There was a time - oh, say, just a year ago - where I might have been a bit close-minded when it came to the Suzuki brand. The all-new 2010 Kizashi sedan is changing all that.
It is not that I had negative feelings for Suzuki as a brand; in fact, I thought it was a smart automaker that knew exactly where its niche was in the economy car business and focused on doing that well. Years of cute utes and hard plastic interiors had found a market in the United States, but had also conditioned me to anticipate a certain low-budget vehicle. The Kizashi raises the bar big time.
Pronounced key-zah-she, the midsize sedan delivers a stylish exterior that is nothing short of the competition in the segment. Kizashi also makes big strides forward with a well-appointed interior and impressive safety feature package.
According to Suzuki, the targets during development of the Kizashi were cars such as the Volkswagen Passat and the Acura TSX. Suzuki was shooting for European handling and Japanese reliability - something to be admired for certain.
The Kizashi is offered in four trims as well as an optional all-wheel-drive configuration. The S model is priced to start at $18,999, the SE at $21,499, the GTS at $22,499 and the high-end SLS at $24,449.
On the outside, Kizashi is two things: first, it is attractive, with a flair of sophistication; second, it is totally not what you would think is a new Suzuki.
That's not a stab at past vehicles from the Japanese automaker, but rather an emphatic nod to the attempt to raise the bar. It works for Kizashi because of the sleek (more European than Asian) front fascia and high beltline flowing over 16-, 17- or 18-inch wheels.
My tester was the top-of-the-line SLS, a fitting choice because it really gave me a feel for what the top end was for the premium Suzuki sedan in the stable. For the money, my Kizashi SLS proved to be a comfortable and well-appointed vehicle that will make the rest of the segment stand up and take notice. Just on standard safety features alone, Kizashi delivers standard eight airbags and electronic stability control.
Inside the cabin of the Kizashi, you will not find those cheap-feel surfaces of the past. My tester had premium leather for seating, steering wheel and shifter. Ten-way power seats with memory make sure the driver will have a perfect view of the road. Seating support was better than average and at times just a little too taut for my personal tastes, but for the price, you have to smile a bit.
The driver has telescoping and tilting steering wheel adjustments as well as a heated seat; the front passenger is heated as well. Rear passengers have plenty of room to get comfortable.
Keyless push start is becoming more prominent on vehicles and the Kizashi has this upscale feature.
Also impressive was the Bluetooth hands-free calling, dual-zone climate and a 425-watt Rockford Fosgate 10-speaker, eight-channel sound system with subwoofer.
The Kizashi has a 16-valve, 2.4-liter fourcylinder engine that delivers 180 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 170 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. The four-cylinder engine can be mated to a six-speed manual transmission (21 mpg city and 31 mpg highway) or for the all-wheel-drive option you get a CVT transmission (16/21).
I found the CVT to be more than adequate for getting around town, but it was a bit sluggish to get me up to speed while entering the highway a few times. It's a tradeoff for fuel economy. For most everyone looking at the price of gas these days it's a trade worth making.
The Kizashi is a good example of Suzuki looking to upgrade its image and definitely its product line. I was really impressed with the equipment level of my tester, and at $27,864 out the door, it was a great value.
2010 SUZUKI KIZASHI SLSENGINE: 180-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder
TRANSMISSION: continually variable
DRIVETRAIN: all-wheel drive
FUEL ECONOMY: 16 city/21 highway
BASE PRICE: $24,449
AS TESTED: $27,864
www.Suzukiauto.com