• 2008 Suzuki Reno

• Used Suzuki Reno
• Repairs Suzuki Reno

These scores and this review are from when the car was new.

Scorecard

Overall:	2008 Suzuki Reno U.S. News Best Cars 6.6
Critics' Rating:	6.6
Performance:	6.6
Interior:	7.6
Safety:	6.5
Reliability:

How we calculate scores

Research analyzed for this review

Pros & Cons

• Good-looking Euro-inspired exterior design
• Spacious and comfortable interior
• Many standard convenience features for its price

• Noisy, sluggish acceleration and only adequate overall performance
• Soft suspension makes for a bumpy ride
• Short list of standard safety features

Research Other Years

• 2007 Suzuki Reno

The Reno's interior cabin is generally praised for its comfortable seats, convenient standard features and competitive storage space. Not everthing is perfect, though. "Little things," says the Detroit News, "add up to a less than perfect score."

Many auto reviewers agree with Car and Driver's assessment that "cheap-looking materials" are prevalent in the small car, and that the interior is not competitive with other small cars in its class.

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Seating

Overall, reviewers are impressed with the roominess of Reno's front interior cabin. "The Reno is decently spacious inside. I didn't feel scrunched in the driver seat, and there was an acceptable amount of space between me and my front-seat passenger," asserts MSN. Cars.com agrees, noting that "front-seat space is abundant." With 39.1 inches of headroom, 42.1 inches of legroom, 54.6 inches of shoulder room and 53.5 inches of hip room, it's no surprise.

Auto writers generally agree that the backseat is just as impressive. "The back seat provided commendable legroom, shoulder room and headroom too. For example, someone sitting behind me could extend his or her legs quite comfortably back there," says MSN. Rear-seat dimensions include 37.9 inches of headroom, 36.7 inches of legroom and 53.7 inches of shoulder and hip room. Simply put, "the rear seat is roomy," says Kelley Blue Book.

Interior Features

While auto reviewers generally praise the Reno for maintaining a comprehensive list of convenience features and competitive cargo space, it's criticized for the quality of its materials.

The 2008 Suzuki Reno comes equipped with standard tilt steering, air-conditioning, power windows/locks, split-folding rear seatbacks, a rear window defroster and a driver-side dual dial seat height adjuster. Moreover, grey cloth upholstery and an eight-speaker CD/MP3 stereo system come with the base vehicle.

Although Kelley Blue Book asserts that "the passenger cabin of the Suzuki Reno conveys a high level of quality," most other auto reviewers disagree. The Detroit News writes it "seems old-fashioned and too plastic for fussy American Tastes." Car and Driver adds, "I would happily give up all the high-end options for a less cheap-looking interior. The hard plastic dash and door panels just scream cheap car; they look and feel like something out of a 10-year old Korean product." Nevertheless, Consumer Guide notes that controls are "simple to use and understand," and that overall -- "materials impress for the price."

Additional Features

Interior features included with the Reno Convenience Package are cruise control and a steering wheel integrated stereo control. Car and Driver comments, "Although they look somewhat added on, they are sturdily attached and perform as advertised."

Cargo

For a compact car, "storage space is competitive," says the New York Times. Offering 8.8 cubic feet of luggage capacity with the rear seat up and 45.4 cubic feet with it folded down, it comes as no surprise to read that reviewers at the Hartford Courant are able to pack the cargo area with "two sacks of groceries and three bags of cat litter" and still think that it looks "lonely."