Suzuki Reno Reliability

Owners filed 125 complaints about the Reno: 2.84 per production run against 3.73 for the market, fewer complaints than most cars. The year to avoid is 2006; the cleanest year old enough to judge is 2008.

NHTSA owner complaints · 125 complaints · 2005–2008 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

The 2006 draws 3.79 complaints per run and the 2008 1.78, a 2.1-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 71.3% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Power Train, with 43 complaints, typically at 4.3 years.

Suzuki Reno years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Suzuki Reno — complaint rate by model year
Model yearPer runComplaintsRunsEnough history?
20081.78169yes
20073.33310yes
20063.795314yes
20051.922312yes
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 4 Suzuki Reno years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2006, 2007, 2005; the three worth hunting are 2008, 2005, 2007.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Suzuki Reno — age at failure
Age at failureComplaintsRunning totalWarranty
0 years129.8%covered
1 year917.2%covered
2 years1428.7%covered
3 years835.2%you pay
4 years1749.2%you pay
5 years1359.8%you pay
6 years1370.5%you pay
7 years1078.7%you pay
8 years1187.7%you pay
9 years894.3%you pay
10 years396.7%you pay
11 years197.5%you pay
12 years299.2%you pay
13 years1100%you pay
ROWS 14·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 28.7% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 71.3% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 46% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Suzuki Reno, the early trouble is Engine And Engine Cooling — reported at around 3 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Power Train at 4.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Suzuki Reno — what fails and when
SystemComplaintsTypical ageCrashFire
Power Train434.3 yrs——
Air Bags364.9 yrs2—
Exterior Lighting235.7 yrs13
Electrical System195.3 yrs—1
Vehicle Speed Control124.5 yrs1—
Engine86.1 yrs——
Engine And Engine Cooling63 yrs——
Seat Belts65.2 yrs1—
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Reno's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Corolla draws 5.16, the Lexus IS 1.31 and the BMW M3 1.49, against 2.84 for the Reno.

FIG.05·Suzuki Reno — rivals in the same class
Same class as the RenoComplaints on recordRecall campaignsYears built
Toyota Corolla12,3892191981–2026
Lexus IS471182001–2026
BMW M3565781988–2026
Acura TLX893412015–2026
Ford Focus22,5761382000–2026
Subaru WRX295182015–2026
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Suzuki Reno reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.84 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Reno years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2006, 2007, 2005. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2008, 2005, 2007. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Reno problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Power Train, typically at 4.3 years, followed by Air Bags.

Will the warranty cover Reno problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 28.7% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 46% of the complaints here.

Is the Reno more reliable than the Toyota Corolla?

Yes: 2.84 complaints per production run for the Reno against 5.16 for the Toyota Corolla.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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