2010 Suzuki Kizashi
Prices: $18,999 to approximately $24,000

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina – Suzuki is best known to most Americans for its fast motorcycles, marine engines, small cars and SUVs. Now it has introduced a slick new sports sedan called the Kizashi to expand and add luster to its product line.

The Japanese word Kizashi (pronounced Kee-Zah-Shee) indicates that “something great is coming,” and Suzuki could use something really good to boost its sales and image here. The Kizashi is inspired by several Suzuki concept vehicles, and few things in the auto world are more alluring than concept cars.

A media preview of the Kizashi on a variety of roads in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina area showed the mid-size car to be very roadworthy and fun to drive, with a quiet, comfortable  interior that has a mixture of large and small controls.

The Kizashi is built at a new manufacturing facility in Japan, which partly accounts for its precise body and interior fits. It feels sold because it has an exceptionally rigid steel unibody with a reinforced front suspension and multi-link rear suspension constructed with embedded aluminum.

Extensive corrosion protection should be especially welcome in snow-belt areas of the country. It includes under-body resin panels, zinc plated steel sheets and hot wax imbedded in suspension mounting points.

Steering is quick, with the right amount of power assist. Handling is sharp, with scant body lean when snaking around curves, and an all-independent suspension helps provide a supple ride--although some bumps can be felt. The brake pedal is firm but has a linear action when controlling the anti-lock brakes.

The Kizashi was tested on Germany’s high-speed autobahns, Switzerland’s Alpine corners, cobblestone roads of rural England and the legendary Nurburgring race track in Germany, where all automakers seem to go now to help develop cars..

“We didn’t want to make another vanilla sleeping pill on wheels,” said Suzuki vice president Gene Brown. “With the Kizashi, we wanted a world-class sports sedan that the average person can afford.”

Maybe it’s time Suzuki came up with a car such as the Kizashi. Most Americans don’t know that Suzuki is one of few profitable Japanese automakers and that it has sold more than 40 million cars globally, with 2.3 million autos and 3.5 million motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles produced in 2008. It ranks 11th in 150 global markets, topping such elite automakers as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

“However, we have no intention of becoming No. 1,” a Suzuki spokesman said. For one thing, Suzuki lacks the promotional resources of a Toyota or Honda in this country.  

Suzuki says a reasonable price is a strong selling point of the Kizashi, which comes with front-drive or optional ($1,250) all-wheel drive (AWD). It’s the automaker’s first  entry in the premium AWD sports sedan market. In fact, the car was engineered from conception to be capable of all-wheel drive.

Excluding a $735 freight charge, Kizashi prices range from $18,999—thus making it an under-$20,000 upscale car—to approximately $24,000.

The car’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine develops 185 horsepower when hooked to the standard six-speed manual transmission and 178 horsepower when connected to an optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with available paddle shifters for manual shifting.

The engine provides good merging and 65-75 mph passing on highways with two adults and no cargo aboard. The dual-overhead-camshaft, 16 valve engine is rather noisy during hard acceleration.

Some may feel that more power is needed if, say, the Kizashi is loaded, especially if driven in hilly country. After all, it weighs 3,241 pounds with front-drive and 3,483 pounds with AWD.

A higher-horsepower V-6 engine reportedly is being considered as optional. But the four-cylinder with a power-producing turbocharger also is being discussed and might be a better setup because the car would have less front-end heaviness and thus more balanced handling than with a V-6. A hybrid gas/electric Kizashi also is being considered.
 
Estimated fuel economy with front-drive and the manual transmission is 20-21 in the city and 29 to 31 on highways. Numbers with front-drive and the CVT are 23 in the city and 30-31 on highways. Economy with the all-wheel-drive setup and CVT is 22-23 city and 29-30 highway.

There are a variety of models, but all meet 2014 crash standards and have eight air bags and stability control.

Even the entry S model has standard push-button engine start, sport front seats, steering wheel audio controls, automatic dual-zone climate control, prominent, 16-inch wheels  and shapely chromed dual exhaust tips.

The SE adds the CVT transmission, 17-inch wheels, power driver’s seat, cruise control and leather-wrapped wheel, shift lever and parking brake.

Opt for the GTS and you can have a six-speed manual transmission or the CVT with paddle shifters, wider tires on 18-inch wheels, moon roof, upscale audio system and integrated Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming.

The top-line SLS adds heated leather seats, power front passenger seat, windshield wiper rain sensor, heated outside mirrors and rear parking sensors.

There’s decent room for four, and even the rear compartment has nicely shaped seats for two. The rear center seat area is best left to a fold-down armrest with dual pop-out cupholders. Front console cupholders are nicely located. There are a good number of cabin storage areas.

The body style creates rear blind spots, but large outside mirrors help here.

The roomy trunk has a wide opening and a shallow underfloor storage area, but is equipped with manual hinges instead of hydraulic struts. Also, the hood is held open with a prop rod, which gets very hot if the engine has been running for awhile. A Suzuki spokesman said the rod is used instead of struts because “costs had to be trimmed somewhere and few people look under the hood, anyway.”

The Kizashi seems appropriate for these cost-saving times, and it can’t help but enhance Suzuki’s image.