Are Suzuki Outboard Motors Any Good? (Explained)

It’s a little-known fact, but the international company, Suzuki Marine, has designed and manufactured marine outboard motors since 1965.

The company’s expertise in marine outboard motors was built on the back of their experience and knowledge of designing and building automobiles and motorcycles.

With the addition of their outboard motor line, Suzuki has come a long way and is now known to provide both technology and service unmatched in the marine business.

Here’s How Good Suzuki Outboard Motors Are:

While Suzuki isn’t as well-known for its outboard motors, people who own one and use them regularly have only good things to say about these motors. Suzuki has been increasing in popularity because they produce high-quality, reliable engines at an affordable price.

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A Brief History Of Suzuki

While Suzuki itself has been around for more than 100 years, Suzuki Marine first launched an outboard motor in 1965.

The first Suzuki outboard was the D55, a single-cylinder, 2-stroke engine with a power rating of 5.5hp.

The company designed two other 2-stroke outboard motors before launching their first 4-stroke outboard engine in 1994. Since then, Suzuki has continued to develop outboard technology, including a wide range of industry firsts that has won them many awards.

An example of these technological advancements came in 2006 when the company launched the DF300. This motor was the industry’s first 300hp V6 4-stroke outboard. Plus, it was the first outboard motor to use an electronic remote control.

The DF300 was nominated as the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA) Innovation Award for 2006.

Nowadays, Suzuki offers a range of both 2-stroke and 4-stroke outboard motors ranging from 2.5hp up to their 350-300hp V6 Flagship Geki Series.

They have built a reputation for their creative innovation and for providing client satisfaction to customers all over the world.

How Durable Are Suzuki Outboard Motors?

Reading through the various boating forums, the consensus is that Suzuki Marine manufactures one of the most, if not the most, reliable 4-stroke outboard motors available on the market today.

While Suzuki traditionally hasn’t been as popular as some other marine outboard brands, they are gaining popularity.

This is because the other brands are known to break down more often than Suzuki, proving to be more durable and reliable.

How Long Do Suzuki Outboard Engines Typically Last?

Like any other outboard engine brand, a Suzuki outboard engine should typically last 1,500 – 2,000 hours of run time.

This is based on industry studies that claim that the average boater uses his engine for 200 hours per year. So if you do the calculation, an outboard motor should give you 7-8 years of relatively hassle-free time on the water.

In addition, Suzuki outboard motors are known for their reliability and ease of use. It’s not unusual to find comments on forums from people who have many more hours of trouble-free use.

However, changing your oil every 50 hours of operation and regularly flushing the engine with freshwater can contribute to your outboard engine lasting up to 10 or even 20 years.

Other simple but important things you can do to make your outboard engine last longer include:

Changing your oil every 50 hours of operation (or every six months);
Running your engine regularly, with proper cleaning and flushing after each use;
Changing oil filters regularly to combat internal corrosion;
Regular cleaning and checking under the engine cover for corrosion;
Regularly checking and/or changing the spark plugs;
Carrying out any other maintenance checks as suggested by the Owner’s Manual.

Besides regular maintenance, you should make sure your engine has clean fuel and a high-quality fuel filter.

Ensure the filter is cleaned before and after each use, and always make sure you are using the correct type of fuel!

Has Suzuki Made Any Recalls?

A quick search on the US Coastguard recalls page did not turn up any official recalls for Suzuki Marine.

However, on the Suzuki Outboards Forum, several reports show that the ECU (electric control unit) needs to replace some models.

While there has been no official recall about this fault, the authorized Suzuki dealers receive “Service Bulletins” from Suzuki.

These Suzuki service bulletins identify parts that require attention during a regular service. They may be simple advice or updates on servicing procedures or advice about solving problems that customers have experienced.

Or, Suzuki could be advising their dealers to replace faulty components without doing a recall.

There is no public access to these service bulletins.

If you experience a problem with your Suzuki outboard motor, your first port of call should be your dealer. Your authorized Suzuki dealer should be able to help you with fault finding and any other relevant information such as a product recall.

What Are the Most Popular Suzuki Outboards?

Suzuki now offers an outboard motor to suit every type of boating.

The following are some of the most popular Suzuki models:

Suzuki DF5A

This user-friendly portable outboard motor is still one of Suzuki’s more popular models today.

The Suzuki DF5A has been redesigned to reduce the weight and to make it easier to operate.

Other new features include a gravity-fed fuel system which makes this outboard engine super easy to start, and a new 3-way storage capability which means you don’t have to worry about leaking oil or fuel.

Suzuki DF25A

This outboard engine has been classed as the Most Reliable Small Outboard in 2021 by Boats.com.

The DF25A is considered a next-generation 4-stroke outboard that is reliable, has great acceleration, excellent performance, and improved fuel efficiency.

Suzuki DF90A

The Suzuki DF90A has been awarded the Best All-Round Mid-Size Outboard in 2021.

In 1997, Suzuki introduced the DF60 and DF70, the first 4-stroke engines to feature the Electric Fuel Injection system.

The DF90 came a bit later, and after more than a decade in production, it was redesigned in 2018 to become smaller, lighter, and more fuel-efficient.

Suzuki DF350A

The Suzuki DF350A, a 4.4-liter V6 engine, was first introduced in 2017.

This engine was not only Suzuki’s most powerful engine but also became their flagship model.

This engine took the marine world by storm with all the technical and design innovations and was awarded the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA) Innovation Award for 2017.

Where Are Outboard Suzuki Engines Manufactured?

Suzuki Marine outboard motors are mainly manufactured at their Tokoyama facility in the Aichi prefecture of Japan. However, in 1999 Suzuki opened a manufacturing facility in Thailand, the first outside of Japan, manufacturing the smaller 2-stroke and 4-stroke models.

Suzuki Thai is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with a workforce of over 1,000. It has become an important division within Suzuki and supplies Suzuki outboards to countries worldwide, including Japan.

How Is the Warranty On Suzuki Outboards?

Most boating articles you read on the internet will tell you that Suzuki offers a standard 3-year limited warranty on all new outboards for recreational use.

Plus, an extended 3-year warranty is offered at no extra charge on purchases of new outboards from 25 to 300 hp, giving you a total of 6 years of product protection.

However, Suzuki has updated their standard warranty. They now offer a 5-year limited warranty for new Suzuki purchases for non-commercial use and a 1-year warranty for commercial or rental use.

For the warranty to be in place, ensure that you register your new Suzuki outboard, which your dealer should help you with. In addition, always read the warranty small print and take note of the service schedule in the owner’s manual, which should be adhered to at all times.

A Suzuki outboard warranty is transferable if you meet the following conditions:

The original owner can only transfer the warranty to a second owner, provided the warranty was registered, and there is still time left over.
The warranty transfer must be done within 30 days of the sale.
The outboard engine must not have been previously used for commercial use.
An authorized Suzuki dealer must inspect the outboard and its installation.

Which Brands Produce Engines Similar to Suzuki?

Other brands that produce outboard engines similar to Suzuki include the following:

Honda

Honda introduced their first outboard motor, their GB30, in 1964.

Since then, Honda has been one of the pioneers of 4-stroke engine design, innovation, and production.

Today Honda offers a lineup that consists of 20 models, from the 2hp BF2 to the 250hp BF250.

All their models include a wide variety of innovative technologies based on Honda’s founding concepts of being “environmentally and people friendly, economic and high-quality outboard engines.”

Tohatsu

Tohatsu is a Japanese company that developed its first internal combustion engine in 1922.

They went on to develop their first outboard engines in 1956.

Today they are the second biggest outboard engine manufacturer in the world, and it’s worth noting that they not only produce their brand but also manufacture outboards for Mercury and Mariner branded outboards.

Yamaha

Yamaha is another long-established Japanese company that is probably the world’s best-known manufacturer of marine outboard motors.

While the company began in 1955 with a 125cc motorcycle, it started with outboard engines in the 1960s. Since then, they have introduced new models and built a network of dealerships all over the world.

Today Yamaha is the biggest manufacturer of outboard motors globally with a range of engines, both 2 and 4 stroke outboards, to suit every boating activity.