Suzuki’s booth at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show was all about exciting new concepts that combined retro and futuristic styling. 2020 is the year the Suzuki brand turns 100, so they used the motor show as a way of previewing what exciting developments they had planned.
Two main concept vehicles that took the stage were the Suzuki WAKU SPOT and the HANARE, while the Hustler Concept took the floor as well.
WAKU SPO Concept
To us, the Waku Spo was the most exciting vehicle Suzuki had on display. It’s essentially a reimagining of the Suzuki Fronte for a modern era. It comes with a PHEV powertrain, hood mounted wing mirror cameras all in a compact package.
Here’s how Suzuki describes it:
A personal compact PHEV that everyone can share fun and excitement, anywhere, anytime. With this one car, the family can share fun and excitement across generations, for daily use as well as for pleasure.
Within a compact A segment body, a WAKU WAKU switch is installed to switch its body shape, front mask, and content shown on the dashboard. It proposes a sharable future “small car” that can transform to meet each and everyone’s fun and excitement.
Hanare Concept
Next was a literal autonomous room. It doesn’t really qualify as a car, but since it has wheels and a Suzuki badge, it’s worth mentioning here.
Here’s how Suzuki describes the Hanare.
An autonomous driving mobile room where everyone can use transportation time and comfortable space effectively. Even in the face of an automated and efficiency-centric future based on advanced robotics and AI (artificial intelligence), HANARE prioritises human values of “personal connection” and “personal preferences”. It is an autonomous driving car that proposes new delight in owning a car.
By traveling in a comfortable interior space much like a detached cottage (“hanare” in Japanese), it proposes the fun and excitement of a car besides driving.
In a future with further diversification of lifestyles, it will meet various usages and scenes by switching to each and everyone’s excitement.
HUSTLER Concept
Suzuki’s kei car offering, the Hustler, was reimagined with crossover styling.
The Hustler Concept brings in more Suzuki Jimny elements, though its 660cc engine and Kei car dimensions will probably make it a no-go for export markets. Here’s what Suzuki has to say about the Hustler concept.
A mini crossover wagon that lets you have more fun and excitement. A Hustler concept model bringing even more fun, with styling that pursues functionality fused with individualistic character that has pioneered new frontiers. “With this car, I can have more fun”. “With this car, every day will be more exciting”. It proposes a car that brings even more excitement, from everyday life to leisure scenes.
An urban-outdoor design to enjoy outdoor styling in everyday life
A concept model that has highlighted the Hustler’s characteristics of “a playful minicar”, “colourful and stylish”, and “fun and exciting”, with added “toughness” and “strength”.By featuring colouring that lifts your spirits, decals and roof wrapping that add a fashionable accent, as well as a roof rack that expresses playfulness, it proposes a fashionable urban outdoor style you will enjoy anywhere you go, whether driving around town or heading to the great outdoors.
