4 reasons why you might have to wait a little longer for your favourite Suzuki

If you’re struggling to get your hands on your new dream wheels, don’t despair. Here are a few reasons why your favourite Suzuki model might not be available right now, and what you can do to ensure you get yours ASAP.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 16 seconds.

The global pandemic has had an effect on every industry, and in the automotive industry, one of these is a shortage of new vehicles or parts, due to production constraints and shipping delays. The good news is that everyone is determined to get things running smoothly again as soon as possible. Here’s what’s happening:

The ripple effect
Such shipments run on a regular schedule based on demand, which means there is a constant flow of vehicles and parts into SA ports and then on to dealers and customers. With the sudden stop in all operations, no new vehicles were coming into SA for a few weeks.

1. Suzuki Auto South Africa has experienced exponential growth.
Over the last 18 months, we have seen a rise in demand for Suzuki cars, growing new vehicle sales through dealers by 65%. While we’re excited to be growing, we didn’t anticipate to be growing quite this fast, and we are working hard to increase the supply of vehicles to our new customers, even during these challenging and unprecedented times.
2. There’s currently a microchip/semi-conductor shortage.
Used in cars for features such as Bluetooth connectivity, navigation systems or even ESP, as well as in smartphones and consoles, the global shortage of semi-conductors is affecting the ability to equip cars with the much-needed technology and this is slowing down the production and assembly of cars from most manufacturers across the globe.
3. There’s limited availability of Marine shipping containers affecting the global distribution of car parts.
Companies require Marine shipping containers to move components required for production, and the current shortage of shipping containers means that companies like Suzuki are experiencing some difficulties shipping car parts across the world. When international shipping re-opened, many containers were in ‘destination yards’ - meaning they were unloaded and sitting empty at their last destination. These containers first needed to be transported back to manufacturer ports before any goods could be loaded and shipped.
The shipping container shortage is an ongoing concern with suppliers and logistics companies around the world desperately trying to increase capacity.
4. Our recently launched model is in high demand.
The demand for our newly launched Vitara Brezza has exceeded our wildest expectations since its launch in February 2021. This means that while you can still find a Vitara Brezza, you might currently experience limited availability in terms of your preferred grade, colour, or transmission.
The good news is that the situation is temporary. We are working hard to ensure all customers can be assisted as soon as possible. So, if there is a delay on your dream car, simply stay in touch with your dealer and they will keep you updated.
If you’d like to read more about the current state of things, here are some great resources, just for you:
Read more about the semi-conductor shortage:

Why there’s a shortage of new cars in South Africa right now
Semiconductor shortage puts brakes global car production
The global chip shortage is like the winter that won’t go away
Read more about the Marine shipping container shortage:
Global shipping container shortage: the story so far
No relief: Global container shortage likely to last until 2022
Shortage of ocean containers shows no sign of easing