Suzuki Kizashi First Drive Articles

[Flinter]

Here is a couple of first drive articles on the new Suzuki Kizashi. Looks like a very interesting car. It comes with a 2.4L 4cylinder with 185 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. Both a CVT and a 6 spd manual transmissions are available as well as an AWD option. The only bummer is that the manual is not available on the AWD model.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/16/2010-suzuki-kizashi-first-drive/

Suzuki has done the seemingly impossible, almost willing themselves out of automotive irrelevance by producing a wonderful, desirable, actual driver's car. The Kizashi is the real deal and you can consider us thoroughly impressed. However – and this is a big however – what's next? It's not enough to just produce one great car then sit back on your laurels. You must be willing to follow through, to continue pushing against the edge of the envelope, to keep reinventing and improving your brand.

The Kizashi is a great first effort at distancing Suzuki from its recent subprime past. And going by nothing but the excitement on display from their marketing, engineering and PR staff over the two-day launch, Suzuki does seem on the cusp of something big. Maybe the most telling fact is this: Kizashi means, "A great thing coming." We'd say a great thing is already here, and we really hope Suzuki can keep it coming.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q4/2010_suzuki_kizashi-short_take_road_test

But we’d be perfectly comfortable with a statement characterizing this new sedan as the best Suzuki passenger car by far.

Styling is conservative by the uninhibited standards of Suzuki’s three Kizashi concepts, but it’s far from wallflower. Fit and finish is first-rate, and the interior is above average in terms of materials and design, with enough room in the rear for a pair of adults. Ride quality is smooth and fuel economy (Suzuki projects 20–23 mpg city and 29–31 highway, depending on powertrain) is respectable. You could certainly do worse.

[dorin]

Impressive, but I'd want the wagon version.  It would be nice if we got that one here.

[EV Dan]

Looks cool and somewhat European, although IMO that exhaust pipe trim is overdone. I'd rather have it in black or gunmetal.

[Mitlov]

Another review at Edmunds.  The highlights:

What Works:
Impressive grip through corners; composed ride quality; quiet, top-quality cabin; ergonomically correct driving position.

What Needs Work:
Adventurous name is off-putting; backseat is snug; engine runs out of steam.

Bottom Line:
The name is strange, but the ride/handling balance is dead-on. The attractive Kizashi picks up the ball dropped by the Acura TSX and Subaru Legacy.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=159086

The reference to the Legacy is concerning, because I thought the Legacy was pretty over-rated.  The previous-generation TSX was awesome, though.  If the Kizashi is like that, awesome!

One big problem, though: Edmunds notes that the AWD is only available with the CVT?!  Too bad.  An AWD 6MT version with a slightly-sportier suspension would have been awesome...

[blur911]

Have to agree about the tranny choice.  If I'd buy this car it would have to be AWD and a stick. 
I like Suzuki bikes, it's good to see them making some decent cars.

[Flinter]

I hope that Suzuki (Automotive group) manages to survive this downturn here in North America. I read that things are not well in the US market for them right now. With the SX4 and this new Kizashi, they are finally going to be selling some interesting products. I certainly agree that a Manual/AWD model would be very desirable. Perhaps a version with the 3.6L V6?

Hopefully they also bring the Swift that is sold elsewhere in the world too. I've seen these cars in Asia and they look sharp in the flesh and supposedly drive well too. Looks like it is still being planned.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-u-s-market-suzuki-swift-still-on-track-for-2011-next-g/

[sparky]

My 2001 Esteem wagon is still going strong, but will need to be replaced some day. An AWD manual Kizashi wagon would be ideal, if such a vehicle ever exists. I like the sedan, but a three-box layout would never work for me. I don't understand why sedans are so popular.

[carcrazy]

Nice car, but the CVT would be a deal breaker for me. What's wrong with the Japanesse car companies going with CVTs (Nissan, Mitsu, Subaru, Suzuki)? I fail to see a significant fuel efficiency and the driving experience is not even as goog as a slushbox.

[Spheric]

The biggest stumbling block for me is not the car - which looks good from almost any angle - but the lack of dealerships in southern Ontario for maintenance/warranty claims etc. As to the actual dealerships themselves, I was browsing in my local one last weekend and they're not much bigger than an A&W / McDonalds drive-thru.

[Ontariodriver]

I can't help feeling this should have been 3-5 years ago. Instead they do seem to keep shooting themselves in the foot. The re-badging of the dreadful  Daewoo Magnus, Kalos and Lacetti is a fine example, which IMHO I don't think would have brought many new buyers to the brand. I just don't think that Suzuki have ever taking NA seriously judging by lack some of the decent products that are sold in Europe. This is good start and the SX4 which has been around awhile. But is too late going by the currently climate. Only time will tell and if e-nuff people can find a Suzuki dealership in there area and stop and take a look at the products. 

[Sival]

Nice car, but the CVT would be a deal breaker for me. What's wrong with the Japanesse car companies going with CVTs (Nissan, Mitsu, Subaru, Suzuki)? I fail to see a significant fuel efficiency and the driving experience is not even as goog as a slushbox.

You fail to see the fuel efficiency, really?

Versa*
Manual: 7,9/6,3
CVT: 7,5/6,0

Sentra*
Manual: 8,4/6,4
CVT: 8,0/5,9

Suzuki SX4 2010 sedan (source)
Manual: 9,0/6,0
CVT: 8,0/6,1

2010 Legacy
Manual: 10,6/7,4
CVT: 9,2/6,5

The only asian brand that has not gotten it right yet is Mitsubishi, but even then their CVT is roughly equivalent to their manual version, and of course Chrysler.

*Supposed to get a bit better in 2010 going by American ratings.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Nice car, but the CVT would be a deal breaker for me. What's wrong with the Japanesse car companies going with CVTs (Nissan, Mitsu, Subaru, Suzuki)? I fail to see a significant fuel efficiency and the driving experience is not even as goog as a slushbox.

You fail to see the fuel efficiency, really?

Versa*
Manual: 7,9/6,3
CVT: 7,5/6,0

Sentra*
Manual: 8,4/6,4
CVT: 8,0/5,9

Suzuki SX4 2010 sedan (source)
Manual: 9,0/6,0
CVT: 8,0/6,1

2010 Legacy
Manual: 10,6/7,4
CVT: 9,2/6,5

The only asian brand that has not gotten it right yet is Mitsubishi, but even then their CVT is roughly equivalent to their manual version, and of course Chrysler.

*Supposed to get a bit better in 2010 going by American ratings.

I'd like to see a comparison of transmission and final drive ratios. The manuals may have shorter gearing for a more sporting feel.

What the numbers don't show is the difference in driving enjoyment. My preference will likely always be a stick-on-the-floor manual transmission, followed by a traditional automatic. I simply won't buy a CVT.

They produce too much droning noise, they make it feel like a rubber band has been inserted between the drivetrain and the road. And they lag throttle inputs way too much to be enjoyable.

I had a rental Versa with the 4 speed auto. The week after, I had a CVT Sentra. I thoroughly hated the Sentra driving experience. The Versa worked so much better. The four speed transmission was completely unobtrusive with decent kickdowns when required. With the Sentra, the engine and transmission negotiated the gearing and engine revs on a continual basis, loudly broadcasting the results of their discussions into the cockpit. Horrible. Couldn't wait to bring it back.

I'm not trashing Nissan, every CVT I've ever driven or ridden in did the same thing. 

[Sival]

Nice car, but the CVT would be a deal breaker for me. What's wrong with the Japanesse car companies going with CVTs (Nissan, Mitsu, Subaru, Suzuki)? I fail to see a significant fuel efficiency and the driving experience is not even as goog as a slushbox.

You fail to see the fuel efficiency, really?

Versa*
Manual: 7,9/6,3
CVT: 7,5/6,0

Sentra*
Manual: 8,4/6,4
CVT: 8,0/5,9

Suzuki SX4 2010 sedan (source)
Manual: 9,0/6,0
CVT: 8,0/6,1

2010 Legacy
Manual: 10,6/7,4
CVT: 9,2/6,5

The only asian brand that has not gotten it right yet is Mitsubishi, but even then their CVT is roughly equivalent to their manual version, and of course Chrysler.

*Supposed to get a bit better in 2010 going by American ratings.

I'd like to see a comparison of transmission and final drive ratios. The manuals may have shorter gearing for a more sporting feel.

What the numbers don't show is the difference in driving enjoyment. My preference will likely always be a stick-on-the-floor manual transmission, followed by a traditional automatic. I simply won't buy a CVT.

They produce too much droning noise, they make it feel like a rubber band has been inserted between the drivetrain and the road. And they lag throttle inputs way too much to be enjoyable.

I had a rental Versa with the 4 speed auto. The week after, I had a CVT Sentra. I thoroughly hated the Sentra driving experience. The Versa worked so much better. The four speed transmission was completely unobtrusive with decent kickdowns when required. With the Sentra, the engine and transmission negotiated the gearing and engine revs on a continual basis, loudly broadcasting the results of their discussions into the cockpit. Horrible. Couldn't wait to bring it back.

I'm not trashing Nissan, every CVT I've ever driven or ridden in did the same thing. 

The problem with the drive ratios of the manual transmission compared to a CVT is that they are fixed. A CVT can adopt whatever ratio is more appropriate, so its programming is of the utmost importance, a well-programmed CVT keeps you in the right ratio as long as you know how to drive it, and can reward the user with excellent fuel economy and excellent acceleration (in the only comparison test between automatic compacts I know of, a Lancer and Sentra with CVTs were significantly faster than a Civic automatic and much faster than an Elantra automatic). What's interesting is that the CVT gets excellent fuel economy in the city, which might explain why the japanese automakers like it so much, given the usual environment where most Japanese do their driving.

The few times I drove a CVT, I loved it, but then again I'm a particularly smooth driver who varies the gas throttle gradually and not with bursts and the CVT responds very well to the way I drive, keeping RPMs relatively low and lowering them when I approach my cruising speed. This is different than a traditional transmission with fixed gears where the sound of the engine increases as speed increases, in fact it's the opposite, the sound starts strong then is reduced as you let go of the throttle a little when approaching the wanted speed. It's a question of habit and getting used to it.

For me, it's a wash between the CVT and the manual, the two transmissions are at the extremes in terms of how they drive, but I much prefer them over traditional automatics because they do what they do much better. If I opt for an automatic, it's because I want a smooth transmission that I don't have to bother with while driving, and the CVT is the best in that, if I want more involvement and control over the car, I'll opt for the manual, but the traditional automatic isn't a good compromise between these two extremes. The only thing I like less is a manumatic transmission *shudder*.

For the record, I presently drive a manual car.

[safristi]

Kishassa should PROVE VERY POPULAR.........

[inco]

Do you suppose it is the air in Ottawa that causes this, or maybe he really is on to something. Read on McDuff - this car could make BMW and Audi dealers nervous? Hey - I'm just the messenger.

"Audi and BMW salespeople don't have anything to worry about yet."

"We think a six-speed manual transmission and a direct-injected and turbocharged version of the 2.4 would move the Suzuki one rung up, and really put some heat on those BMW and Audi salespeople."

Read on for yourself.

http://www.wheels.ca/article/asset/782948

[sault]

I was very much looking forward to test driving this until I read the dreaded words...no manual transmission offered in Canada.

[toolatecrew]

Do you suppose it is the air in Ottawa that causes this, or maybe he really is on to something. Read on McDuff - this car could make BMW and Audi dealers nervous? Hey - I'm just the messenger.

"Audi and BMW salespeople don't have anything to worry about yet."

"We think a six-speed manual transmission and a direct-injected and turbocharged version of the 2.4 would move the Suzuki one rung up, and really put some heat on those BMW and Audi salespeople."

Read on for yourself.

http://www.wheels.ca/article/asset/782948

I don't see much wrong with the article. They start by saying based on the car they drove its nothing to worry Audi or BMW.

They speculate on what a version with a much more powerful engine etc COULD be. Its speculation. Big deal.

I like the concept of this car. I like the looks. The strategy similar to Kia of providing a ton of content for a lower price I think is a sound one. I think that the platform sounds like it has a lot of promise.

Do they have an uphill battle? For sure. The Suziki car name has no strength behind it. The dealerships I have sen look well not so great. The name for the car is a loser.

If they really want to get positve press for this and they insist on packaging iot as only a full boat awd in Canada it HAS ot and I mean HAS TO have a better engine. I know its priced much lower than cars from Acura, Audi or Lexus. But if they want to bee seen as a buget alternative then they need a motor that will move th car along with verve and some refinement.

If they could come up with a good turbo engine in the 2-2.5 L range they could have a version of the SX4 to compete with the WRX. They could position  Kizashi as a budget TSX IS 250 competitor. Not in quality but in intent and performance.

If you want to be sporty the engine has to be sproty too.

[Greg B.]

$30K+ for a 4-banger Suzuki? You cannot be serious. Suzukis have a terrible reputation, a terrible, shyster-filled dealer network, and are at the bottom of the automotive barrel. It will take a lot more than one decently interesting albeit overpriced car to redeem them.

[Benhaze]

I find interesting that Suzuki is being praised by some journalists for bringing a car to the market that is sized between the midsize and compact categories while the Mazda 6 was criticized for the exact same reasons until it revamped the 6  last year... 

[sirAQUAMAN64]

The Canadian market is not so friendly to a loaded $30 model like this, especially from a less-considered brand like Suzuki. To sell in any volume, they really need a decontented AWD or FWD model down to the $23-26 level.

Haven't seen the car, but think I'll like it but there's tonnes of alternatives. I wish them well, but they'll need more than a little luck.