. Unfortunately, Suzuki has no intentions on returning to our shores. At least, not with their automobiles.
The Image above is Suzuki’s first attempt at an electric car. It’s called the Suzuki eVX Concept, and it’s supposed to have a 300 mile + range using a 60 kWh battery. It’s just a concept, and I have no idea if it will be competitive. Still, I’m happy they are still being innovative. You can read about it (here).
Yea, I miss Suzuki too. I’m thinking about getting another one for a project, in a year or two.
If you ever manage to get one over here, I would love to drive it!
– N
The next question comes from a Subaru fan who is a little weary about all of these lifted Subies.
Q: (Via: Ask Nathan) RE: Is lifting Subarus bad?
Hey Nathan: second question. I have a 2017 Subaru Outback that I love. And I know that Roman and you are on and off with the brand, but you guys seem to mostly like them. My question has to do with all of these new Subarus standing on stilts. Yes they look cooler, but what about driveability?
I saw an Outback that’s brand new and sits so much higher than mine. Is that going to be a problem with performance and safety? What about the effects of that lift with fuel economy? Also can you tell me about the after market lifts they are adding to Subarus? Are they still safe and reliable?
– K.C. from Reno, NV
A: You would be surprised about how much testing goes into their cars — even lifted.
That’s because Subaru knows that larger tires and a suspension lift can lead to issues, if not properly addressed. All of these components are tested, that includes crash testing. Currently, the NATSA and IIHS rate most Subarus at the very top.
At the same time, whenever you lift a vehicle, you change the driving dynamics of said vehicle. The center of gravity, body sway, dip and lift change; some times dramatically. Panic cornering, braking and even crash performance can be altered by adding off-road accessories.
An insider I know told me that Subaru sweated the details and tested everything rapidly, keeping an eye on those high safety scores.
After sampling a few “Wilderness” lifted Foresters and Outbacks, I think they got it right. It honestly feels like a slightly taller version of the vehicle its based on, with a decent ride. Still, they are not happy on fast, sweeping turns.
As for aftermarket lifts: they seem to be fairly solid. It’s up to the vehicle’s owner to figure out if they have the right components to make these lifts work. Axles, brakes, wiring, lines and brackets may need to be altered. Once again, the car’s driving dynamics will change. With that being said, I’ve seen some perform impressively off-road.
Hope that helps!
– N
The final question comes from a viewer who is curious about Buicks that have been built in Korea.
Q: Are Korea-built Buicks any good?
Saw your video on the Envision and I kept thinking about how bad that Korean engine will be down the road. I mean there is little doubt that Korean-built cars are poor quality. Buick made a mistake.
– Don
I would do some research before dismissing a vehicle that was built in South Korea.
There have been a lot of vehicles sold in the United States, that were built in South Korea. GM, Ford and others have sold vehicles here, that were built over there. Quality in South Korea meets or exceeds many other countries, including ours. Debate it all you want, those are facts.
Speaking of Buick, and their Korean-built vehicles…
J.D. Power gave the 2022 Buick Encore GX a reliability rating of 82/100
Consumer Reports – “We expect the 2023 Encore GX will have about average reliability when compared to the average new car.”
… and Repair Pal gave the Buick Encore an “above average” reliability score.
I’m not trying to sell you the cars, but I think your bias is misplaced.
– N
