Suzuki Kizashi test drive since 2009 sedan

Review of the new Sedan Suzuki Kizashi. Suzuki finally started a serious business

Significant things rarely deserve a lot of attention, but for the creation of Suzuki Kizashi it was spent for four whole years. At the moment, this is the most important car Suzuki that has ever entered the United States.
Despite the fact that compact cars are now rule the world, medium-sized sedans occupy a significant part of the North American automobile market. So when Suzuki Kizashi will go on sale in December, the American representative office of Suzuki will receive a chance to rebuild its image again. This company was not previously represented in the segment of medium -sized sedans, except for the short -lived presence of Verona model on the market, a faceless sedan for the Korean market.
Perhaps you still do not want to perceive Suzuki Kizashi seriously (at least because of the name). So you just have to ride in one of them. And make sure that on the lanes he feels just fine. After driving along such a road, you will have the feeling that Suzuki engineers who developed the chassis for this model have enjoying driving, because they set it up in such a way that we experienced the same feelings.
Home-grown
The Suzuki Kizashi concept seems to be equipped with a 3.6 -liter of General Motors V6 engine. Therefore, some of us had the impression that the whole platform would also be borrowed from GM, as happened to Suzuki XL7. But this did not happen.
Instead, Suzuki Kizashi received a completely authentic design. The front -wheel drive is taken as a basis, although there will be an option with all -wheel drive based on a central differential with a coupling. And although Kizashi sales will begin with the United States, the model will be widespread. So Suzuki had to make it a little less than the rather large Honda Accord or Toyota Camry.
The total length of the Kizashi is 4 651 mm, the length of its base is 2,700 mm, with a distance between wheels 1,565 mm. It is similar in size to Acura TSX (analogue of the European Honda Accord) and Subaru Legacy 2005-2009 model years.
Like TSX, Kizashi is equipped with a 2.4-liter in-line four-cylinder engine. This engine has two balanced shafts and a gas distribution phase change system. He develops 185 hp. and 230 nm of torque at 4,000 revolutions, aggregated with a standard six -speed manual gearbox. With an optionally affordable variator (CVT), the power becomes 180 hp. for 6,000 revolutions per minute. The variator is available only for cars with all-wheel drive, as well as steering wheel petals for pseudo-reducing speeds in manual mode.
Undoubtedly, Acura TSX and Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT are more powerful, but Kizashi easily bypasses atmospheric Legacy with a capacity of 170 hp. Among the mid -size sedans with four -cylinder engines only Accord Ex (190 hp), Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg and Passat (200 hp) will be faster than Kizashi.
In any case, Suzuki will cost much less of its direct competitors. The basic configuration of Kizashi S costs less than $ 20,000, and SLS came to us with a six -speed mechanics will cost about $ 25,500 (there are two more between these two equipment: SE and GTS). A full -wheel drive option with a variator will supposed to cost $ 27,500.
Not like a car for $ 25,000
Why mention TSX and Legacy GT if Suzki Kizashi is so cheap? It so coincided that Kizashi feels like the named cars, especially the more miniature TSX 2004-2008 of the release and Legacy of the 2005-2009 period, which we like so much.
According to Jin Brown, vice president of the marketing department and public relations of the American Suzuki unit, when developing Kizashi, they wanted to create a world-class sports sedan available to the average buyer.
In truth, you can hardly find a real sports sedan in the form of a front -wheel drive medium -sized car in a price segment of about $ 25,000, but Kizashi was able to offer the level that we did not see in this class before. Like the earlier TSX and Legacy models, it is quite light, collected and straightforward in his intentions.
You should not embarrass the chicken roll in steep turns. On the contrary, this is a call to put an accelerator to the pedal, because this is how Kizashi shows everything that is capable of. Clutch with the road, not demolition, this is what you feel behind the wheel of this car due to the virtuoso adjustment of the suspension and the excellent all -season tires Dunlop SPORT 7000 P235/45 R18 94V. The electric power amplifier seems to be slightly shy about informing you about what is happening on the road, but it is so well balanced that only a very attentive and experienced driver will notice that he is electric. The stabilization system can be completely turned off, and therefore our Kizashi SLS accelerated on a slalom of up to 104.3 km/h and showed 0.88G in the test for lateral acceleration.
With a slight press on the brake pedal, there is a feeling that the brakes are weak, but in fact they are quite powerful and perfectly confront fatigue is just what is needed on an unasptionary road. Our car stopped from 96 km/h for 37.19 m.
But the greatest impression on us was made by Suzuki Kizashi on the highway, amazing for the average size sedan. Even on 18-inch wheels Kizashi SLS, it never seemed tough for us. Road noise also did not bother us.
The engine is not bad
Unfortunately, the 2.4-liter Kizashi engine did not cause us the same enthusiasm, although it is quite suitable for everyday driving. The optimal torque is present at low and medium speeds, as a result of which the car feels very well in a slow loaded stream and easily passes the complex ligaments of secondary roads.
But in the high -speed range, we did not like the behavior of this motor. The power begins to fall even before cutting off by 6,600 revolutions per minute, and you can’t call it the most smooth and easily promoting in the class. It is rather a middle peasant, and this is especially striking, since other aspects of the ride of complaints do not cause complaints.
Against the background of modern six -speed mechanical transmission, the Kizashi box looks very good. The clutch is slightly slurred, but a long speed lever is endowed with excellent accuracy. Switching with extension does not cause any difficulties if you use this technique.
As a result, from zero to 96 km/h, the car accelerates in 8.3 seconds. A quarter of a mile Kizashi overcomes 16.0 s, accelerating at the finish to 139.4 km/h. For comparison, the current generation of the current generation with the in -line four (201 L.S., 233 Nm) and six -speed mechanics pass the quoter in 15.6 seconds, accelerating at the finish line up to 144.5 km/h. Other sedans with four -cylinder in -line engines in this class, except VW in configuration 2.0t and Honda Accord Ex, are slower than Kizashi for a second.
Suzuki Kizashi has and a trump card in the sleeve regarding the motor compartment. It’s not about the possibility of seeing a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine under the hood, but that Suzuki is already testing an all-wheel drive version from the V6 GM development with a working volume of 3.6 liters, which can be found on XL7, in the company of a six-speed machine.
Small but pleasant salon
The narrow scope of the budget allocated for the development of Suzuki Kizashi, obviously, did not allow it to equip it with serious sports seats, although in all other respects the salon is quite acceptable. The driver’s landing is not high and not low, and the three -spoke steering wheel has a telescopic adjustment and lies perfectly in the hand.
Most management elements are found without difficulty, and despite the fact that the audio system display in our pre -production Kizashi SLS is hardly called a work of art, for models that will go on sale, Suzuki is looking for a more appropriate head structure. USB and launching an engine without a key will be standard for all Kizashi, and the GTS and SLS configuration will also receive an audio system Rockford Fosgate and Bluetooth.
Suzuki will also equip Kizashi with the Garmin navigation system with the possibility of upgrade, but this time it will have a larger monitor built into the front panel. For $ 1,300 that you will have to lay out for the navigation system, you will also receive the rear view camera and update information about the state of roads in real time.
The only thing that caused us a complaint was a lack of space for the heads and legs of passengers in the back seat, but this can be considered a consequence of the fact that this is a universal car. If your height greatly exceeds 180 cm, just do not sit on the rear sofa Kizashi.
Do not rush with jokes
In general, it is simply amazing how correct Suzuki Kizashi turned out. This average sedan has excellent handling, it goes well and accelerates. It also has a kind of attractiveness and is endowed with all the characteristics that you expect from a car of this class.
The only difficulty with which Suzuki Kizashi will encounter success is a funny name and mediocre work of the Suzuki dealerships in the United States. (In fact, the second circumstance is not at all happy, since there are few dealers, and even in the south of California, famous for a large number of imported cars, they can be counted on the fingers.)
Those of you who want to purchase Suzuki Kizashi will receive at your disposal a proper sedan, not inferior to the editoriality of the former Acura TSX and Subaru Legacy. If there are buyers for Kizashi, this will be able to fundamentally change the image of a small Japanese company that has not yet been able to bring a single right car to the American market.
Alternative opinion, editor James Rizvik:
 
Suzuki chose the perfect place to present his perfect new Kizushki Portland. I did not know anything about this city except that it was the homeland of Chevrolet Trailblazer, once the sailors were hired by sailors on ships, and this is somewhere in Oregon.
Portland is one of those forgotten cities, just as Suzuki is one of the little -known automobile companies, and this is quite justified. Cars such as Forenza, Grand Vitara, Reno, Sidekick, Swift and Verona are unlikely to win a place in the Hall of Automobile Glory. But Kizaski can fundamentally change the current situation. That's right, Kisushi is the wonderful Home-yran Suzuki in the big helmet tournament. The companies managed to create a medium -sized sedan, which you would surely take for a European both in the manner of driving and in terms of the quality of the salon.
Moreover, all this arose almost out of nowhere, without any predecessors and evolution. Here is an economical Suzuki car for Daewoo, and then once and the Volkswagen Passat reincarnation.
Kizoo is not only a great car from Suzuki. This is just a great car. Only this name
 
 

 

Source: Insideline