The dealer bet me that the Kizashi had as many or more features and option as my Lexus is250 so we sat them side by side and compared them. He lost, but only by 1-2 features. It absolutely amazed me since the price point is at least $10,000 less than the Lexus. We then took both over to a deserted street and played autocross from curb to curb and we both like the Suzuki better. It's a killer car for the money. Now if they can just overcome the name. If you can't resell a car at a great price then you're losing money to buy it.
I'll take your word on this one ...but is the Kizashi really one and a half stars better than the Mazda 3s you guys just reviewed?
Id really like to see a comparo with a more sporty version of the Kizashi vs a MS3 or a sported up Altima/Maxima (though I know the Maxima is in a higher class). I momentarily looked away from what I was doing when they talked about the SX series from Suzuki. Now, with some of the press this car is getting, Im starting to really take notice.
There are 2 Suzuki dealers in my area (Memphis, Tn.) and between them they have about 5 or 6 Kizashis (that name puts me in mind of Greek food). Anyway, only 1 car with the 6 speed, and it's the "base/basic" model, without the cruise I want, and all cars are silver.
I realize Suzuki is a smaller player here in this country, but their marketing needs A LOT more work.
I've had a base model with a 6 speed for 4 months and 6000 miles. Handling is excellent - the suspension is a tad soft but it's so well-balanced that there is very little dive, under steer or secondary body motions when driven aggressively. The engine is not super-powerful but it gets out of its own way, the gear ratios are spaced well enough that it can accelerate well and cruise well on the highway. Brakes are great too. Altogether, it feels like a FWD E46 328i sedan. I am planning on autocrossing it just for kicks - it's no FWD M3 but the suspension and engineering generally are very well done.
Locally there is a new '12 base, 6spd in white for $15k
So tempting.
Suzuki has been making cars for years, but for the most part they've been viewed as being a step below the big Japanese brands. Sure, they offer a lot of bang for the buck, but they aren't going to woo the masses from their Camrys and Accords. The Kizashi is going to help change that opinion.
The production Kizashi may not be as radical as the concept cars that preceded it, but the brand's first midsize U.S. release comes nicely equipped: a roomy interior, lots of shiny bits, and some very modern styling. Our test car even featured an unexpected treat: a manual six-speed transmission.
The only options listed for our Sport SLS test car were the premium floor mats ($125), metallic paint ($130) and XM radio ($350). Everything else, including the 18-inch tires, 10-way power seat, leather interior and Rockford Fosgate sound system, came standard. The base Kizashi starts at $18,999, and all-wheel drive is an option.
