2010 Suzuki Kizashi Reviews

Graham Smith reviews the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Suzuki Kizashi as a used buy.

Suzuki's strength in Australia for many decades was in clever small cars and excellent 4WDs. Then in January 2010, it made the interesting move into medium-size cars with a new model called Kizashi.Aimed at a huge number of competitors - including the Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord Euro, Mazda6 and Subaru Liberty - in a market segment that wasn't particularly strong, Kizashi was less successful than the importer hoped.It's a good-looker with a powerful appearance that gives a fair touch of sportiness.In August 2010 the Suzuki Kizashi Sport arrived. It surprised all by taking the European route of being offered with all-wheel drive for better traction on slippery surfaces. Ice, snow or just plain rain - not 4WD as in Suzuki SUVs.As befits its title, this Kizashi has a full-on sports body kit, 18-inch alloys and lowered ride height that further enhanced it's already strong appearance.However, the so-called Sport is heavier than the standard front-wheel-drive, but has no more power so is slower in a straight line.The 2.4L engine petrol four produces 131kW and a creditable 230Nm. This is a relatively large car so performance is adequate rather than exciting.The Suzuki Kizashi is relatively tall to provide good interior room. There's better than average legroom in the back seat and four adults can be carried in comfort. Headroom is fine in the standard models, but the sunroof in the topline Kizashis steals a fair bit of height from the back seat.Interior stowage space is good, with large door pockets and several other areas to hold all the little nick-nacks that seem to travel everywhere with us.Boot space is impressive thanks to the tall tail design and the opening is reasonably wide. However, you may find it difficult to get some really bulky items in.On the road the Suzuki Kizashi feels almost European in the strength of the body. Ride comfort remains good even on rough roads and tyre/road noise are generally well subdued, though coarse-chip surfaces do raise noise levels significantly.There is a fair number of Suzuki dealers Australian wide and the big success of the 4WD models mean there are more dealers in country and bush areas than for many other makers in a this market segment.Insurance premiums for the Kizashi vary more than usual for this class, possibly because low sales mean that companies have statistically different experiences with them. Shop around for a good deal, but make sure you're doing accurate comparisons.If you are keen to get the high build quality of a Japanese vehicle, but like the chassis dynamics of a European one then a Suzuki Kizashi should be on your short list of cars.Kizashi is a well-built vehicle with a solid reputation, but it still makes sense to have a professional inspection. Should you wish to do an initial inspection yourself look for the following:Crash damage or signs of repairs, the easiest things for amateurs to spot are ripples in the body panels when viewed end on in good light; tiny paint spots on unpainted areas like glass, badges and trim.Uneven wear on the front tyres and/or damage to the wheel rims probably indicates poor parking, but may also have been caused by a crash.Check the condition of the interior trim, particularly in the rear seat area where it may have been knocked about by the kids.Be sure the engine starts easily and settles into a smooth idle within a few seconds of kicking over. Ideally, do this check with the engine stone cold after an overnight stop.Automatic transmissions should be smooth in their operation, indeed changes should only be noticeable if accelerating hard.Manual gearboxes that crunch on fast down-changes may be about to damage someone's bank account. Make sure it isn't yours.

NEW - Suzuki has always been a highly regarded small car brand by those in the know, its small sedans and four-wheel drives having a well deserved reputation for quality and innovation.More recently the company has pumped up its range with new and even better models like the new Swift and the even newer Kizashi, the company's first crack at a mid-sized car.The Kizashi was widely acclaimed for its refinement and on-road character when it was launched. For many it was a revelation. It was only available as a sedan, but there were three models to choose from, beginning with the front-wheel drive XL, the mid-range FWD XLS and the all-singing, all-dancing all-wheel drive Sport.The styling was unremarkable, but inoffensive, with neat lines and balanced proportions and the odd touch of chrome for a highlight. Inside it was reasonably roomy for four, the cabin was awash in rather sombre tonings, but there was everything you could want and a flash of silver brightened it a little.The power was provided by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that generates 131 kW and 230 Nm and provided plenty of punch. The standard gearbox across all models was a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) that was generally smooth and responsive, but there was also the option of a six-speed manual gearbox in the XL and XLS. Sport buyers could only have a CVT, the six-speeder wasn't available, which is a pity given the sporting pretentions of the model.But Sport buyers did have the grip advantage of all-wheel drive whereas XL and XLS punters only had front-wheel drive in their cars. On the road the Kizashi was impressively quiet and refined with excellent road manners, balanced handling and good grip.NOWWith the Kizashi just ticking over into its third year on the market there's little to report in terms of reliability concerns, and with Suzuki's past history for robustness there's little reason to be anything but confident going forward.Some owners have reported heavy stone-chipping on their cars, much heavier than other cars, particularly those coloured red or grey. It's unclear if it's a paint problem or just the shape of the car that promotes chipping, but whatever the reason it chips very easily. It not only looks ugly, but it affects resale.Others have reported issues with the CVT transmissions doing odd things, so it's worth checking thoroughly by subjecting the CVT to all sorts of driving situations and observing for any shuddering, slipping, over-revving, and odd noises.Suzuki engines are finely crafted pieces of jewellery and need looking after, so make sure the oil has been changed regularly and doesn't look black or full of gunk when you pull the dipstick. Check the tyres, the Kizashi has a reputation for wearing out tyres quickly, which is perhaps a reflection of its handling.SMITHY SAYSQuiet, refined with great on-road manners the mid-sized Suzuki is definitely one to think about.Suzuki Kizashi 2010-2011Price new: from $30,490 to $39,990Engine: 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder, 131 kW/230 NmTransmission: CVT auto, 6-speed manual, FWD, AWDEconomy: 8.4 L/100 kmBody: 4-door sedanVariants: XL, XLS, SportSafety: 5-star ANCAP  

SOME time in the future, the Suzuki Kizashi will become the Datsun 1600. Go to a rally meeting and see how many Datsun 1600s are still running around. They have a great little chassis, excellent handling and bullet-proof mechanicals.The same could be said for the new Kizashi, the first mid-sized car from the Japanese manufacturer and possibly the future favourite of amateur rally drivers. Now Suzuki has given the Kizashi a sportier look and added all-wheel drive, but still kept the price under $40,000.VALUEThe Kizashi Sport AWD costs $39,990, which is $3000 more than the top-selling XLS with continuously variable transmission. That puts it in competition with the slightly larger Subaru Liberty which starts at $35,490, but equivalent equipment level models are over $40,000.You get more than just AWD for the extra $3000. Outside there is a new-look grille with black chrome mesh, bigger air dams, new 18-inch alloys, chrome side highlights and fog light surrounds, a rear boot spoiler, side skirts and 10mm lower suspension with stiffer springs.In the cabin there is a new leather steering wheel with chromed accents, a silver double-stitching highlight on the leather seats and trim and Bluetooth with controls on the steering wheel and the ability to play your music. This is all on top of a very high level of specification in the FWD models.TECHNOLOGYThe car retains its 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but there is a strong push from Suzuki Australia to introduce a turbo-powered unit, such is their belief in the chassis to safely handle the extra power. The Sport AWD arrives with CVT only.It has a front transfer case with electromagnetic coupling and a rear differential with a three-link prop shaft linking them. It can be switched on the fly between 2WD and AWD modes at the touch of a button on the dash to the right of the driver.In AWD, it runs in FWD until the electromagnetic coupler senses slip and transfers torque up to 100 per cent in the direction required.There is also a type of launch control that splits torque 50-50 for maximum grip and take-off acceleration, when more than 10 per cent throttle is applied and the vehicle is moving at less than 10km/h. There is no centre diff lock and the dampers and shocks are unchanged. It runs on 235mm Yokohama low-decibel tyres to reduce noise.STYLINGFor some, there may be a bit too much bling, but sports drivers quite like that. I think it's a handsome cab with enough touches of chrome bling to make it look a step up on the top-spec XLS without overdoing it. It retains the 18-inch wheels from the XLS, but with new alloy designs and comes in red, black, silver, white, pearl and a new mineral grey colour, but dropping the blue.DRIVINGTake it for a drive and words like refined, quiet and poised come to mind. But when we took the standard Kizashi on Carsguide Car of the Year testing earler this month (November 2010), we were surprised by the lack of lateral grip from the Yokohama low-noise tyres on wet hot-mix asphalt surfaces.So I went searching for similar surfaces in the rain to see if the lack of grip in the AWD model led to the same squirmy handling we experienced in the FWD model. While the Yokohama tyres are still compromised for wet lateral grip, the AWD system works overtime to reduce the oversteer and understeer shenanigans.In countersteer situations, the power steering also lightens the wheel weight to help you correct a skid and the 50-50 weight distribution helps the driver keep some order.Apart from the tyres, my only other concern is the gearbox. It is one of the better continuously variable transmissions I've tried with a quick response and little flaring. However, I heard it groan a couple of times when pushed.It would be nice if Suzuki offered their trusty six-speed manual gearbox from the standard model and truly earnt that "Sport" tag.VERDICTThe car is so quiet, you can afford to slap on some decent rubber that makes a bit more road noise, but provides more assuring wet weather grip. Given Suzuki's reputation for reliability and this car's excellent handling characteristics, in 20 years you can still be running it competitively at your local rally track.

The starting lineup for this year's Carsguide Car of the Year contest already includes the Suzuki Kizashi. Now we have the Kizashi Sport, complete with all-wheel drive and a range of other tweaks, to make an extra claim.The Sport has arrived earlier than planned, just a couple of months after the regular Kizashi, but Suzuki Australia is ready and willing to take it on and tackle a range of tough rivals led by the Subaru Liberty."The original vision for Suzuki's first mid-sized car always included an all-wheel drive model," says the head of Suzuki Australia, Tak Hayasaki.The Sport is priced from $39,990 complete with a constantly-variable transmission and the luxury equipment - including leather seats and a sunroof - already fitted to the Kizashi XLS at $34,990.Suzuki believes the Sport could lift Kizashi sales by around 50 per cent, adding another 100 cars a month to its rollout, by appealing to slightly younger buyers. But it's not promising a WRX-style performance punch."I want to be very clear. It is not a race car," says Tony Devers, general manager of Suzuki Australia. "What it does bring, however, is a new driving benchmark for the brand. We have a true driver's car that promotes the traditional strengths of all Suzuki vehicles."But the Sport does not get an extra help from the engine room, already seen as a shortcoming in the basic car. Suzuki knows a turbocharged engine would be ideal in the car, but currently has no plans.VALUEThe Sport continues Suzuki's value-first approach with the Kizashi, which starts at $27,990 in a class where the Liberty is priced from $33,990, the Mazda6 starts at $27,310 and the Honda Accord Euro runs from $33,490.It's a $5000 step up from the XLS but most of that can be costed into the CVT transmission, which mades the all-wheel drive system look like a bargain.The Sport is not a huge departure from the other Kizashi models, but gets 18-inch alloys in a slightly different design, mesh in the lower part of the grill, side skirts and a rear spoiler and - mostly importantly - the factory Bluetooth connection currently missing from the rest of the range. Of course there is also a sports steering wheel.TECHNOLOGYThe key to the Sport is its all-wheel drive system. Unlike most others, it is switchable and that means you can flick to front-drive. Carsguide is not sure of any benefit, but Suzuki claims it can give a slight improvement to fuel economy during highway cruising.Suzuki says it draws on 40 years of experience back to the original Jimny, but it's really just a development from the SX4 system. It can feed up to 50 per cent of the drive to the back wheels and has a system to limit front-end push in corners, even providing a degree of counter-steering if the car is heading towards a rear-end slide.The car is 70 kilograms heavier which takes the fuel economy up to 8.4 litres/100km and Suzuki has not compensated in the engine, which still makes 121 kiloWatts and 230 Newton-metres.The CVT has a six-speed 'manual' setting and comes with paddles behind the wheel for shifting, as well as a lever set for sporty driving with a push forward for downchanges and a tug back for upshifts.DESIGNA tiny rear spoiler, the alloys and changes to the nose are the obvious differences in the Sport. But the car is also set 10 millimetres lower on its suspension, to improve cornering grip, and that helps with the looks.The changes are just enough to give the Sport a bit more impact in a carpark, and work well with the basic Kizashi design.The car still looks smaller than its rivals but Suzuki - again - punches home the message that it's the same size inside as its class rivals and has a very usable boot.SAFETYThe all-wheel drive system is an important safety boost, particularly for people who will be driving in snow or other slushy conditions. The car has five-star safety and the usual suite of safety gear, from front-side-curtain airbags to ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution, ESP stability control and traction control.Suzuki demonstrates the strengths of the Sport with snow-driving trials at the motor industry proving ground in the mountains outside Queenstown in New Zealand and it is impressive. It is very difficult to break traction, although the front pushes wide if you go too fast into a bend, and the Sport works with the driver at all times.It's not as much fun as I had hoped, but the slippery stuff shows Suzuki has the basics right on the Sport.DRIVINGThe Kizashi, already the most enjoyable drive in the class, gets better with the Sport job. It's a little better turning into corners, it has great grip and balance in bends, and the slightly lower ride height seems to work well with the all-wheel drive system. But. There is a big but.The Sport only comes with the CVT and that is not going to please sporty drivers, even if Suzuki says the vast majority of Australians choose automatics. You can pick from the six 'gears' set in the CVT but if you leave the transmission alone it makes the car feel too dowdy and unresponsive.Once you take manual control the Sport is great fun to push along and the basic strengths of the car - from a solid chassis to comfy seats, a punchy Rockford Fosgate sound system and even the easy-to-use dials and controls - make it a car to enjoy.We'll wait for home-territory testing to judge the car against its rivals, particularly the Subaru Liberty, but the Suzuki makes a very good first impression. And the price is tight. But the Kizashi is a car which can clearly cope with more power and the Sport proves the point.The Sport is good, or better than good, but now we're waiting for some turbo action in the engine room.SUZUKI KIZASHI SPORTPrice: $39,990Engine: 2.4-litre four cylinderOutputs: 131kW@6500 revs/230Nm@4000 revsTransmission: Six-speed CVT, all-wheel driveEconomy: 8.4L/100kmCO2 emissions: 198g/km

WHAT IS IT?Kizashi is Suzuki's first go at a larger car and it's an impressive effort. Looks the goods and is about the size of a Camry or Mazda6, with a 2.4-litre four cylinder engine and space for five occupants. The Japanese name interestingly means 'something good is coming'.HOW MUCH?Our top of the range XLS manual is priced from $34,990 plus on-road costs. A CVT style auto will set you back another $2000. Bluetooth is $500 and satnav is a prohibitive $4000, though we're told Bluetooth will soon be standard on XLS.WHAT ARE THE COMPETITORS?The aforementioned Camry and Mazda6, plus the likes of Liberty, Mondeo, Accord Euro, new Hyundai i45 etc. In terms of size it's exactly the same width as a Camry but with its short rump is about 16cm shorter.WHAT'S UNDER THE BONNET?A 2.4-litre four cylinder petrol engine, with 131kW of power and 230Nm of torque. That's more power and torque than Camry, but it falls short of the current front runner the i45 at 148kW. The engine is a development of that in the Grand Vitara.HOW DOES IT GO?Not bad. Smooth and nice and quiet, with impressive ride and handling. The manual lends a sporty feel, but it could do with a bit more torque down low. Nice to see one-touch blinkers too!IS IT ECONOMICAL?Yes. For an engine this size 7.9 litres/100km is excellent. With a 63-litre tank that gives the car a theoretical range of close to 800km. Mind you, we were getting 8.3 and it was nearly empty with 454km on the trip meter.IS IT 'GREEN'?Yes again. Produces 186g C02/km. The Green Car Guide gives it an air pollution rating of 8.5 out of 10.IS IT SAFE?From all accounts. We're still waiting for it to be crash tested here, but in the States it scored a full five stars. Comes standard with six airbags, electronic traction and stability control and anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution.IS IT COMFORTABLE?Thumbs up. Nothing like heated seats to get you through cold winter mornings. Power adjust driver's and passenger seat, with 10-way adjust for the driver and 4-way for the front passenger (plus driver's lumbar adjustment too).WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?Sportier than your average family bus. The four cylinder engine needs and likes to be revved and the shortish-throw manual falls easily to hand and is a snack to use. We found the steering a little heavy initially. It's the first Suzuki with steering wheel reach adjustment, but either our legs are too long or our arms are too short, because finding the ideal position eluded us.IS IT VALUE FOR MONEY?Competitively priced. Well equipped. Feels like a quality job. Full size alloy spare. XLS gets a 425 watt sound system with a USB port for music devices like iPods. Standard gear leather and twin-zone air, along with auto everything, front and rear parking sensors, trip computer with distance to empty, a sunroof, foglights, push-button start and cruise control.WOULD WE BUY ONE?It would certainly be high on our list of contenders if we were in the market for a mid-sized Korean/Japanese car. Being a brand newie, it also has early adopter appeal.

Twenty kilometres on the worst bitumen road I have driven in 20 years has won me on the Suzuki Kizashi. Until we hit the horror strip on the haul to Warwick in Queensland I am using words like cute, nice, safe, sensible and refined to describe the Kizashi. With a special mention for a $27,990 starting price.As we emerge from the nastiness, and a road that would run an Audi A4 ragged, my Kizashi vocabulary has switched to composed, refined, impressive, enjoyable and - wait for it - brilliant. The turnaround happens as quickly as one evil, nasty corner that would turn most cars into a bucking bronco. The Kizashi crushes it and, even though the rear suspension bottoms heavily, there is no lasting damage of any sort.My passenger and I are both smiling, and things get better with every kilometre. This is a big surprise because Suzuki is moving into unknown and uncharted territory with the Kizashi, its first mid-sized car and one that must compete with the Honda Euro and Mazda6 and perhaps even the Audi A4.Suzuki made its name with grotty little 660cc city runabouts. It produces them in vast numbers, even badging them for Mazda and Nissan. It began its move upmarket with the impressive Swift, a Carsguide Car of the Year winner, and continued with the latest Grand Vitara. The SX4 is alright, but not in the same class.Now it has the Kizashi, a safe but smooth design with impressive quality in every area. And, as I discover on the track to Warwick, world-class steering, suspension and noise control. The car has been developed over more than four years and, despite losing some of the sensational styling of Kizashi concept cars, it is an impressive job. But it needs to be good because Kizashi is up against tough rivals and has no history or reputation to help it."Kizashi is a car we have all been looking forward since the Frankfurt Show in 2007. It is a car that is immensely important for Australia. We are confident it will re-define the Suzuki brand here in Australia," says Tak Hayasaki, managing director of Suzuki Australia. His crew has laid the ground for Kizashi with everything from the Swift to an $80 million upgrade of dealer facilities, even if the first-year sales forecast is a conservative 3000 cars.DRIVETRAINS AND PRICINGThe basics for the Kizashi are the medium-class body, a 2.4-litre four- cylinder engine, six speed manual and six-speed CVT automatic transmissions, and plenty of standard equipment. There are only two models, the XL and XLS. The XL is well equipped with keyless entry and start, six airbags, ESP and anti-skid brakes, 17-inch alloys and dual-zone aircon. The XLS picks up everything plus leather seats and sunroof.Pricing is $27,990 and $30,490 for the XL or $34,990 and $37,990 for the XLS. "Only the entry-level Mazda6 Limited has a lower retail price. It's patently clear which vehicle has better value," says Tony Devers, general manager of Suzuki Australia.DRIVINGThe Kizashi is a good looking car and the quality is first-rate, but I wonder at first about the size. Looks are deceiving with such short overhangs, but the boot is good and there is Euro-sized space for four adults in the cabin. It's easy to find a comfy driving position but taller drivers - and ones not much over 180 centimetres - report restricted headroom in the XLS. Suzuki is investigating making the sunroof an option, not standard.The car is quiet, the six-speed manual gearshift is slick, and the CVT does not produce the annoying engine roar of some rivals, while the car will obviously do good economy numbers. It undercuts the Mazda6 and Suzuki also touts regular unleaded.The 2.4-litre engine is smooth but lacking any real mid-range punch, which is a shortcoming when you have a few people on board. But a V6, a future engine choice, would likely make the car heavy in the noise and upset the ride and handling. And that's where the Kizashi is a real winner, cashing-in the development work done at the Nurburgring.The steering is sharp and responsive, the car is neutral at all speeds in all types of corners, and the way the suspension absorbs bumps is - that word again - nothing short of brilliant. When you look at the car's value, and the quality of the engineering, the only shortcoming is the Suzuki badge. It's not that a Suzuki is bad, just that no-one will expect a car like the Kizashi in the mid- sized ruck.If the latest Honda Euro or Mazda6 were as capable as the Kizashi they would re-write the rules for mid-sized motoring; just as they did when they hit as the first Euro-Jap mid-sized contenders. How good is the Kizashi? I'm certain it will make the shortlist for the Carsguide Car of the Year award in 2010.

The Japanese brand is so committed to its new Kizashi that it will pay the cash bounty to anyone who drives it, then buys a rival car.  The offer could cost Suzuki Australia as much as $20,000 and it is likely to be paying some shoppers, as its list of rivals runs to classy contenders including the Audi A4, Mazda6, Honda Accord Euro and Volkswagen Jetta."This shows the confidence we have in Kizashi. We're prepared to put our money behind it," says Tony Devers, general manager of Suzuki Australia.  "You have to remember that they will be spending somewhere between $30,000 and $60,000 to get our $200, and they also have to drive the Kizashi first. Once they do that, and see the starting price, we're very confident which way they will go."The bottom line for the 2.4-litre Kizashi is $27,990 with a six-speed manual gearbox, rising to $37,990 for the XLS flagship with a constantly-variable transmission.  The car is a big step up for Suzuki, which sells the vast majority of its two-million annual production as tiny city runabouts in Japan and India.Suzuki says it is mid-sized, despite tight overall dimensions, and has five-star safety as well as standard equipment running to 17-inch alloy wheels, remote locking and start, and a four-way adjustable steering column. The XLS upgrade comes with an electric driver's seat, 18-inch alloys, parking assist, HID headlamps and rain-sensing wipers, and a punchy Rockford-Fosgate sound system.Safety is claimed at five-star level thanks to six airbags across the range, as well as anti-skid brakes, ESP stability control and a very rigid body.  Mechanically, the car has an engine with 131kW/230Nm, four-wheel disc brakes and fully-independent suspension with front MacPherson struts and a multi-link setup in the tail.Suzuki teaser the Kizashi campaign with three concept cars and, although the production sedan is far more conservative, it's still a car which should change the perception of the brand.  "We are confident this vehicle will redefine the Suzuki brand worldwide. We now have cars to suit customers at every stage of their lifestyle," says Masaaki Kato, Oceania marketing manager.DrivingThe Kizashi is a fine car.  It's well up to the standard set by Suzuki with everything from the Swift to the Grand Vitara and is likely to make the Car of the Year shortlist for 2010. It also continues a European-style focus on the real strengths of a car, from a rigid chassis to compliant suspension and a cockpit built around the driver.Quality is good in the Kizashi, performance is acceptable for the class, and the suspension is excellent.  The car feels a touch too cramped in the cabin to qualify as a genuine mid-sized contender - and go up against family cars like the Toyota Camry - but it will be fine for couples who want a car with class and driving enjoyment. And there is space in the back seat for a couple of kids.Both Kizashi models drive well and are well equipped, right down to fully-trimmed gloveboxes and a thumping sound system in the XLS. The standard sunroof in the luxury car steals a bit of headroom, though, for anyone over about 175 centimetres tall.The six-speed manual gearbox has a slick shift and good ratios while the CVT auto is enjoyable to use and is programmed so there is none of the excess noise or flaring from similar units in other brands.  The engine could use a bit more torque for overtaking punch but is quiet and very smooth, with good economy.It is going to take Suzuki a while to get the Kizashi established and moving, but the basics are right and it deserves to succeed.