The Suzuki APV—which stands for All-Purpose Vehicle—is a minivan or light commercial vehicle designed and manufactured by Suzuki since 2004. It is produced in the Suzuki-Indomobil facility in Indonesia and distributed to over 80 countries worldwide, including Australia.
The rear-wheel-drive APV is built in two body styles: 5-door van and 2-door pickup. The 5-door van model has been rebranded as Mitsubishi Maven for the Malaysian market, while the pickup versions are known as Suzuki Mega Carry, Super Carry Pro, and APV pickup in others. The pickup version was replaced by the eleventh-generation Suzuki Carry (DC61T/DN61T) in 2019.
2004
The Suzuki APV succeeded the 5-door minivan Suzuki Every Plus, which was discontinued in 2004, the same year that the APV came out of production. Both are styled as commercial-purpose minivans, but the APV has a longer wheelbase and more significant dimensions in general.
The APV is fitted with either a 1.5L G15A or 1.6L G16A engine and both released with either a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual gearbox.
2005
It was released in Australia in 2005 in a single spec level which featured the following:
· 1.6L G16A petrol engine attached to a 5-speed manual gearbox, with peak power of 68 kW and peak torque of 127 N⋅m
· 5-door 2-seat minivan body style
· 8.2L/100km claimed fuel consumption (combined) and 190g/km CO2 emission
· 14-inch alloys, dual front airbags, engine immobiliser, power steering, 2-speaker radio/CD
2007
In the other markets, the APV was offered in three trims. In 2007, it was face-lifted, renamed APV Arena, and delivered with either 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. In the Australian market, the APV offering included central locking and air conditioning on top of the initial package. These features remained the same until 2011.
2009
The Suzuki APV Arena Luxury was launched in 2009, and it came with luxury trims and an option for 15-inch or 17-inch tyre. Like its previous version, it was available in either 4-speed auto or 5-speed manual. These updates, however, have not reached the Australian-released APV.
2011
The pickup version of the APV, called Mega Carry, was introduced in 2011. It was available only with manual transmission.
2012
The APV had another set of enhancements in 2012. In Australia, the single trim level available offered the following features: 12V power socket, 14-inch alloys, 2-speaker radio/CD, air conditioning, audio/CD/MP3 player, auxiliary/USB socket, dual front airbags, central locking, dust/pollen filter, engine immobiliser, halogen headlights, headrests/adjustable front seats, high-mounted rear stoplight, power steering, rear wiper/washer, seatbelts/pre-tensioners front seats, spare wheel/full-size, and urethane-type steering wheel.
2019
The 2012 features are the same package currently offered for the APV in Australia, with the same drivetrain specs that it came in since 2005.
Safety
The Suzuki APV scored 3/5 in the ANCAP testing conducted in 2007. It got an overall score of 23.54 out of 37, derived from its score of 7.54 for the frontal offset test and 16 for the side impact test. While the APV lacks a high number of the required safety equipment like anti-lock braking system, auto emergency braking, electronic stability control, and active cruise control, it does have necessary safety features, including front airbags and seatbelt pretensioners for both the driver and passenger.
A separate pedestrian safety test was conducted where the APV scored 2/4 stars.