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Suzuki brings slew of car and bike concepts to Tokyo

As an automaker, Suzuki may be long gone from American shores, but it's still a force to be reckoned with in its home country of Japan. At this week's Tokyo Motor Show, the brand known as much for its two-wheeled fare as its four displayed a slew concept vehicles for both drivers and riders.
The first is the Crosshiker concept (above), which Suzuki says is a followup to the Regina concept that debuted two years ago at the Tokyo show. Based on the same platform but elevated to the stance of a crossover, the Crosshiker is motivated by a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine, keeping it eco-chic while appealing to adventurous types with its fun styling.
Next up is the X-Lander Concept (above, left) that Suzuki says was made for use in the city and "sometimes go out to play in the field." Based on the Japanese-market production Jimny, the X-Lander features four-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain with a 1.3-liter engine.

Suzuki Samurai lives on with new Jimny facelift

The Suzuki Jimny is "sold across 188 global markets," but one of them isn't ours. For UK buyers who can buy a Jimny in SZ3 or SZ4 trims, the 2013 model has just been introduced with tweaks peppered throughout the vehicle. First among them is a soft redesign up front, a new bumper, grille and hood updating the face and adding an extra 30 mm to the length of the little SUV. Breeze Blue metallic paint is a new hue but it's only available on the more expensive SZ4.
Inside, customers will find new headrests and ISOFIX child seat fasteners for both Jimny versions, and for the SZ3, new seat fabrics. The 1.3-liter engine with variable valve timing growls out 84 horsepower and 81 pound-feet of torque, returning 39.8 Imperial combined mpg if fitted with a manual, 38.7 Imperial mpg combined in the automatic.
On-the-road prices are £11,995 ($19,016 US) for the SZ3, £12,900 ($20,451 US) for the manual-equipped SZ4, £13,800 ($21,877 US) with the automatic. More information can be found in the press release below.

Larger SX4 to lead raft of new or revised Suzuki models

A few weeks ago, we showed you what is likely in store for the next-generation Suzuki SX4, but What Car? now has some insider info of what might be in store for other products in the aging Suzuki lineup... at least in the UK.
When the official design sketch of the Suzuki S-Cross concept was released, Suzuki said that the concept car would be a C-segment crossover, closer in size to the Grand Vitara, and going up against some higher-volume rivals like the Ford Kuga (Escape) and Nissan Qashqai (similar to our Rogue). The Suzuki Grand Vitara is also due for a redesign, and both models will likely be on showroom floors together, with the Grand Vitara acting as the more rugged alternative to the hatchback-like SX4 replacement. Not much is known about the new Grand Vitara, but a new satellite navigation system is expected to debut in the SUV and eventually spread into other Suzuki models.
Suzuki will start selling the new SX4 and Grand Vitara in the United States this fall, and these two new crossovers should be a welcome addition to the company's diminutive U.S. dealer network that has been starved of product since the early 2000s. Automotive News adds a little gloom to this topic by pointing out that, after the introduction of the new SX4 and Grand Vitara this fall, American Suzuki has no new products planned through the 2015 model year. Suzuki dealers in Europe are more fortunate, as a refreshed version of the Jimny (formerly known as the Samurai here in the States) and an all-new Alto will both be joining the lineup.