Autoblog

click image for hi-res gallery of the Suzuki Palette

Suzuki makes and sells a whole lot of kei-class tall wagons in Japan, thanks to the ever-popular Wagon R and all the variants it has produced. The latest micro-minivan to hit the market is the Palette, which the automaker first showed at last year's Tokyo Motor Show. On sale January 30, the Palette is a tall-roofed four-passenger minivan whose key features are dual sliders (with power available on one or both sides, depending on trim level) and its low, flat load floor. Practicality is king with cars like this, but for buyers interested in having added niceties, the list of standard and available features include keyless entry and start, HID headlamps, different stereo options, and trim-grade-specific exterior styling elements. All are typical of Suzuki's kei car offerings, as are the availability of NA or turbocharged engines, manual and automatic gearboxes, and a choice of 2WD or 4WD. Suzuki doesn't mention power outputs for the engines, but assuming the Palette is to be a kei car, the maximum allowable is 64 hp, which you'd get from the turbo. Chalk up another nifty little city car for Suzuki.

[Source: Suzuki]