We all know the trouble Suzuki has been having as of late: no longer available in the US, dwindling sales and a disappearing presence on the market. It’s not that Suzuki make horrible cars out of cardboard, just that they’ve not made one worth any sort of mass recognition in the recent past. Suzuki is exiting the auto business here after 2014 and “realigning” its Canadian retail operations to concentrate on motorcycle, ATV and marine sales. News like that is bound to depress Suzuki’s residual values and this should prove a godsend to used-car shoppers.it had previously sold the short-lived, Daewoo-built Verona mid-size sedan from 2004-2006—but it's the first sedan this size to be designed and built by Suzuki itself. With mid-size sedans becoming somewhat longer and larger, the Kizashi ends up competing most directly against larger compact-sedan models like the Volkswagen Jetta, Chevrolet Cruze, and Ford Focus in the current market.
The 2013 Suzuki Kizashi is without question the most underrated and overlooked midsize sedan out this year. Sadly, it's a great car tied to a dead automotive brand, since Suzuki has elected to quit doing business as a car company in the U.S.But it’s round the back of the 2013 Suzuki Kizashi that I really start to like this thing. Maybe it’s the oversized, geometrical, chrome-tipped exhaust covers integrated into the rear bumper, or the upturned tail with a subtle decklid spoiler that gets me, but the sporty nature of the Kizashi’s rear is quite appealing.Research the latest Suzuki Kizashi body styles, read detailed model specifications and features, compare with other models, and locate Suzuki dealerships near you where you can purchase your next vehicle.
The four-door sedan cast a smaller shadow compared to mid-sizers such as the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. The previous-generation Volkswagen Jetta is a good reference point, since the Suzuki does a good impression of a European sedan in its driving character.In straight-line performance, the Kizashi won't quite be mistaken for a sport sedan, however. The 185-horsepower (180 with the continuously variable automatic), 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is gutsy, and provides pretty satisfying performance with the six-speed manual gearbox. The CV automatic can bring out the boomy nature in the engine and ramps down the excitement level—unfortunately it's the only way to get the Kizashi with all-wheel drive, if that's a must—but you get access to six simulated ratios through steering-wheel paddle-shifters on all but the base S.
Inside, the oxymoronic experience continues. On the one hand, it’s quite a sophisticated cabin: the 2013 Suzuki Kizashi Sport iAWD features a 6.1” colour touchscreen with Garmin nav and voice-activated commands. HVAC knobs have a solid feel to them when turned and the steering-wheel buttons are both practical and well-placed. And I quite like the futuristic sweep of chrome accent across the dash. Power is supplied by the all-aluminum DOHC 2.4 L four cylinder pinched from the Grand Vitara sport-ute, yielding 180 horses and 170 lbs.-ft. of torque. It works through a Jatco-supplied continuously variable (CVT) automatic transmission, driving the front or all four wheels.