Not anymore. Please read on BMW.The Kizashi is, quite frankly, excellent. I haven't been this excited in a car in a very very long time. Starting with looks: it's one of the only new cars you can buy that is a symphony of aesthetic excellence. But it's not like the Kizashi is a triumph of 'form over function.' It's not overly shouty, it's not a screaming child on an airplane, and it's not unreasonable to think that the person in charge of design simply wanted a Suzuki that he could be proud to be seen in. The Kizashi looks excellent from every angle, which is something that is so rare now a days, I had forgotten that it was possible.
Under the hood, the Kizashi sports a 2.4l four-cylinder engine, with a double overhead cam, and 185hp. On the ground it has 170lb-ft of torque, which in a car this size, is more than enough to get you moving quickly. Best of all, you can get it in a 6-speed manual transmission, or Suzuki's 'Continuously Variable Transmission' if you so desire. Driving the CVT equipped model, one notices a very refreshing 'surge' of power to get you on your way instead of the usual kick to the gut, like so many other compact sport-sedans. The power is put out to two wheels, as standard, or a very clever selectable "intelligent" all wheel drive system, should you choose to get it.
However, the interior is the strongest link in the Kizashi chain. Tasteful, surprisingly comfortable, well equipped; these are just some of the things that came to mind when it was time for me to actually sit down. The SLS model that I drove came with Bluetooth, XM capable stereo, a very nice 425 watt Rockford Fosgate speaker system, and powered-heated-leather seats. There's room enough in the back for a couple of adults to sit comfortably, and even room enough in the trunk for, dare I say: "Things." The back seats also fold down so you can fit a couple more "Things" in it. The Kizashi's party-piece, if you will, is it's unique ability to have absolutely everything you could want and nothing more. I'll explain: you can get the Kizashi with satellite navigation, but Suzuki knows that you don't really need it, so it's an optional extra. It's not standard on any of the trim levels, so they haven't had to design the interior around a massive and annoying computer in the middle of the dashboard. They can make it look elegant. It's the opposite story with almost all luxury sedans, because now it's expected that a big computer screen is sitting inches away from your steering wheel and they've had to design the entire cabin around that look. The Kizashi doesn't need to bother with any of that because it is one of the few cars on sale today that knows and accepts what it is. You can get a Toyota Camry for cheaper. But it won't be as powerful, it won't look as nice, it won't corner as well and it won't have the impressive warranty you get with the Kizashi: 7 years/100k miles, which is fully transferrable and requires no deductible. Toyota can't even match half of that, so for the savvy consumer, the Kizashi is the better deal.
The SX4 will be remembered as the car that turned Suzuki around, the Kizashi on the other hand, will be remembered as the car that cemented it's reputation into history. People who have already bought one however, will most likely remember it for the way it makes them feel: happy, excited. Every boring trip to the store now becomes an auto-cross or rally adventure. No one's laughing at the Japanese auto manufacturer now, and I can't tell you how refreshing it feels to be proven completely wrong.
