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Suzuki's Paris display is a sad reminder we don't get quirky little Japanese cars anymore

The fun thing about foreign auto shows is getting to see all the cars we don't get at home. In the case of Suzuki, it's a reminder that the brand withered in the US and withdrew due to a lack of product a few years back. What makes it even tougher is that Suzuki's stand in Paris is full of little all-wheel-drive things that would probably do really well in the US now. Talk about bad timing. Take the Ignis above. This thing is about the size of a Mazda CX-3, offers all-wheel drive, and manages to look cute and sophisticated at the same time. Americans would buy it. The SX4 S-Cross, which evolved from the SX4 that did surprisingly well a decade ago in the US, gets an update this year and looks a lot more like a crossover, an improvement on the original funky tall-hatch design. If only Suzuki could have held on a little longer the brand might be taking some sales from Subaru and the many makers of little crossovers. We can't leave here without mentioning the wonderful beigeness of the Cervo hatch that Suzuki brought out to tie the Ignis in with its heritage. It's a rear-engined three-cylinder two-stroke with a Giugiaro-designed body. Yep. The model was never sold in the US, but it was known as the Whizzkid in the UK, which is just fantastic. And its adorable tiny wheels – they looked like 12s or so – are pretty highly stylized. They're actually mirrored by the five-pocket wheels available on the Ignis, which is a nice touch. Related Gallery 2017 Suzuki Ignis: Paris 2016 View 13 Photos Related Gallery 2017 Suzuki SX4 S-Cross: Paris 2016 View 10 Photos Paris Motor Show Suzuki Crossover 2016 paris motor show suzuki ignis

Jaguar I-Pace named World Car of the Year

NEW YORK — The Jaguar I-Pace has been named World Car of the Year, an award meant to honor the most significant new car introduction and conferred by an international jury of automotive journalist judges. The group announced the winners of additional awards at the New York Auto Show, with the Audi A7 named World Luxury Car of the Year, the McLaren 720S recognized as World Performance Car of the Year, and the Suzuki Jimny named World Urban Car. The I-Pace additionally took home two other awards: World Car Design of the Year and World Green Car of the Year. The WCOTY team of 86 jurors hail from 24 countries, and the organization is independent and not tied to any publication. This is the 15th year for the awards. For this year's World Car of the Year award the top three finalists were the I-Pace, the Audi E-Tron, and the Volvo S60/V60. Previous WCOTY winners were the Volvo XC60 in 2018 and the Jaguar F-Pace in 2017. View 74 Photos

Suzuki Jimny pickup concept heading to Tokyo Auto Salon

Some of the best news this year is coming at the tail end of 2018. Suzuki's Jimny is already pretty awesome, but for the upcoming 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon, Suzuki is preparing something quite special for its little off-roader: a Jimny pickup! Suzuki based the concept on the Sierra trim level. The truck is designed to be an active sidekick for customers who need the convenience of a pickup for either DIY stuff or adventuring. The retro style is immensely cool: gold bodywork, wood sides, different grille, light bar, white roof and matching white wheels with chromed hubcaps — the entire thing is like a 1970s Suzuki aftermarket parts catalogue applied to a new Jimny. The cab has been shortened to ditch the rear seats, and a short bed has been tacked on without lengthening the wheelbase. If you ask us, the wheelbase even looks shorter than stock. Accompanying the pickup is a "Survive" concept that looks ready for adventuring. The stock bumpers have been replaced with sturdy metal ones that improve the approach and departure angle. There's also an external rollover cage, a winch, custom wheels and some Defender-style aluminum diamond plate. Suzuki says the Jimny Survive has been outfitted for traversing "severe nature" under extreme conditions. We'd happily take both of these mountaineering or even for a weekend trip to the cottage. While both of these trucks are obviously concepts, they show the direction where a Jimny owner could feasibly take their truck. And since some earlier generation Jimnys have been available as pickups, it's not totally improbable to imagine a production Jimny pickup somewhere in the next decade. Here's hoping. Related Video: Image Credit: Suzuki Tokyo Motor Show Suzuki SUV Concept Cars suzuki jimny