2011_Suzuki_Kizashi_Sport

2011 Suzuki Kizashi Review

2011_Suzuki_Kizashi_Sport
2011 Suzuki Kizashi
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Suzuki may not be the most popular or well-known automaker in the US, but that should not keep you from taking a look at their newest product. Introduced in 2010,  the Kizashi is now available in four trim levels: The base S, SE, Sport GTS, and Sport SLS.  All trim levels can be had with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). However, if you choose AWD, you can only get the continuously variable transmission (CVT).  The FWD manual starts at $18,999, and the top trim level Sport SLS AWD w/NAV is $28,948.  After reading this in Motor Trend, I knew this car could be a game-changer for them.  I had to drive one to find out.

I drove the 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport SLS AWD with the CVT and paddle shifters. This model is loaded with a 425-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo with Bluetooth, heated leather seats with memory, heated side mirrors, power sunroof, auto headlights, auto rain-sensing wipers, parking sensors, 18-inch aluminum wheels, sport suspension, and sport steering wheel with audio and cruise controls. The only additional available option on my test car was navigation.  Standard on all Kizashi’s is Keyless push-button ignition, USB port, front and rear side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags, dual-zone climate control, and led interior lighting.

2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport SideLook

The car’s exterior is very nice for the price point, with tight body gaps and a quality appearance. The chrome add-ons, aggressive stance, and sporty trunk lid lip are all complimentary to the car’s main body lines.  Inside, the car has an even higher quality look and feel. The doors have a solid ‘thunk’ when closing them, and the fit and finish inside are top-notch for the price.

My first impression was, “Wow, I can’t believe this is a Suzuki!”. The front seats are among the most comfortable I’ve experienced, with eight-way power adjustments, power lumbar, and the aforementioned memory.  Entry into the backseat is less than perfect, requiring one to duck inside due to the low roofline, but once in the back, the seats are extremely comfortable, and average-sized adults will fit just fine.  Overall the interior feels like you are in a much more expensive car.

2011 Suzuki Kizashi DriverSeat

After pressing the push-button ignition to start it, the engine runs smoothly and sounded more like a V-6 than a four-cylinder at idle.  The initial acceleration does not feel as powerful as 180 horsepower would suggest, with the CVT modulating the power to optimize the EPA 22 city/29 highway fuel economy.  Not until you mash the gas do you realize this is not a slow car.  The Kizashi takes off with a shiftless surge of power that will keep up with if not best, much of the competition in zero to 60 and the quarter-mile.

Be careful, though, since you don’t experience shifts with a CVT, speed climbs deceptively quick.  Braking is firm and controlled.  The ride is firm and sporty yet did not jar me when I hit a few rough railroad crossings and an occasional pothole during my drive.  Overall, the car has a nice balance between sport and comfort.

The Suzuki Kizashi Sport SLS AWD is a solid, well-built, and impressive car for the money. It provides a lot of value with excellent, comfortable seating and equipment normally found on cars at higher price points.  It would have been an even better car with a manual transmission (a six-speed manual is only available on front-wheel-drive models), though shifting with the paddle shifters was somewhat of a happy medium.  It could be that I am just not used to a CVT and how different it behaves.  If you are looking for a mid-size car with sport-touring intentions, this should be on your list.

  1. I own this car and love it.  The pics above are misleading.  You can’t get a cream colored interior with the red paint color, you also cant get it with black.  This was a disappointment to me.  You can only get those two colors with black interior. If you want cream interior you have to choose white or blue.  Red and black require a black intterior, which is a deal breaker living in South Florida.  I selected white. 

    1. I appreciate your input.  I usually don’t take pictures of test vehicles, but instead choose
      stock photos so I can concentrate more on driving and writing instead of
      taking pictures (vehicle photography is actually very involved).  I was simply trying to select a broad range of pictures to illustrate the features of the car.  I felt that the lighter interior was more visually appealing and therefore chose those pictures. My test car had the Deep Sea Blue Metallic exterior with the cream interior and it was gorgeous.  I would have picked it or white as you did to get the cream interior as I have a black interior now in Illinois (never again) plus the cream interior looks very upscale.  I will make an attempt in future reviews to properly represent the color combinations.  Thanks for reading and congrats on the car, like I said, it seems a bargain.

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