After being presented in car shows in several concept incarnations suzuki has finally unveiled the 2010 Kizashi, which the company claims will offer more spirited performance and better value than competitors like the Mazda 6, Nissan Altima and Volkswagen Passet.
The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi is being billed as the Japanese automaker’s first entry into the U.S. market’s mid-size sedan segment. Suzuki is touting the new Kizashi as a “North American Car of the Year contender.” But the production model is greatly subdued, compared with the rather radical Kizashi concepts, and appears to break little new visual ground in the segment.
Suzuki labels the Kizashi as a “sport sedan,” but initially it will be offered with a DOHC 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a continuously variable transmission. Eventually, the company says it will add a hybrid variant to the mix, but there is no word on an optional V6 to pit against Honda, Toyota and such domestic U.S. rivals as the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu.
Kicking Tires reports that All-Wheel-Drive will be optional, while Motor Trend says it will be standard. Regardless, it helps to set the Kizashi apart from the competition. Most affordable midsize cars don’t offer it at all, KT notes. “Only the Subaru Legacy offers all-wheel drive with a four-cylinder engine in the class, with Ford’s Fusion offering it only on V-6 models.”
It’s hard to be certain what to make of the Kizashi before driving it, but on first impression, most auto writers are hopeful that Suzuki has produced an upscale car at an affordable price. Automobile Magazine writes, “In Japanese, the word kizashi means something great is coming. From what we’ve seen of the Kizashi, we’d have to say the nomenclature seems appropriate. Suzuki expects the first cars to arrive at dealers this winter, with base front-wheel-drive models carrying a starting price of approximately $19,500.”
Tags: 2010 kizashi, hybrid, sedan, suzuki kizashi