By Manny N. de los Reyes

SMALL CAR specialist Suzuki Philippines, Inc. (SPH) introduced Thursday last week its newest generation of workhorse vehicle, the all-new Suzuki Carry. Designed to meet the light cargo transport needs of commercial users, the Carry features upgraded specifications and a lightweight, fuel-efficient engine.

“Filipinos are a hard-working people. The all-new Suzuki Carry is engineered to match the level of dedication Filipinos put into their businesses. We designed this new workhorse vehicle to deliver any business requirements with efficiency and power to do more. With the all-new Suzuki Carry, we extend the “Suzuki Way of Life” to small and medium enterprises and be a part of their journey to success,” Suzuki Philippines Director and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki shares.

Succeeding the Suzuki Super Carry, which bagged the 2016 Best Commercial Utility Vehicle by Car Awards Group, Inc., (COTY-P), the new Carry amps performance with Suzuki’s stronger and fuel-efficient K15B 1.5-liter engine, providing more power to carry out every task in any road conditions with greater ease. This upgrade delivers more output power of 96hp at 5,600rpm and torque of 135Nm at 4,400rpm.

The all-new Carry stays true to Suzuki renown as a reliable and functional workhorse with its exterior design exuding simplicity, durability and a sense of balance. It has a wider and longer body with access to side gates opening from all sides, making loading and unloading cargo of any size and shape easier. The new truck is also packed with 22-rope hooks to safely secure any cargo during transit.

Supported with a bed 365mm longer and 75mm wider than its predecessor’s, the new Carry boasts a greater loading capacity of 940kg with better weight distribution when fully loaded. Its cabin space now features a more spacious design to ensure a more comfortable seating position with ample distance between the hip point and the center of the accelerator pedal. Aside from the added storage in the dashboard and the cabin, the shift lever is now situated on the dashboard to provide extra legroom for an optimum driving experience.

The Carry can be converted and modified to suit any business needs. It can be used as a utility van, cargo truck, or pickup truck with the same reliability and functionality expected of a workhorse.

The new Suzuki Carry’s prices are P509,000 for the Carry truck, P576,000 for the Carry Cargo Van, and P614,000 for the Carry Utility Van.

Also making an appearance side by side with the all-new Carry was the latest version of Suzuki’s subcompact sedan, the new Dzire GA.

Suzuki hopes to provide Filipino commuters with additional ride-sharing options with the all-new Suzuki Dzire GA. Suzuki’s popular sedan gets a fresher look to go with its easy-to-handle compact dimensions and expanded storage capacity, making it an ideal addition to a taxi fleet or ride-sharing business.

The new Dzire GA features a more compact K12M engine under its hood with increased fuel efficiency. Its interior and engine specifications help deliver economical comfort and convenience traversing the busy streets of the metro.

The Suzuki Dzire GA 1.2L with manual transmission retails for P549,900.