Curiously at IIMS, Suzuki XBee to be sold in Indonesia?

JAKARTA - Suzuki Indonesia has showcased the Suzuki XBee at the Indonesia International Motor Show or IIMS 2026. Although it has caught the attention of many people, the car with the status of JDM (Japan Domestic Market) has not yet started to be sold in the country.

Deputy Managing Director Sales & Marketing 4W PT Suzuki Indomobil Sales (SIS) Donny Saputra, explained that XBee was brought to IIMS 2026 purely for market research needs. Suzuki wants to read the response of Indonesian visitors to the concept of the compact car before going any further.

"Currently, XBee is a guest star at IIMS 2026 to collect valuable input and opinions from the Indonesian people. What is the purpose? To explore how the potential of Suzuki Indonesia's lineup in the future," said Donny at JIExpo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, not long ago.

According to Donny, the research being conducted at this time is still in the early stages, especially regarding consumer preferences for exterior and interior designs. Meanwhile, the price study has not been on the agenda.

"What we are doing is still in the stage of studying the model, like (evaluating) how the exterior and interior are. If the study on the price that you want, the model has narrowed down. If the model has narrowed down, it is close, (only asked about the price)," he said.

"If we talk about the development model, there is a new car buyer study. Price research is usually close to the launch of the model," he added.

Although there is no official decision, speculation about the XBee price tag in Indonesia has begun to emerge. In Japan, this car is sold starting at 2.15 million yen or around Rp. 240 million, while the highest variant can be up to Rp. 60 million more expensive. If it enters Indonesia, the price is believed to increase.

In fact, in internal discussions, the Suzuki Indonesia team had asked for an opinion regarding a realistic price. At that time, the range of Rp300-330 million was considered reasonable. This estimate was also widely agreed upon by media colleagues, assuming that the small XBee was unlikely to be released below Rp300 million.

However, this figure is still a mere assumption. Suzuki itself has not confirmed whether XBee will actually be marketed in Indonesia. The final decision, again, depends on consumer interest and demand.

In terms of technology, the Suzuki XBee is built on the Heartect platform and carries a 1.2-liter three-cylinder mild-hybrid Z12E engine, which is also used on the Suzuki Solio and Swift. This means that this model is not a kei car, because it does not rely on a 660 cc engine.

In terms of specifications, the XBee is capable of producing 81 hp with 109 Nm of torque. Its power is indeed slightly smaller than the previous generation 1.0 liter turbo engine, but is compensated for by better fuel efficiency. The power is channeled to the front wheels (2WD) or all four wheels (4WD) through a CVT transmission.