MotorWeek Road Test: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi

MotorWeek Road Test: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi

[@deloreanman14]

I rarely see these on the road but when I do, I always find myself doing a double-take. It really is a handsome car.

[@mikeluvrs]

To me the front end of the Chevy SS sedan looks a lot like the Kizashi lol

[@jimmbobb]

@@mikeluvrs it does!!! I wonder if that has anything to do with GM owning a stake.

[@jaydawg3031]

I still have my 2010 kizashi xls... Done 151k and still has no problems. I get it serviced every 6 months.

[@radudeATL]

Do you still have it today?

[@RaVAndres]

I have my 2016 Kizashi, Black with clear interior, one of the last one sold on my country, still today gets nice comments of the car on gas stations, parking lots and even ask if its a new model from Suzuki.

[@volvocare]

Awesome car...owned one since 2012 from new. Not one problem with it. Love it

[@thewanderboyjitinraj9010]

Is it reliable like a corolla and does it consume a lot of fuel? I am considering buying one

[@tonybrown9779]

@@thewanderboyjitinraj9010 we were looking at a corolla but bought a Kizashi and haven't looked back. So much more car for the money and way better styling. So far 160,000kms of fun trouble free motoring.

[@bitzovhadez7214]

Man 2009 footage looks like something from the late 90s.

[@2steaksandwiches665]

But John Davis really doesn’t age. The guy looks the same from 1991.

[@qmto]

Highly underrated car.

[@maddiesiegmund5623]

Ahead of its time with that diagonal grid grill and overall design. I might get a 2010. My family has a Suzuki in Europe and it's still running like a champ since 2005.

[@sunilayya8948]

USA is missing a brand that delivers reliability with economy. In reliability surveys conducted in the UK in the last decade , Suzuki has done really well ,even beating toyota in some cases.

[@zettatakem4173]

This is my car 2010 midnight blue Kizashi I love it

[@bilalahmed2123]

Zetta Takem exact same car ?

[@carwrtr1]

It’s a good driving car; it’s a shame that Suzuki didn’t get the respect they deserved. I’d want an automatic transmission..

[@steve9509]

I love this car, I hope Suzuki gets a fresh start with this vehicle.

[@kusaisaru]

I have the 2011 and love it. Really fun drive and looks nice too.

[@mustasheolll2020]

This design has aged so well

[@2steaksandwiches665]

Man that thing is heavy. Probably well built.

[@RyanEmeryLovesCars]

I've seen one maybe two of these in my life. They're super rare

[@asd36f]

You don't see too many of these on the road in Australia, even when they were new.

[@kippaseo8027]

I rented 1 about 10 years ago. It was a beautiful metallic silver color. I had to drive it from Miami Beach cross country to Seattle Washington And back so I had a lot of time and drove on a lot of different roads with this Suzuki. I had no complaints about the seek comfort or the controls and I Really liked the driving dynamics but the one unforgivable flaw was the rubber ride. It had a rubbery feel to the point where even small pavement imperfections Caused you to feel every bump. Being a Camry owner I didn't realize how pampered I was until I drove thus Suzuki.

[@LittleKatyMonsterCat]

mine it's the only Kizashi in Town! ;p

[@Sanpedranoazul]

How has it developed?

[@sharkskinsharpie]

i'm more interested with the 5 door swift. i love the swifts.

[@PrometheusForever]

THANK YOU very much for these reviews!!

[@stephenpaden626]

Just bought a 2012 Suzuki kizashi SE awd with only 75,000 miles, my first awd vehicle.

[@alierikenoglu8006]

Good luck with it Stephen. I just purchased a 2011 Kizashi Sport GT 4WD with 81k. It's in good shape, and feels great on the road. So let me rephrase...good luck to us both :)

[@armandojarquin4873]

Great video!

[@stanbernadino]

This car is nicer than any other suzuki I've seen, nice job stepping up the game!

[@charlesdeodatien]

j' en possede une depuis 8 mois , c'est une auto vraiment fuunnnn! et surtout originale.

[@mustafabilal2086]

It's a really handsome car and whenever I see one on the road it's always a treat

[@PantherP74]

Too bad this car came after everyone had given up on Suzuki as far as 4 wheels go.

[@TAELSDOLL]

car looks so good after all these years ngl

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

A guy at my school has a Kizashi. It's so much sexier in person.

[@thatdude8454]

The entire “turnaround” stuff hasn’t aged well(for the North American market)

[@banstaman]

My parents bought an XL-7, which had a few problems, but that's solely because the dealer never told us it was in an accident, but it is a VERY solid car, not a single problem except for what was damaged in the accident. If my parents don't pass down that car, then I definitely would want the Kizashi to be my first car.

[@kingdarius5252]

OK I just test drove a Kizashi SLS, it had the CVT. I was very impressed with the look, handling, and features for the money, but this car does have one very serious gripe:the CVT transmission. It took about 11 seconds to get from 0-60, and even if my figure was a little off, it just felt REALLY slow, especially from a start. I don't know what was wrong with it, but I really hope Suzuki either replaces the CVT with a regular automatic or fixes it. GET THE MANUAL!

[@opinionmatters7119]

Had mine since 2012. Amazing amazing amazing car.

[@JAYBud88]

Opinion Matters how’s the reliability?

[@ethanhess246]

@@JAYBud88 I've had mine since 2013, and with 86k miles I haven't had one issue. It has had two recalls for little things, but no problems whatsoever. If you're thinking about buying one, I'd say go for it. As far as AWD sedans go, there are not many to pick from that would beat the Kizashi.

[@Lukanater7777]

Wikipedia and advertisers lied that this was a midsize. It's not even as big as the Volkswagon Jetta,Lexus HS, or Toyota Corolla from the 2004 to 2010 era. Wikipedia said that the length of the car was 187 in. but it's length is only 183.1 in. long.

[@tom11zz884]

Its not in the same class as those cars, but it probably drives just as good as those cars in AWD guise...plus it will be more reliable than the BMW and Audi.

[@Bizzenn1976]

I just bought one. Fantastic car and I'm picky. I could give or take the cvt though

[@cavedwarf91]

i agree, and i think it's the most beautiful car among the suzukis

[@WiltedRaven2]

I still have my 2011. Its in the shop as its really beat up. They are rare here where I am so Im trying to bring it back to new.

[@LoyalmoonieProductions]

#ComeBackSuzuki

[@Shishizurui]

I'm an XL-7 owner i own a 2001, Its a solid SUV my mom gave it to me when she bought her colorado; The XL-7 is durable, I put mine into a snowbank 3 years ago and lost part of the front bumper and drove out; Remember the 2007 on XL7 is not an XL-7 but a chevy equinox rebadge.

[@howarddrakeford]

I find that a good thing! It's exclusive!!

[@timforsyth15]

I LOOOOOOOVE the exhaust

[@TheSoftwareJunction]

I have a 2011 Kizashi. It's still a premium sedan car in 2022. LOL

[@TheCarArchives96]

the 2010-present Suzuki Kizashi is assembled in Sagara, Japan

[@racers115]

@urbex2007 You can buy it in the UK, it will be arriving there soon.

[@savann-gp2yz]

Suzuki deserved better in America.

[@mustasheolll2020]

Definitely underrated, I mean these never really sold here in the US, and why are they so hard to find?

[@Tom_pr]

@@mustasheolll2020 cause most people keep them

[@banstaman]

I meant that a V6 won't be necessary for the Kizashi, because the added weight can/will tinker with how the car is tuned, and you have to do it all over again. GDI and a Turbo can EASILY solve that problem. But if Suzuki will put in the V6, I'm guessing it'd be the one used in the XL7.

[@JetBlueIce]

@jet79637 They did have a test mule with the GM high feature V6, with an output of 280hp, it was faster but the added weight to the front end reduced the cars over all agility. I think they are gonna go for the 4-cyl turbo set up instead.

[@Toyobusa]

that means the kizashi is a very Good car

[@sgirn507]

@wppdoes thats good news. thanks for the update and the info. It would be sweet if they can put the vw gti engine in the little swift and offer it as an option. You know like a regular swift and a really swift...um.. swift. Doubt that will happen but i'm hoping nonetheless.

[@Super57S]

I just got one 2010 sls awd cvt. so far so good.

[@Super57S]

it's up to you..... if you think it's worht it then it is. if you don't then it's not. but other then that you should probably get it

[@Super57S]

yep

[@Super57S]

i meh

[@RokerSMisisipi]

How is yours holding up? I plan on buying one next week.

[@jacobyo99]

I love this car!!!! 😃

[@gsheverything_2716]

One of my neighbor has one of these cars, I always wondering what type of vehicle that is, cause I never see it around

[@Cali_Lux_Cruiser]

I really like this car!!!!!

[@tigersoup]

they should have come out with the exact model they showed as concept car ! that wud have really awesome... this is more like to blend in with the rest!

[@lili2sexc]

The Kizashi is actually larger than the jetta, I think you need to check the dimensions. Its not by much but it is in fact longer.

[@benjaminlately]

Nice to see the zero to 60 time on the front wheel CVT. I think you might be first on that one. A small V6 with 30 more horse power would probably add enough weight that it would do practically nothing... owners will be much better off putting in a small turbo to get that kind of boost. I'll almost guarantee there will be one soon after the car is released. If you like the car you should google "kizashi club" and become a member.

[@olikat8]

@TheMiles302 Didn't say "Just slap on a turbo, go kick some asses." But if you are going to play in the compact sports sedan arena, bring something that can keep up or act as a "Halo" car.

[@zukisidekick]

bg1379, Suzuki has actually been given quite a few accolades pre-SX4. The Grand Vitara has been given compact SUV of the year by several automotive press. Suzuki has always been a company known to do things "against the norm". The Grand Vitara for example is the ONLY compact SUV with low-range transfer case for true off roading. They don't get great ratings because they're not cookie cutter...

[@sokalove42]

@Grenade410 Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Dodge Avenger class..it's considered mid-sized even though it looks small.

[@frankgn87]

@banstaman what the engine? The XL7 has a v6 standard..

[@Nbuilder1]

I like the Suzuki's I just wish they would do better with they're motors I mean they could bring out a high revving motor in they're small cars.

[@JetBlueIce]

@mtech20 I wouldn't say sales have been poor considering that Suzuki has done almost no advertising for the car yet and they have a very limited dealer network. It's about what you would expect considering those factors. And yeah you could get a used BMW sedan for 28k, but then factor in atleast 2k per year for maintinance and repair of the BMW. Kizashi comes with 7 yr, 100k mile warranty, so Kizashi would still be more affordable.

[@glenlackey2]

@kingdarius5252 : If you want to go fast then yes get the manual. All AWD have the CVT auto. If you use the F style paddle shifters on the steering wheel then you can still go fast. It still has 185 hp 4 banger which ain't bad plus the 29 mpg.....

[@LoveMyZJ]

I think its awesome that they made it smaller than Accord, Camry etc. Bigger isn't always better.

[@banstaman]

I'm guessing that's the one from the XL7? In fact I don't think a V6 would be necessary, because with all that extra weight, you have to tune up the chassis and the steering etc. they might as well make the same amount of power with GDI and a turbo, saves weight, gas, and equals MORE FUN.

[@TheCarArchives96]

the engine on the 2009-present Suzuki Kizashi Engine 2.4 L I4

[@racers115]

@mtech20 You don't need to get the SLS version to get AWD, there is the S version with AWD for $22,484, which still gets 8 airbags, smartpass, keyless ignition, dual zone control, same engine, transmition, an outstanding value. Suzuki hasn't even launched it's full blow advertising campaign for Kizashi yet, they are only doing a limited test market trial getting ready for the nationwide campaign around the same time that the new 2011 Suzuki Swift arrives in the U.S.

[@wppdoes]

@kingdarius5252 There is a flash update that can be done to the cars computer that corrects for the lag from 0 to 15 mph. You would figure they would do that at the dealerships right when the cars arrive but alot of dealers don't bother to do it. Either way though it's free to get it done since it's just a software update.

[@aaryeshg.6526]

I know this is old but honestly it would burn up the CVT and void warranty as well. Like any automatic, just time your launch properly and you'll take off easily, not hard to do. Also use the manual mode if you want it to accelerate more aggressively.

[@racers115]

@mtech20 Kizashi isn't aimed at USED twin turbo 300hp vehicles, otherwise you would have to say the same about any NEW car by comparing it to used car prices, most people just don't shop that way they compare new with new, and used with used. Kizashi's aimed at new cars like 4-cyl tsx, A4, Accord, Mazda6, etc. At Virginia Intl Raceway Kizashi out performed all of those cars.

[@steve9509]

What happens to pre-production cars?

[@racers115]

Actually it's not "Exhausts for show", its only the exhaust TIPS that he was talking about. The exhaust tips are actually part of the rear bumper instead of being connected to the pipes which are located right behind the tips. The actual dual rear exhaust is real and fully functional. You need to learn how to pay better attention ;)

[@gvannimokefu786]

Does anybody know if u can add an extended warranty and how reliable is the cvt shit?

[@ronaldderooij1774]

+Giovanni Moreno CVT has had problems in some cases (but mostly not). I think they evolved. The Japanese Main Battle Tank has CVT nowadays...

[@Shishizurui]

i'm up to 143,000 miles on my 2001 XL-7, I tore off the bumper when i ran off the road because of the ice, and i removed the third row seat so i could fit a push mower in the back easier.

[@bg1379]

This car flew in completely under my radar! Anyway, I hope it is better than Suzuki's of the recent past, which have been regarded as crap by the automotive press (besides, to a certain degree, the SK4)

[@MechRider89]

@Hewhosmokeswomen i was at the dealership today.....honestly just as good as any bmw! i know because I've had one. it looks great and feels like high quality!

[@doraemon8061]

I just got this as my first car. XD :In this blue colour~

[@sarahhhx3]

This is my first car now lol used :(

[@perpetualgrin5804]

I rented one for a day in Australia ,great handling car but torqueless motor. Bought an Australian Galant, love the 3.8 V6.

[@djkenny1202]

I’ve seen 2. Ever. I would like a Manual one.

[@jeyrock2165]

Suzuki should get more credit then they get, im mad they stopped makin these in the us

[@Moparornocar74]

This car needs a V6 or the RRM turbo kit, and if they made the 6speed available with the AWD, it would be awesome. Over all nice car though. Keep up the good work Suzuki

[@kingdarius5252]

@glenlackey2 You know it's funny, I test-drove another Kizashi with the CVT yesterday and it actually seemed faster. I may have gotten an early model with bugs the 1st time around

[@vdubwhore]

I FORGOT ABOUT THE AUDI A4 AND THE VW CC AFTER I TEST DROVE THIS CAR,its that good.This bloke left out so much about this car,starting at 18 grand and the top model at 25 to 28 grand get so much more than a car in the 35 to 45 grand .

[@jdl_runs5432]

I saw a blacked out version today in Brentwood, TN. I didn't even know Suzuki's made cars anymore.

[@mipmipmipmipmip]

just released a new swift sport. similar formula, not the top end on anything but a lot of character

[@Tom_pr]

@@mipmipmipmipmip yes swift sport from 2006 till now

[@Shishizurui]

@hb4fun5 you mean GM's Highfeature V6? i feel odd with GM having any part with suzuki they soiled their name with "Geo"

[@wppdoes]

@sgirn507 The Swift is set to arrive in 2011. It would have been here in 2010, but since Volkswagen/Audi have formed a new alliance with Suzuki, they decided to delay the arrival of the Swift to the U.S. while they figured out a joint product strategy between the 3 brands. If you haven't purchased your car yet, then you don't have much longer to wait for the Swift ;)

[@vrockpokey100]

what if suzuki make a super car????? im excited!!!

[@avlisk]

It may look like a VW, but I bet it doesn't have all the maintenance issues that have plagued VW for years. Or, at least the VW's I've had. Is there such a thing as a German gasket that doesn't leak? Just wondering

[@Pedal2TheMetal]

Fair enough.

[@banstaman]

@DJFG85 I wouldn't say that; I mean in terms of building better cars, then yes Suzuki is WAY better, however sales have plummeted. I do, however, still have faith in Suzuki. Hopefully the Kizashi will offer a GTDI I4 and save Suzuki.

[@Pedal2TheMetal]

Why wouldnt u own one? its such an awesome car! I totally would!

[@charay02]

Turbo charged the four banger or add a well tuned v6 and u got a solid winner

[@aiwili2bh]

@DJFG85 i dont doubt that he does his job very well. im just saying that the sound of his voice and the way he speaks, to me is like and early 80´s tv host. but its all cool :)

[@cavedwarf91]

i work in a suzuki car garage for over a half year now and i never saw a kizashi.... swift, sx4, gr. vitara, alto, wagon...but no kizashi i also never saw one driving around...

[@matrixloader]

never been a fan of suzuki but this one looks good, but for the price i would rather go for the new 2011 sonata turbo or wait and see what the 2011 elantra turbo will be offering.

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

Mmm no...it was probably the spoiler that made it look hotter

[@racers115]

@Jeremandre Hey said 185 hp

[@Taureg96]

this looks like it's better than being a Jetta than the new Jetta

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

Niiiiice

[@racers115]

@olikat8 You are addressing your comment to Suzuki but this isn't a Suzuki channel this is a MotorWeek channel. If you are truely wanting Suzuki to take your comment into consideration you stand a much better chance if you make it on the SuzukiAutomotive channel rather than here.

[@Shishizurui]

Looks like a nice car i'd only buy it AWD tho, personally if they can make this car more like my 2001 XL-7 i'd be pleased.