In-depth reviews

Suzuki Celerio owner reviews

"A practical city car with inoffensive styling and a big boot, the Suzuki Celerio doesn’t set hearts racing, but may win them over with plenty of interior space crammed into its modest dimensions"

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23 Mar 2018

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Carbuyer Rating

3.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.3 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

78%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Gearbox / clutch, Suspension, Other (1 case)
Gearbox / clutch (2 cases)
Suspension, Other (1 case)
Suspension (1 case)

Review 1 of 23

Tell us what you think about your car?

I love this nippy car of mine. She's got just enough speed for safe family traveling and city driving. Very light fuel consumption and fits in anywhere!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've grown to really appreciate the qualities of the Suzuki Celerio in my 8 months of ownership. Most professional reviewers focus on the interior to judge a car's 'build quality'. Accept this view, and you miss out on some very good engineering which to my mind is where real build quality lies. All the controls and switch gear have an oiled, damped feel to them, which belies the price of the car. The doors, while light, close with a solid sound. No secondary sounds or shakes can be heard. The controls on the integrated head unit are the same, it's like pressing the buttons on a quality hi-fi. I always enjoy climbing aboard. The high hip height and spacious cockpit make this a doddle, and along with a good amount of glass it feels an open and friendly space. I'm 6ft tall and have no issues with shoulder, leg or headroom. Tardis springs to mind. The way the Celerio drives is a pleasure to experience. Anyone who appreciates lightweight cars will know where I'm coming from. The lack of inertia makes it an exciting and snappy drive, and with a very lightweight engine over the front wheels, the nose is able to change direction in an instant. This is as long as you're within the capabilities of the 165 tyres - which are ample for driving around town. I've actually been out just for a 'a pint of milk', to give an insight into how much I enjoy driving it. The clutch and gearbox are great to interact with and have to be among the finest in the business. They are both unfussy and superbly light, adding joy to the operation of changing gears. I would go as far as saying the most pleasurable clutch and gearbox I have ever used. This is my first car with a 3-cylinder engine. I found it a bit odd at first but after a couple of thousand miles I've grown to like and even enjoy the sound; weather permitting I have the windows down to hear it better. It revs freely but is less smooth right at the top. Keep it under 5,500 rpm and it is more than acceptable for a triple without a parasitic balance shaft. The engine is the 3rd generation of the K10B which Suzuki has improved the efficiency of in every successive generation. It is a great little unit with 4-valves per cylinder, camshafts driven by chain not belts, electronic throttle body, and a great reputation for reliability. Suzuki at its very best! The steering is an interesting one and again is something I've also grown to like. Rich in feel it is not, but it has a lightness and precision that deserve merit in their own right. It also lacks opposing force when using greater steering angles. Either the front tyres have very little toe-in (efficiency?), or the electric steering has been mapped to be like this. Either way, I actually like it because it allows greater delicacy of input, which coupled with the precision makes the placement of the front tyres an almost surgical operation in which you have total control. Yes the Celerio is no drag-strip king, but the tiny triple does have some guts with a proper spread of torque. And I've noticed that if pushing on the throttle beyond a certain point, it's as if the engine wakes up into a higher output mode. It really does get a move on and you're soon up to the speed limit, and I'm including the motorway limit here too. I have not driven my Celerio fully loaded but I expect in this case you would notice a power deficit. It is worth noting that lightweight cars (SZ2 is just 805kg) are more weight sensitive. It still goes well with my young family on board which is fine by me. The ride quality is good and I think is well judged between comfort and stability. With small wheels it is more difficult to suppress imperfections in the road, but I think Suzuki have done a pretty good job here. Equally impressive is the stable feel at speed making motorway runs safe. The engine and gearing seem suited to motorway speeds too, yet equally happy in the urban situation. It is surprisingly a very good all-rounder. Some reviews mention road noise which is a fair point. You do however need to look a little closer at the cause; it's not that the Celerio is unrefined, it's more to do with the tyres. It comes equipped with Bridgestone Ecopias, which are low rolling resistance tyres that run at approx 30% higher pressure than typical. While this aids fuel economy, it does mean rough roads are not suppressed by the tyres themselves. I've driven on smooth roads with hardly a peep of noise from the tyres and the cabin is quiet, and this was at 70mph. So it is definitely tyre related, but overall I am not bothered because it varies with the quality of road surface, i.e. not a constant noise. The benefits in fuel efficiency outweigh the occasional tyre noise. My fuel consumption has reduced since collecting the car from new, I expect from bedding in. It started out ~53 and is now ~58 at 2,500 miles. I have verified this manually and have to say am impressed that it achieves this given how the car is used. The Celerio more or less does achieve in the real world what it does in the lab - there can't be many cars that do the same. To sum up, it's a great car with a good depth of 'unseen' engineering which is pretty much how Suzuki builds their cars. To my mind I'd rather my money was spent developing the important bits rather than a high quality interior and finishes. A Suzuki is like an inside-out Audi which to me is no bad thing at all.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

It was bought at 6 months old with black metallic paint and mats for under £6000 to replace my wife's beloved Citroen C2, which she had owner for 11 years. So far she is very pleased with the vehicle, which says a lot. She summarises the car as; comfortable and easy to drive... nuff said! It is only the base model with wheel trims, key operated central locking and no aircon but it has a trip computer, seat height adjustment and tyre pressure monitoring which are more useful. Having driven it myself ....many times, to my wife's bemusement I concur. It is fun and frugal; 76 mpg on the trip computer after a 40 mile steady drive. The fit and finish are good even though the materials are cheap looking. It has a more spacious interior and boot than a Hyundai i10 mk2 but costs £1000's less to buy. Handling is light but accurate and the engine is spritely in the first two gears and cruises well at 70mph at just over 3000rpm. Bought instead of a three year old main stream vehicle, it still has two and a half years of warranty left. As we rarely travel long motorway distances anymore I could live with a SZ3 as our only car. It makes me smile every time I drive it. Take a test drive yourself.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

All I've had with this car is problems. First the headlights were pulsating, so the dealership changed the battery and damaged the live terminal. Got that fixed and after a year still got the same problems. Wipers slow down when pressing the accelerator pedal, and when headlights are on you press the accelerator and the headlights go slightly dim. It has now had a new wiper motor and linkage and a new alternator and battery and yet still has the same problems. And now the fuel pump is getting noisy. I certainly won't be buying another Suzuki.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Its nippy.

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

If Suzuki could fix the problems that would be great.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

A great small car but with some really annoying and unnecessary cutbacks and savings. NO boot light?! This is the car used mostly for city and shopping and there's NO BOOT light?!? The steering wheel had to be steered to the left for the car to go straight since new, dealer dismissed the problem as not an issue. There's been a funny metallic sound from front suspension since new, noticed when going over speed bumps, but the dealer dismissed it as as not an issue. The clutch seems half worn out after 2 years of city driving, the annoying rear wiper has only a continuous mode and starts to squeak after a few seconds so you have to constantly switch it on, off, on, off yourself. Since new it has had a problem with reverse gear, slipping out of it and making noise when engaging it. I got fed up with it so I'm trading it up for DACIA Sandero after only 2 years of ownership.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This car is full of surprises. It was bought at 6 months old as a second hand replacement runabout for my wife, mainly because it was cheap......under £6000 and the manufacturer and franchise dealer we bought it from have a reputation for reliability. However the car has surpassed my expectations in every area. It looks OK in metallic black and although the look of the basic interior reminds me of a 1980’s Ford Fiesta we once owned, the facia and controls are well set out and even this base model includes a trip computer, front electric windows, seat height adjustment and 6 airbags. The controls are light, the handling fun and the engine spritely. In town the first two gears have a punchy response and in 5th gear the car scoots along at 70mph, only requiring just over 3000 revs. The most amazing feature is the fuel economy. On our first journey of moderate length, the fuel trip showed 76 mpg by the end. Even with my wife using the car as intended, for local trips it still registers fuel use in the mid sixties. Brim to brim measurements so far calculates 70.1mpg overall down from the trip reading of 73.4mpg. Interior and boot space are also of a usefully size and for this ‘A’ segment vehicle, remarkable. This is a very decent car and for the price ...a steal! I am really pleased that we chose it.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

What an amazing buy. For this money I did not expect bluetooth phone connectivity, tyre pressure warning, alloys. Cannot fault this car for interior size and comfort. Have done a fifty-mile journey with four big adults on country roads and the little engine had no problems on the hills, free revving and eager. Value for money, you are telling me. Just had first service done, less than £90.00, that'll do nicely.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Why people harp on about ‘scratchy plastics’, ‘interior space’, performance’ and ‘build quality’ in reviews when a car costs less than £6,000 brand new is completely beyond me. You should know about the build quality and whether it suited your needs before you parted with your cash, so to suggest that it is not as good as a car that cost three times more seems more than a little unfair. If you’re image and badge conscious, you are probably going to spend about £1,500 more and are hardly going to be reading a review of a Suzuki Celerio, as you will probably prefer the less practical Toyota Aygo or the VW up! If your remit is a cheap, reliable, practical and economical town car, then you would find it hard to get a car better suited to meet that criteria than a Suzuki Celerio. Yes it has a stupid name and it does not have the build quality of a Rolls-Royce, but it isn’t in the same bracket and it doesn’t cost upwards of £150,000 either. The base SZ2 model starts, runs and stops very well, it has ABS braking, remote central locking, PAS, electric windows, airbags front and side, a DAB stereo, a large boot for its class, 60/40 folding rear seats, and an on-board fuel computer. Spend a bit more for the SZ3 model and add alloys, Bluetooth and air-con, move up to the SZ4 and add front fog lights, side rubbing strips and rear electric windows. It’s never going to set any land speed records, but despite its tiny three cylinder engine, it’s smooth, comfy, quiet and precise, has a lovely gear change and is easy to manoeuvre into tight spaces. Whichever model you choose, it’s cheap to run (up to 70mpg), cheap to insure, free to tax (pre April 2017 models), exempt from the London congestion charge and is as reliable as the day is long if serviced correctly.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I loved the car to begin with. Fantastic value for money and it was very economical with petrol – it seemed to run on fresh air. Then after 8,500 miles the clutch wore out. I argued with the garage and with Suzuki, and was told it was wear and tear. After 8,500 miles, I don't think so. I have had numerous cars, including one I bought from new and had for eight years with no reason for a new clutch. I'm very disappointed with the Celerio.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Great car. Easy to drive with good visibility, easy parking, surprisingly fast on motorway and agile on country roads.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

clutch disintegrated after 12k miles on the motorway at 50mph very scary no warning whatsoever car was driving and changing gear perfectly then clutch just packed in .had to pay suzuki £760 to get it fixed as they said it was my fault so unable to claim warranty. prvously i have had new toyotas never ever had clutch problems

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Fantastic car and so quiet. Great handling (daily commute is winding country roads), fuel consumption is the best I've had - I love everything about the car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought thus car for my daughter after she passed her test, this car was pre registered with 8 miles on the clock. What can I say, she has done 11000 miles in 18 months and the car has never missed a beat. It starts first time, runs smoothly and has exceptional fuel economy – 57mpg whether you thrash it or take your time. The only downside to this car is the budget materials used, but they get the job done. I will give this car a 9/10 as it's a great city car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is our third Suzuki, the other two being Altos that ran trouble free and this Celerio has continued that tradition. It's a comfortable car for both passengers and driver, with a steering that is light but I find remarkably precise. Getting in and out is easy, and our 92 year old mother finds it the only one of the family cars that is easily accessible. The interior is pleasant with enough cup holders and cubby holes to meet our needs. Controls are simple and easy to use, with a radio with Bluetooth that works reliably and with good sound. I don't agree with the 'professionals' and their comments about cheap plastics. I've read that repeatedly in the press but find it a tough interior and have never had rattles, creaks or groans from the dashboard or doors, unlike some so-called more solid cars. The car is spacious for its size carrying 5 in comfort and with a roof height that does not make rear passengers feel they have to duck. Driving it is easy, albeit it takes a while to get used to the AGS automatic system which can seem to thrash at certain speeds. A lighter touch on the accelerator and that is soon cured. What that does mean is you get incredible mpg figures, especially for an automatic carrying 5 up. Driving it sensibly gives great returns. Where it really wins out on its predecessor, the Alto, is in the boot compartment which is entered via a full tailgate and is a much better size. What do I miss on this car compared to its predecessor? The turning circle is not as good. The other car could turn like a taxi. It's something I've forgotten on occasions, but it's not too bad. I have to negotiate London roads, so its suspension and brakes are important to me. All works well and the engine is as sweet as a nut. Visibility is good and the heating system has never left me steamed up and unable to see properly (unlike my other car by a well-known German manufacturer that steams up like a sauna and is hard to clear). I've driven long motorway miles on occasions in it and have arrived comfortable and not tired. It's a car both of us enjoy and we also enjoy Suzuki reliability and service.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

For the size of the car it is very comfortable and the space that the passengers have is great. For a 1,000cc engine it is very nippy and the acceleration is brilliant. The boot is bigger than I would have imagined. It's cheap to run – now I'm retired don't do the mileage that I used to so it's ideal for me. This small car car is a pleasure to drive. My only criticism is that there is no key fob central locking it is on the key, but I have had this upgraded so is now perfect in every way

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is a little car with a VERY BIG HEART. It certainly knows how to move and can take the hills in Yorkshire with no effort. It uses VERY LITTLE PETROL and so is a 'good friend' to use. I love this car as also I have loved 2 other Suzuki's which I have owned. No road tax needed for this little bomb!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Only had the Celerio for a week but already I think this is the best car we've ever owned! Bought the car as an 8 month old pre-reg 65 plate with just 42 miles on the clock. List price was £9,799. We paid £7,499 and got £1,000 part-ex on top for an 11 year old Aygo. Bargain!!! Car is quiet & drives beautifully. AGS is a dream and in no way 'jerky'. The car's looks are growing on me. I have only one minor gripe and that is that the DAB radio can only pick up three stations. The headline news however is the Celerio's fuel economy. After 200 miles the trip computer is saying an average of 64.9 mpg and still trending upwards! Well done Suzuki for designing the perfect city car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is the most economical car I have owned, and I have owned a lot of diesel cars. Its a full five-seater with plenty of head room. Good sized boot compared with similar city cars.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Fuel economy – it can achieve over 75mpg on a long run.

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

A sixth gear would be handy

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have had the car just about a year and have done around 19000 miles in it. It is very economical , I have had 67mpg from it on longer runs and my worst is 56mpg . I like the size of the car and it rides and handles well. It can be a bit under powered at times but as long as you use the gearbox and rev the engine it goes well enough. My only issues with the car are rattling interior panels which are very annoying and suspension issues. It had creaking anti roll bar bushes first, then developed a knock on the front suspension, the dealer changed the top mounts and bearings the lower suspension arm and it still knocked and had movement in the strut. Iin the end the whole strut was changed which cured the problem but took around 10 weeks of pestering to get them to do.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought this car as a demonstration car with 8500 KM on the clock (5300 miles). The Suzuki Celerio is the best small car I have ever owned. I do a lot of long distance with no problem at all, it has fantastic mileage to the gallon, runs 75 mph at 3000 rpm and has no problem reaching it's top speed (I live in Germany so this is possible on about 50% of the motorway network), I wonder why people call this a city car, it is very good for long distance too; sometimes I drive about 1000 km (625 miles) in a day when driving across to England and have no problem doing so. The car handles very well although I do think the suspension is a little soft when cornering causing the car to lean a little more than I like. Passengers have plenty of space and there is quite a lot of room in the boot for a car this size. The car accelerates quite well, even when carrying passengers. Up until now my services haven't really cost much at all. Another point worth mentioning is that the tyre wear is minimal. Living in Germany where in winter there is quite a lot of ice and snow I have two sets of wheels. One set with summer tyres, the other with winter tyres. The car has now got 70,000 KM (43750 miles) on the clock and I have been using the two sets of wheels for six month periods each year. Both sets of tyres are still very good and it will still take some time for them to get down to the safe limit not legal limit which is lower (safe limit - 3mm for summer and 4 mm for winter tyres). I estimate that the two sets of tyres will see me through to 100,000 km (62,500 miles), a performance I have never had before. The car (In Germany there are three versions available, I have the middle Club version) comes with front electric windows, power steering, a tyre pressure warning system which works over the ABS sensors to recognise if the diameter of a wheel is decreasing meaning a tyre is deflating, a Bluetooth system, height adjustable steering, height adjustable driver's seat, etc. etc. The sound system is average, the loudspeakers could be a little better but are not terrible. All in all I would say this car is a great buy at the price, fun to drive and very very satisfying at the petrol station - the worst milage my car has ever done is 47.8 mpg with two adults, lots of luggage and on the motorway from Germany to England doing about 75 mph with mainly headwind and cold weather in December. The best my car has ever done is 72.4 mpg during warm summer months mainly alone in the car with little or no luggage and taking it easy but not creeping along. I have saved over 100 petrol station receipts and worked out my overall average which is 59.47 mpg. This has been achieved in all driving conditions over a period of 20 months sometimes alone and sometimes with weight in the car. With a three year guarantee (in Germany you have an option of a two year extension for little money) and the performance it provides, I would say this car really is worth concidering. A last word. I have never had a problem with the car and driven it way above the average annual number of miles.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have had this car for 6 months and have had problems with the suspension creaking on the front and rear. It has been in for repair 4 times but as yet not been solved. I still think this is a fantastic car for the money, though and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a low cost car. It is great on fuel, I am getting around 57 mpg around town and more on a run and it will do 70mph on motorway no problem

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Very easy to drive and roomy for a small car. Economy is unbelievable - getting about 57mpg. Owned a Hyundai i10 before which kept cutting out when I stopped. Owned the Celerio nearly a year now and has been trouble free. It's a pleasure to drive, I just love it. TRY ONE.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought this car at two years old with 23,000 miles on it, and now at eight years old and 120,000 miles it still drives like new. It has had only spark plugs and tyres changed in that time. I did lots of review checking before buying it, so if you want an utterly reliable A to B car with no frills or problems, then the Suzuki Celerio is the car to buy.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Reliability, cheap running costs and loads of character

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

Reverse gear needs full pedal press to to engage but that may be a safety device.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up