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2026 Suzuki DF250APX

Boat Reviews

Boat Review by: Rick Layzell

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Date tested: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Location: Port Alberni, BC
Transom: Walker Custom Aluminum Pro Sport 26

The definition of anticipation is “the feeling of excitement or expectation about something that is going to happen.” After several months of planning, multiple decades working in the boat business, and a cross country flight to British Columbia, perfect weather and the opportunity to test, not one, but two Suzuki DF250APXs on a Walker Custom Aluminum boat awaited us. The anticipation rippling though my body was intense. The excitement I felt heading to the docks was maxed out. The day did not disappoint.

We arrived at the Port Alberni launch ramp to find her sitting elegantly on the trailer. Her deep grey hull sides glistened. I was immediately taken aback. My walkaround captured the sparkling metalflake paint in the Suzuki outboards.

I initially thought the metalflake was on the engine cowling only – sort of like a window treatment for outboards kind of idea. As I stood there taking it all in, exploring the engines, mid-shafts, and lower units, I suddenly realized the metalflake went from the cowling all the way down to the bullet cone lower units. I took in multiple angles from the sun while admittedly drooling on these beauties. The wow factor of the gloss black engine paint mixed with blue flake is absolutely striking.

Suzuki also does an outstanding job of protecting the exterior paint, as well as the interior components, by incorporating a multi-layer anti-corrosion process using multiple sacrificial zinc anodes. You’ll find these replaceable anodes on the transom bracket, cavitation plate, and in critical powerhead and exhaust system locations. Awesome protection from the saltwater.

The sleek 55-degree powerhead on the DF250 features dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and multi-point fuel injection. This all comes together to deliver exceptional torque and fuel economy.

Unique to Suzuki is an offset driveshaft, which pulls the center of gravity (and the weight of the powerhead) forward on your transom. This reduces vibration while also providing noticeably predictable and stable steering. The offset driveshaft also incorporates a two-stage gear reduction system – your benefit is quick acceleration and wicked top speed performance.

Variable Valve Timing manages the opening and closing of your intake valves based on RPM, which means more torque, especially in low to mid-range activities. Think holeshots and cruising acceleration.

There’s also a Lean Burn Control System which optimizes fuel/air mixtures to improve fuel economy in all RPM ranges. That saves you $$$ at the fuel dock, and we all appreciate that.

One of the coolest features I have ever seen on an outboard is Suzuki Selective Rotation. This feature will mean a lot to both you and your dealer. Instead of passing along the cost of inventorying both right and left-hand rotation engines, Suzuki dealers order right-hand engines only. When they need to set up a twin engine configuration like our Walker test boat, they order a rigging kit for dual engine applications. This includes a simple wiring harness that clips into an existing connection on the powerhead. Seriously, it is so simple even I could do it! Just like that, the right-hand engine becomes left-hand rotation for your twin engines. This saves costs on unit inventory and on parts inventory. That makes so much sense.

Down below, the gearcase on the DF250 features a bullet nose cone which reduces drag and dual water pickups for exceptional cooling. And did I mention the metalflake earlier? Up top, the cowling has a built-in air intake cooling system that forces cool air into the single throttle body to deliver improved fuel economy, maximize HP output, and provide a quieter ride. Three things every boater loves.

All this eye gazing and drooling consumed several hours as we filmed content and familiarized ourselves with the test product. On this particular day, I watched in my peripheral vision as boat after boat was launched at the ramp next to us. A seemingly endless parade of recreational and commercial boaters heading out in harmony, while we stood there shooting audio and video. My anticipation had gone into overdrive. I needed to drive these Suzuki engines.

Our 7:30 AM arrival at the ramp finally finally turned into a launch time just before noon. Go time. Finally.

We headed out of the Port Alberni channel with the 250s purring and made our way to open water. I was fortunate to have the owner of Walker Boats onboard and he spoke candidly about his company’s decision to primarily power with Suzuki, and specifically the 250s on this package. When he repeatedly referenced reliability, as well as local market support, that sent a strong message.

With limited boat traffic in front of us, and a mutual desire among the camera crew and yours truly at the helm, it was time to put these engines to work. The results were outstanding.

The Pro Sport 26 is rated for a maximum of 500 HP, making the twin 250s the ideal setup for her transom. She carries a dry weight on the trailer of 8,500 lbs and she is 26’ in length with a broad 9’6” beam.

We executed multiple holeshots from dead stop which resulted in consistent 6 seconds to plane. That’s rock solid with three of us on board and full fuel tanks. Cruising speeds were strong and predictable with both engines humming along at 4,150 RPM and the digital gauges showing 30.9 knots (35.6 mph). Both engines were brand new, with less than two hours of break-in time, and we ran them out to top speeds of 42.1 knots (48.4 mph) at a brisk 5,700 RPM. There is 400 more RPM here and, once broken in, I have zero doubt these Suzukis will push this hull past the 50 mph barrier

My favourite detail on these Suzuki 250s is the harmonious sound while at work – it’s seriously music to my ears. The utter lack of vibration on the transom and the outstanding torque and acceleration makes for an idyllic ride. If those priorities matter to you, then make your way to your local Suzuki dealer. You won’t be disappointed you did.