Suzuki’s local product portfolio comprises a handpicked selection of vehicles that are catered to the unique requirements of the South African market.
While the automaker has dozens upon dozens of models on offer across the globe, its domestic catalogue consists 12 passenger and two commercial vehicles with which it has achieved great successes due to the care it took in selecting them.
In a past blog post, the company explained that the South African market is unique because local consumers are quite aspirational in their purchases.
“Their cars are a reflection of themselves, and although they want a car with top-of-the-range features, the majority of the market cannot afford such vehicles,” said Suzuki.
“There are cultural differences that exist within countries and that’s why it’s important for us to do market studies on international trends and South African trends.”
For example, the Ciaz sells really well in India as a sedan and is seen as a vehicle to aspire to, but in South Africa, demand for sedans is very different.
However, South Africans crave SUVs more than many other countries as they strike a good balance between comfort and practicality, and they handle our crumbling roads better than sedans.
It’s for this exact reason Suzuki reintroduced the Vitara to South Africa in 2019.
When trends evolved into a desire for a more compact vehicle with the styling and design of an SUV, at the price of an entry-level model, it prompted the manufacturer to bring the Ignis as it perfectly fit this niche.
The environment and climate of a country likewise plays an important part when the decision is made on which models come to the South African market.
For example, the Suzuki Jimny’s European specification is different than the one in South Africa, comprising things like heated seats and mirrors because of the colder weather conditions.
Meanwhile, kei cars – a Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars – would “never have worked for the South African market,” said Suzuki.
This is because they require “smooth, flat roads, which are just not the type of road conditions in South Africa.”
Vehicle regulations also differ in each region which means that some cars may not be financially or legally viable in a certain country without substantial upgrades or alterations.
For instance, the European standard with regard to safety specifications is far higher than in South Africa, and is geared to have more features for pedestrian and urban safety.
The final say
Various departments give their input during the decision process on whether a particular model should be imported to South Africa, a process that can last quite long given that the average development time for a Suzuki car is three years.
The sales department has the task of convincing the dealer network that a vehicle model is viable in South Africa.
They are also the ones who will commonly receive product related queries from customers.
The product planning department, meanwhile, is put to work on case studies and proposals for the viability of each model.
That said, top management must give the nod before any car is brought over our borders.
This includes Managing Director of Suzuki South Africa, Teruo Katakawa, who together with the top brass of Suzuki Motor Corporation Japan are the key decision-makers in the final introduction on each vehicle.
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