Suzuki Eeco ‘half-loaf’ panel van gets job done at half the price

The gap left by the discontinued Nissan NP200 is being absorbed by a motley crew of alternative solutions like one-tonner single cabs, converted SUVs and cargo hatchbacks. But the most interesting of the lot is undoubtedly the unique little Suzuki Eeco.

The Eeco is the spiritual successor to the Japanese manufacturer’s iconic Carry van. Many of them found their way to Mzansi alongside the Samurai-badged third-generation Jimny via private importers in the 1980s. Affectionately dubbed the “half-loaf”, the Carry van was a mini-minibus with a second-row bench seat and a decent amount of boot space behind it.

The Suzuki Eeco is only sold as a panel van. Like its Super Carry pick-up sibling, it prides itself on offering fuel-efficient point-to-point transport of goods at a low price.

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Oodles of space

Don’t let its size fool you, though. While its dimensions of 3 675mm in length and 1 475mm in width make it hardly bigger than Mr Bean’s Mini, its cargo space is no laughing matter. The loadbed is 1 620mm long, 1 300mm wide and offers 1 070mm from the floor to the roof which is large enough to accommodate a full South African pallet.

A foldable steel-grid partition separates the Suzuki Eeco’s loadbed and cabin. Two sliding doors and a large rear door provide easy access to the cargo hold. Unlike standard panel vans, the glass rear window enables rear-view mirror vision behind the Eeco—a welcome feature in the absence of a rear-view camera.

The cabin is a very humble affair, with highlights being standard air-conditioning and seats clad in perforated PU leather. The latter is in sharp contrast to the bare steel wheel arches and cardboard-like door inserts. Adjusting the side mirrors requires some elbow grease in the form of winding down the windows and tilting the mirrors with your hand.

Suzuki Eeco easy on the juice

The Eeco’s small and simplistic instrument cluster does not have a rev counter, but then again, neither does my Kawasaki cruiser. I’ve come to the realisation that my hearing can be just as effective as a needle and a gauge.

A digital speedometer has a tiny LCD screen below it displaying the fuel level and the option to toggle between the odometer and two trip meters. That’s it. As there was no indication of fuel consumption, we’ll just have to take Suzuki’s word that the Eeco only sips 5.1 litres per 100km. This will ensure a range of over 600km on its 32-litre fuel tank.

Although a radio is not standard, the Suzuki Eeco is prepped for one, along with two speakers, an antenna, and a 12V socket.

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As simple as you can get

Apart from the aircon controls and steering wheel stalks, the only other buttons in the van are the hazard lights, a rear-window demister, cabin light switch, front light adjustment and electronic stability control (ESC) switch.

The Suzuki Eeco is bereft of luxuries such as remote or central locking, and the driver’s door, rear door and fuel flap are opening with the key. Locking the sliding doors and passenger door is a manual process through the fob on the top of the door.

ESC comes standard alongside two airbags and ABS with EBD.

Suzuki Eeco easy to maintain

The Suzuki Eeco features a 1.2-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine that sends 59kW of power and 104Nm of torque to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. Spark plugs, engine oil and filters are easily accessed underneath the driver’s seat.

Driving the Suzuki Eeco was a welcome break for The Citizen Motoring from modern-day cars, which have become smartphones on wheels. The petrol mill is perfectly capable of its intended purpose and works a charm, along with an easy clutch and old-school manual box. It reaches the national limit without too much fuss, but don’t expect too much after that.

The rack and pinion steering system is reminiscent of pre-power steering says, but a turning circle of only 4.5 metres makes it ridiculously easy to manoeuvre. While the 13-inch wheels might seem tiny, the Eeco does feature decent ground clearance of 160mm.

‘Half-loaf’ not half-baked

Cost-cutting means that noise insulation inside the van is non-existent, but it should improve with more cargo in the rear to muffle sounds projected from the road surface and engine.

You can poke fun at the ‘half-loaf’ all day long, but you can’t beat its brutal honesty and unmatched capabilities. Especially at a very attractive R227 900 price tag, which will work out to less than R200k without VAT.