2010 Suzuki Kizashi - Review

By Tim Healey

Tim Healey

Contributing Writer BIO

Tim Healey was formerly an associate editor at Consumer Guide Automotive in Chicago. Before that he worked in the automotive industry as a service... More

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2010 Suzuki Kizashi

Acceleration cures a lot of sins, and in this regard, the Kizashi is on the good side of adequate. One-hundred and seventy lb-ft of torque do not a sports sedan make, but there's enough pep around town for urban cut-and-thrust. The extra weight of the all-wheel drive system is likely a bit a of burden. An optional V-6 or a skoosh more power would be welcome here.

The ride is on the stiff side, but the trade-off is fairly sporty handling. The car feels planted in corners and the steering feels just about right. Toss the Kizashi into a corner and you might have some--gasp!--fun. Call it the anti-Camry.

Larger than average humans may not appreciate the slightly cramped interior quarters, and I wished for more interior storage space and a larger trunk.

Fuel economy is rated on SLS AWD models at 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. I did significantly worse than that--14 mpg over 71 miles of mostly city driving, but I also spent some time idling in big-city traffic snarls. I expect someone with a judicious right foot and a command of the CVT's paddle shifters might well do better.

Suzuki has put forth a good effort here. The Kizashi is smaller than most cars in this class, but its sporting pretensions and attractive features-per-dollar ratio could help its appeal. So, too, will its fuel-economy ratings.

Accord and Camry buyers may dismiss Kizashi out of hand--owners of those cars tend to be fiercely loyal--but the Kizashi could appeal at Mazda 6 aficionados who were unhappy when that car grew larger in 2009, or with Nissan Altima buyers who are looking for something in a slightly smaller size. The Volkswagen Passat plays in this class too, and the new 2010 Subaru Legacy sedan is larger but equally fun to drive as well.

Kizashi still has some work to do in order to compete--the drivetrain needs refinement and more power, for starters--but the company can be proud of its latest foray into the mid-size ranks.