Used 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sedan Review & Ratings

Suzuki's Kizashi, a medium-sized family sports saloon, made its United States debut in the summer of 2009. As is their way, Suzuki did a lot of forward planning for this model, evidenced by the fact the car's very name can be loosely translated to English as " something great is on its way." That something great was obviously the Kizashi, which Suzuki proudly regarded as their flagship compact car.

Although available in four separate formats, the Kizashi uses the same engine in all of them, a 2.4-liter DOHC 16-valve digital fuel injection engine that produces between 180 to 185 horsepower and roughly 170 pound-feet of torque. Backing it up is either Suzuki's six-speed manual transmission or their Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT) transmission, capable of being operated automatically or through six step shifts using paddles embedded in the Kizashi's steering wheel.

Reviews seem to always focus on the sedan's perfectly balanced suspension, described as no less than exceptional, even in the most rigorous testing conditions. This is due to the four-wheel independent suspension, made of Macpherson struts in the front and multilink in the rear. The Suzuki Kizashi Sedan is a standard front-wheel drive with a sophisticated form of all-wheel drive available as an option. This system can be manually activated as is the case with certain other sport utility vehicles. This flexibility allows the driver to remain in front wheel-drive mode in normal driving conditions and only kick in with the all-wheel-drive package when the occasion demands it.

Once again Suzuki's penchant for the understated comes through in the Suzuki Kizashi Sedan with not too much in the way of flashing chrome or chiseled lines, with the possible exception of the Kizashi's twin integrated angular tailpipes. Reviews compare the Suzuki Kizashi Sedan to a mini version of the latest Audi, with its semi rounded profile sitting atop rounded alloy wheels. Also outstanding, in both meanings of the word, is the trademark titanium colored honeycomb grille with a very large Suzuki emblem S. This totally dominates it and forces the headlights very much into the background. The Kizashi also come with side sill extensions and a cute spoiler on the trunk.

Suzuki has long been known for reliability and safety and the Kizashi does not disappoint. Drivers will enjoy antilock brakes, rear door safety locks, engine immobilizer, tire pressure monitoring, emergency braking assist, stability and traction control, antilock brakes and an impressive eight airbags.