1996 Suzuki Touch Up Paint (18 OEM Colors)

The 1996 Suzuki Vibe

1996 was a weird, wonderful year. We were all doing the Macarena while Suzuki was busy putting the T-topped X-90 on the road-a car that looked like a running shoe and drove like a dream. Whether you were tossing a Sidekick through the mud or commuting in a Swift, Suzuki was the king of the "light and nimble" crowd. Our database for this year focuses on the two colors that truly survived the decade: Satin Black and Superior White. These were the workhorse shades for the Esteem and the Sidekick, built for people who cared more about the trail ahead than a flashy showroom floor.

Paint Health Check

If you're still rocking original factory paint on a '96, you're likely staring down the barrel of the Peeling Era. By the mid-90s, the industry had moved away from thick, single-stage slabs and into the world of basecoat-and-clearcoat systems. The problem? Suzuki's budget-friendly application meant the clear coat was often thinner than a 90s fashion model. If your roof or hood is starting to show white, flaky patches, that's "Delamination." It's the clear coat losing its grip on the base, and once it starts lifting, it spreads faster than a rumor in a small town.

Restoration Tip

The secret to saving a '96 Suzuki is containment. Every rock chip is a potential ground zero for clear coat failure. When a chip breaks the surface, moisture gets trapped between the layers and starts "the lift." My advice? Don't wait for the sunburn to start. Use your Satin Black or Superior White to seal those chips the second you see them. Clean the area with a good grease remover, dab the color in to fill the crater, and seal it up. You aren't just touching up a scratch; you're performing a skin graft to keep that clear coat from peeling off in sheets.