The Suzuki Kizashi is a mid-size family sedan that Suzuki unveiled in the United States on 30 July 2009. It went on sale in Japan that October and in North America in December, and was the company’s first serious attempt at the segment above the compact class.
Suzuki Kizashi at a glance
| Unveiled | 30 July 2009, United States |
|---|---|
| On sale | Japan 21 October 2009, North America 1 December 2009 |
| Also sold | Australia and New Zealand 2010, India 2011, Europe, Pakistan 2015 |
| Body | family sedan, between compact and mid-size |
| Engine | 2.4-litre four, 185 hp and 230 Nm |
| Gearboxes | six-speed manual or CVT |
| Drive | front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive optional |
| Trims | base, SE, Sport GTS, Sport SLS |
| Safety | five stars from ANCAP |
| Production ended | December 2015, Sagara plant |
| Name meaning | Japanese for ‘something great is coming’ |
History of the Suzuki Kizashi
A new class for Suzuki
The Kizashi was Suzuki’s move into the mid-size class. Under the bonnet sat a 2.4-litre four-cylinder of 185 hp and 230 Nm, a more powerful version of the engine used in the contemporary Grand Vitara. It came with front-wheel drive or an optional all-wheel-drive system based on the SX4’s i-AWD, with a driver-selectable front-drive mode to save fuel, and a six-speed manual or a CVT. Standard equipment included keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, projector headlamps, 17- or 18-inch alloys, Akebono brakes and a 425-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo.
Awards and safety
The car was well received technically. It earned five stars from ANCAP and won AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards in 2010 and 2011, a Consumers Digest Best Buy in 2011, and in New Zealand the Supreme Winner title at the 2010 AA Motoring Excellence Awards plus the New Zealand Herald Car of the Year. Anti-lock brakes, stability control, front and rear side airbags and full-length curtain airbags were standard.
Why it failed
The Great Recession and Suzuki’s withdrawal from the United States in 2013 and Canada in 2014 undermined the car. In Japan it sold only 3,379 units between 2009 and 2015, a quarter of them to the National Police Agency, because its engine above two litres and wide body attracted extra tax and the brand was associated with kei cars rather than large sedans. In India it was imported as a complete built unit with 105 percent duty and priced at 16 to 17.5 lakh rupees; in Pakistan it arrived in February 2015 at PKR 5.0 million. Suzuki announced in December 2013 that the Kizashi would be phased out without a successor, and production stopped at Sagara in December 2015.
Concepts
Before production, Suzuki showed a series of Kizashi concept cars from 2007 to 2008, including a version with a 2.0-litre turbo diesel, a six-speed sequential gearbox and 21-inch wheels.
Design and features
- All-wheel drive: optional i-AWD with a front-drive mode for economy.
- Two gearboxes: six-speed manual or CVT.
- Well equipped: keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate, premium audio.
- Technically praised, commercially ignored: awards in America and New Zealand but tiny sales.
Suzuki Kizashi versions
- Kizashi base and SE: front-wheel drive with the 2.4-litre engine.
- Sport GTS and Sport SLS: higher trim levels with 18-inch wheels.
- All-wheel-drive versions: available on all but the base S.
- Kizashi concepts (2007–2008): show cars including a turbo diesel.
The Kizashi’s engine came from the Grand Vitara, and its all-wheel drive from the SX4. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.
Video: Erfahrungen einer Probefahrt 2013 Suzuki Kizashi 2.4 MT Test Review Fahrbericht
Video by Ausfahrt.tv on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki Kizashi, English Wikipedia: launch, engineering, awards, markets, end of production
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