Suzuki Marine has debuted a series of 200 hp outboards that are lighter and more compact than the company’s existing V-6 outboard producing the same horsepower.
Displacing 175 cubic inches, Suzuki’s new 200 hp outboards feature inline four-cylinder blocks and boast a bunch of features that boost fuel efficiency. I ran the new engines outside the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida on a Key West 219FS, with a single engine, and on a new Twin Vee 31 Ocean Cat with a pair 200s.
Though displacing the same cubic inches as Suzuki’s four-cylinder 175 hp outboard, the new DF200A has a 10.3:1 compression ratio (9.7 percent higher than the 175) for more torque. There’s also electronic fuel injection and a special hood to provide cooler air directly to the engine’s long-track tuned intake manifold. Four valves per cylinder — two intake and two exhaust – allow the engine to breathe more efficiently.
Suzuki’s Lean Burn Technology optimizes the fuel-to-air mixture once you establish a cruising rpm. Knock, O2 and water-detection sensors monitor and control engine operating parameters and help prevent engine damage from poor fuel, rarified air at high-altitudes and water in the gas, respectively.
The compact nature of the inline design lends itself well to twin-engine installations on a V-hull. Also, the lighter mass of the DF200A means that you can now repower older boats (originally designed for lighter two-stroke outboards) with quieter, smoother four-strokes. The Suzuki DF200A weighs 498 pounds, which is 12 percent less than Suzuki’s 200 hp V-6.
Suzuki’s new 200 hp engines will be available with both digital (DF200AP) and mechanical (DF200A) control systems. The AP model includes Suzuki’s Selective Rotation, for multi-engine installations and keyless ignition. You can get the engine in Suzuki’s traditional charcoal color or the new winter white to match your boat’s color scheme.
In our test, the Key West 219FS with DF200A accelerated from zero to 30 mph in 10.7 seconds with three adults and half-tank of gasoline. Top speed was 44.8 mph at 6,000 rpm. We were turning a 1.5-inch by 16-inch three-blade stainless steel prop.
With the Twin Vee 31 Ocean Cat running a pair of DF200A outboards with 20-inch by 16-inch three-blade stainless props, the top speed averaged 43.8 mph with six adults aboard.
