Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Suzuki Aerio, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 4 | 15% |
| Air bags | 3 | 11% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 11% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 7% |
| Air bags | 2 | 7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 7% |
| Tires | 2 | 7% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 4% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT CHANGE ALL THE TIME. HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR POSSIBLE CHANGE. UNTIL IT STOPS ALL TOGETHER
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME ABNORMALLY TIGHT AND CAUSED WELTS TO THE PASSENGER'S NECK. THE CONTACT ALSO
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2006. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR, NO WARRANTY TO COVER DEFECTS. THOUGHT THAT THIS PROBLEM WERE ISOLATED, BUT IS VERY WIDE SPREAD. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE RPMS AND THE SPEED TO INCREASE. THE CONTACT INDI
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE 'PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF' LIGHT WILL NOT TURN ON. I SEE THERE ARE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN OTHER MODELS FROM SUZUKI. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE INCREASED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES. TH
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD STAYS ON;WHEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP,I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS INDICATES"AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT";DEALERSHIP(SUZUKI COURTESY IN PITTSBURGH PA)REJECTS ANY RESPONSIBILITY F
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE; AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHICH THE CONTACT NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO R
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2006 Suzuki Aerio. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, DUE TO IMPROPER SHAPE OF THE CLIP, THE RETAINING CLIP THAT KEEPS THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE ATTACHED TO THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER CAN CONTACT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER HOUSING IF EXCESSIVE LATERAL FORCE IS APPLIED WHEN SHIFTING TO FIRST GEAR.
Risk: REPEATED SHIFTING IN THIS MANNER CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE RETAINING CLIP TO BREAK. IF THE RETAINING CLIP BREAKS, THE SHIFT CABLE CAN BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE SHIFT LEVER, RESULTING IN LOSS OF THE
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE RETAINING CLIP WITH A CLIP THAT HAS A DIFFERENT SHAPE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AMERICAN SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.
| Reliability raw | 84 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 89 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 60 | average |
| Performance | 48 | below average |
| Efficiency | 45 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 4 of them (15%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 84/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 73/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.