2011 Suzuki Kizashi SE
MSRP $21,899
Suzuki is best known for recreational vehicles, whether on water or land. They do make cars, though, with varying degrees of success. Suzuki hasn’t really caught on in America because they don’t have a large of a dealer network as the “big boys” do. But they have put out a very attention-worthy car in the Kizashi.
The 2011 Suzuki Kizashi SE is a 4-door, midsize sedan, and the second of four trim levels. If you are looking for a family sedan with just a hint of sportiness, the SE is the better value of the four trim levels. It comes with a 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder engine that produces 180 horsepower. It has 17 inch alloy wheels and a continuously variable transmission. It is rated at 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
The Kizashi SE comes with a leather-wrapped, tilt-telescope steering wheel, full power accessories, cruise control, an 8-way power driver seat with lumbar adjustments, keyless entry and ignition, 2-zone climate control, and cloth upholstery. The sound system has 7 speakers, AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, audio jack, and an iPod/USB interface.
The Kizashi SE has anti-lock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags. It got perfect scores in front and side impacts in government testing under 2010 standards, and the IIHS gave it perfect scores in front and side impacts, with a second-best grade of “acceptable” for roof strength.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The first thing you will notice about the Kizashi SE is that it is not what you would expect from a Suzuki. This car may be Japanese, but it goes out of its way to look and feel German. The exterior design is understated, while the interior is similar in design and made of very high-quality materials for its class and price.
There is plenty of headroom all around, and plenty of legroom in the front, and just a little less legroom than taller riders may prefer in the rear seat.
From a driving standpoint, the Kizashi SE is a very fun car. It successfully manages the line between sport car and family sedan without making sacrifices in ride quality. The steering is responsive and the suspension is tight enough to make the car quite nimble, but the ride isn’t too stiff for passengers. The acceleration is good for a family sedan. It isn’t enough to get you into trouble, but there is just that extra boost that could get you out of trouble when you need it.
Surprisingly, there aren’t a lot of negatives here. Other than the lack of legroom in the rear seat, the worst negative is that there aren’t enough places to test or buy one. As negatives go, that is a pretty positive one.
Suzuki hasn’t always done everything right in the automobile market, but they are doing a lot right with the Kizashi SE.
The verdict: highly recommended and definitely worth a test drive.
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