SG Archives: Suzuki APV, VIP Style
Singapore - 29/3/24 - The Suzuki APV is a bit of an oddball car in Singapore now. Whilst in other markets you could get similar shapes like in Malaysia, you'd be accustomed to the Toyota Unser, here in Singapore, this very boxy and tall design language is super rare to see, the closest to it being the likes of commercial vans. That might just be me.
Whilst a Japanese car, the APV was a Indonesian-built model, not actually being sold in Japan from what I could gather. It was designed in Japan but full production was scaled by Suzuki Indomobil Motor, a joint venture between Suzuki and Indomobil Group, specializing in manufacturing domestic and international market cars under the Suzuki badge.
As they are not following kei car regulations, these cars would not surprise you that they are not kei cars; it came as a surprise to me that they actually weren't kei cars powered by a 0.6L motor. It should have dawned on me that they appeared too big to be one.
What powers these depending on market is a 1.5L or 1.6L, Singapore's market receiving the 1.6. They receieved a 4-Speed automatic transmission or 5-Speed manual, Mitsubishi's rebadge of this model, the Maven, featuring Mitsubishi's 1.5 4G15 motor. I feel like one might be able to convert one into a Colt Ralliart.
Production of the Suzuki APV is surprisingly ongoing, meaning it is a car that is now 21 years into its production span. I am not fully sure whether the newest models are still sold anywhere, but in its domestic market, Indonesia, the APV is still being sold new even until now.
This example here is one such example of an APV, sold here from at least 2004 to 2014, its last recorded price listed at $122,500 (Source: SGCarmart)
This variant is reminiscent of when VIP style was a popular trend locally.
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| Source: garson.jp |
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| Source: hardwarezone |
Actually, what are VIP cars? Normally, the trend is more associated with luxury cars like the Toyota Crown, Nissan Cima, and other bigger-sized sedans. They tend to have low and wide bodykits, stance and low ride heights, abundant use of chrome, big diameter chrome wheels with very large spokes.
That'd be only for the interior; where the interior would be concerned, you would see woodgrain, luxurious interiors with upmarket materials and other accessories like curtains or more "luxury" items.
However, this trend at least in its heyday, did include more conventional cars, such as the example photos above using Honda Fit's. And this style on a Suzuki APV is a very interesting choice.
It features the wheels although not the offset, a custom bodykit and if you look inside the cabin, headrest-mounted screens!
A type of wheel design that you simply never see anymore. These are genuinely a blast in the past, back when these kind of wheels were quite the rage then. Nowadays, when we look at them, we scoff them off in favor for a set of Volk TE37's. How much taste has changed.
A tasteful spoiler and just look at that bodykit. In my opinion it doesn't change the fact the APV is a very tall car, but it looks really nice with added bodywork to mask how high the stock car sits.
And of course, the quad exhaust tips!
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to photograph the front well, and this is the sole image I have of the front.
This article although shows that it is published when I photographed these images, was written in 2025. This APV has since been scrapped, marking another end to another piece of the VIP style that Singapore once received.
However, with some digging...
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| Source: SGCarmart (2012) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2012) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2012) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2012) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2012) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2012) |
For archival sake, I will be posting all sale listings of this car that I can find. Speaking with another archiver, SGCarmart tends to delete old listings, so to preserve the listings should they ever go under, I will be dropping all known photos of this particular APV.
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| Source: SGCarmart (2019) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2019) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2019) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2019) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2019) |
My best guess is that this APV underwent 4 owners before it was scrapped. A surprisingly low owner count for one.
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
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| Source: SGCarmart (2021) |
Its sad to see another remmant of Singapore's ex-car culture to go, but I guess it'll have to be something to be numb about at this point...
Here is another APV listed for export:
Lastly, here's a exerpt from a 2005 Motoring magazine, the Suzuki APV being part of a mega Cat A test:
So that's it then. If you'd like to read back on my other SG Archives articles, please have a look: SG Archives: Ferrari 458 Italia & Mercedes-Benz 230CE (C123)
Otherwise, have another old photo of an APV: Soon to be forgotten motoring choice
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