2025 is gearing up to be a big year for Suzuki Philippines as it marks its 50th anniversary. At first, it was hard to believe that Suzuki had been present in the Philippines for the last half century, but then the history started to settle in, and suddenly it wasn’t.
The Suzuki Carry has been a stalwart for businesses in the Philippines while the Jimny has continuously inspired Filipino drivers to take an interest in overland driving. Suzuki’s lineup of motorcycles has catered to every rider, as both casuals and enthusiasts loved bikes like the Suzuki Raider.
Interestingly, Suzuki Philippines also has an extensive marine division that builds deeply powerful boats. Forgive my possible naivete, but that was a real surprise.
In celebration of Suzuki Philippines’ golden year, I hopped into a Suzuki XL7 Hybrid while our assistant managing editor Leandre Grecia got on a Suzuki Gixxer 250, and we met up at the Punta Fuego Yacht Club to sail on a Suzuki-made speedboat.
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The kickoff drive was a sight to see. 26 Suzuki bikes of varying displacements were standing right in front of 14 cars that alternated between XL7s and five-door Jimnys. We were eager to hit the road, and eventually get out to sea. The bikes took off first with the four-wheel rides following soon after. It was a sea of Suzukis from Laguna to Batangas.
It was my first time behind the wheel of a Suzuki XL7 Hybrid, and immediately I felt situated. I did not have to drastically adjust my driving position as I familiarized myself with the car—it was quickly comfortable, and that felt like the overall theme of the ride.
Right as we got on the highway, accelerating was easy, and it handled surprisingly well for a long, three-row seven-seater car. Braking downhill was clean, and satisfying as it recharged our battery rather quickly. Going uphill had me step on the gas a little more aggressively, but the XL7 would quickly shift into electric power while going up thus removing any gas guilt. It was simply a plug-and-play driving experience.
Up ahead, Leandre wasn’t too far away, and for him, it was an easy and familiar ride as he had already spent some time on a Gixxer 250 prior to this trip. It weaved around potholes and other traffic obstructions like butter, but that may be in part due to the hands on the handlebar. My words, not his. Just saying.
“The Suzuki Gixxer 250 is as easy to ride as any small naked bike. It’s light and nimble, and while it doesn’t have eye-watering power from that 250cc engine, it’s got more than enough oomph for spirited rides through highways like these,” said Leandre. “The roads were winding and had a decent mix of uphill climbs and steep drops, but there was confidence on the saddle of the Gixxer 250. It’s just that easy to handle. Initially, I had wished I was on a V-Strom 250SX, but towards the end of the ride, I found myself glad I was assigned a Gixxer instead.
As we got to Punta Fuego, we walked towards our speedboats and quickly noticed the dual-engine setups on each of the nine speedboats Suzuki Philippines had on the water. Each engine puts out as much as 300hp, giving our boat a maximum output of 600 horses. We were giddy, to say the least.
The crew onboard told us that the fastest speed these dual-engine boats could go was about 35 knots. As car guys, Leandre and I were a bit dumbfounded and quickly checked our phones for a quick conversion—about 65kph. And boy, is 65kph on the water way different than 65kph on land. With the wind rushing over your body and the bounce from the water, 45kph felt like 100, and 50 felt like 120. It was an exhilarating feeling to be on the water with that speed. We shared a lot of smiles as we quickly asked the crew: “So, how much does one of these go for?” A Suzuki dual-engine speedboat starts at “about P7,000,000,” they said.
And we understood why. The boat was incredibly fast, but also very comfortable. It can easily fit 10-12 people on soft bench seats with enough tables and cup holders for everyone. The sound system was spread across the boat, and it gave us good acoustics no matter where we sat. You can also configure these boats even further, in case you want to add a kitchenette, refrigerator, or something similar. Because why not.
As the sun set, we rode back to the docks in full force. It was a true celebration of Suzuki’s mobility options here in the Philippines. While we enjoyed the XL7 and Gixxer, that Suzuki DF300 speedboat especially stole our hearts. We’re looking forward to the next time we can hop aboard one of those machines again.
