The Suzuki Kizashi is a

mid-size car Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in t ...

manufactured by Japanese automaker

Suzuki is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...

. It was unveiled in the

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on July 30, 2009. The Kizashi went on sale in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

on October 21, 2009, in

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on December 1, 2009, and in

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and

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on May 11, 2010. It is the first mid-size Suzuki automobile sold in the Australian market. In February 2011, the Kizashi became available to the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n market. The car was also available on European markets. In 2012, the Kizashi was also sold in the

Iranian Iranian may refer to: * Iran, a sovereign state * Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran * Iranian lan ...

market. In December 2013, Suzuki announced that the Kizashi would be gradually discontinued on global markets, and would not get a successor. In December 2014, the production of the car ceased in the Sagara plant. Despite a good technical record, the car had suffered from poor sales because of the global financial crisis and Suzuki's withdrawal from the American and Canadian markets in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Etymology

''Kizashi'' (In kanji: 兆) is a Japanese word which means "something great is coming", "omen", "sign", or "warning".

Description and models

Suzuki Kizashi is a family sedan sized between compact and mid-size models. It is available in base, SE, Sport GTS and Sport SLS trims. Standard equipment includes

front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longit ...

(FWD) and a 2.4-liter

4-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...

engine developing and of torque. Available transmissions are a 6-speed manual or a

continuously variable transmission A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is an automatic transmission that can change seamlessly through a continuous range of gear ratios. This contrasts with other transmissions that provide a limited number of gear ratios in fixed steps. T ...

(CVT). The Kizashi offers 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels, Akebono sourced brakes, a choice of cloth or leather seating surfaces, and a 425-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system with

iPod The iPod is a discontinued series of portable media players and multi-purpose mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first version was released on October 23, 2001, about months after the Macintosh version of iTunes ...

connectivity and

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...

capability (some models do not provide Bluetooth capability).

All-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...

(AWD) (based on the i-AWD system featured in the SX4) is optional and includes a driver-activated FWD mode to save fuel.

Safety

2010 Suzuki Kizashi (FR) Sport sedan (2010-10-16)

The Kizashi comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front and rear side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. An enhanced stability control system is included with the available all-wheel drive. The Kizashi has a 5-star safety rating from

ANCAP ANCAP may refer to: * ANCAP (commodity standard), based on ammonium nitrate, copper, aluminum and plywood * Australasian New Car Assessment Program * ANCAP (Uruguay) ANCAP (Administración Nacional de Combustibles, Alcoholes y Portland, Engl ...

Awards

In 2010 and 2011, Kizashi won two AutoPacific's annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards for overall satisfaction among all new midsize cars sold or leased in the United States. In 2011, Suzuki Kizashi named Best Buy by ''

Consumers Digest Founded in 1959 and published by Consumers Digest Communications, LLC, ''Consumers Digest'' was an American magazine. It was based in Chicago. The last issue was published in February 2019. The magazine had no subscribers and did not test the pro ...

''. In December 2010, the Kizashi won two motoring awards in New Zealand: the Supreme Winner in the 2010 AA Motoring Excellence Awards and the ''New Zealand Herald'' Car of the Year Award. The car was praised for its astonishing attention to detail, refinement and comfort.

India

Maruti Suzuki Maruti Suzuki India Limited, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited, is an Indian automobile industry, automobile manufacturer, based in New Delhi. It was founded in 1981 and owned by the Government of India until 2003, when it was sold to the ...

, 54.2% owned by Suzuki Motor Corporation, launched the Maruti Kizashi on February 2, 2011. It is imported as a Completely Built Unit (CBU), which attracts import duties of 105%. It was priced at around 16 to 17.5 lakh rupees. It has since been withdrawn from the Indian market due to poor sales. This model has a J24B 2.4 litre petrol engine with 4 cylinders, 16 valves DOHC. The 2400 cc engine is capable of producing at 6,500 rpm (manual transmission) and at 6,000 rpm (CVT). It produces of torque at 4,000 rpm. The Maruti Kizashi utilizes a direct ignition system for increased

fuel efficiency Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, wh ...

with decreased emissions. With the help of this and other engine technologies, the car gives 9 km/L in the city and 12 km/L on the highway. The fuel tank capacity of the car is 63 L. Maruti Suzuki though, has not been able to sell many units since the Kizashi is petrol only (running a petrol car in India is expensive compared to a diesel), and the fact that it is expensive there.

Pakistan

The Kizashi currently is on sale only in Pakistan as it has been removed from other markets.

Pak Suzuki Motors Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSMCL) is a Pakistani automobile company which is a subsidiary of Japanese automaker Suzuki.Suzuki Motor Corporation in Pakistan, launched the Suzuki Kizashi on February 11, 2015 at

Pearl Continental Hotel Pakistan Services Limited, doing business as Pearl-Continental Hotels & Resorts (also abbreviated to PC Hotels), is the largest chain of five-star hotels in Pakistan with properties in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gwadar, Bhurban, Muza ...

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

. It is imported as a Completely Built-up Unit (CBU) with no plans to manufacture it locally. The ex-factory price at launch was PKR 5.0 million.

Problems

On June 28, 2010, Suzuki recalled 5,107 model year 2010 Kizashi vehicles due to a

glove box A glovebox (or glove box) is a sealed container that is designed to allow one to manipulate objects where a separate atmosphere is desired. Built into the sides of the glovebox are gloves arranged in such a way that the user can place their hand ...

door that failed to comply with FMVSS 201 ("Occupant Protection in Interior Impact") in which the door could open in a crash. On July 30, 2014, Suzuki recalled an undisclosed number of select model year 2010–2013 Kizashi vehicles manufactured October 2009 through July 2012 as spiders could weave webs into the evaporative canister causing it to become blocked and creating excessive negative pressure within the fuel tank. Negative pressure could cause the fuel tank to crack, resulting in a higher risk of fire.

Sales

;Sales in Japan In Japan, Suzuki sold 3,379 units between 2009–2015. Of the 3,379 vehicles sold, one quarter was acquired by the

National Police Agency (Japan) The is a law enforcement agency under the National Public Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office. It is the central agency of the Japanese police system, and the central coordinating agency of law enforcement in situations of national emerge ...

Concept versions

2007–2008

;Concept Kizashi 1 The first Kizashi concept included a 2.0L 16-valve turbo diesel engine, sequential 6-speed transmission, 21-inch aluminium alloy wheels, and AWD. It was unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. 2007 Suzuki Kizashi-2 01

;Concept Kizashi 2 The second Kizashi concept was a 5-door crossover sport wagon that included a 3.6 L (3,564 cc)

V6 engine A V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik ...

, 6-speed

automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...

, i-AWD, and 265/45ZR22 tires. It was unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Suzuki Kizashi 3

;Concept Kizashi 3 The third Kizashi concept was an AWD vehicle that included a 3.6 L (3,564 cc) V6 engine rated at , 6-speed automatic transmission, and 21-inch aluminium wheels with 255/30ZR21 tires. The Concept Kizashi 3 was unveiled at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.

2011 New York International Auto Show

;Kizashi Apex Aimed at performance enthusiast buyers and featuring a new turbocharged engine outputting approximately , sports tires and wheels, and exterior paint job inspired by the company's motorcycles. ;Kizashi EcoCharge Suzuki’s hybrid is powered by a 2.0 L gasoline engine, which is “boosted” by a 15 kW belt-driven electric motor to deliver a combined and of torque. The new hybrid drivetrain is further aided in its quest for improved

by a six-speed automatic transmission, low rolling resistance tires, regenerative braking, and stop-start technology, which add up to a significant mpg improvement compared to the current, “conventional” Suzuki. Steve Younan, director of automotive marketing and product planning for American Suzuki Motor Corporation, says that the company is making plans to move forward with a similar product, and that “the proof of (Suzuki’s) concept is that the Kizashi EcoCharge has the capability to deliver a 25 % fuel economy gain in real-world driving through an electric charge to the powertrain system while still retaining the production Kizashi’s dynamic handling and braking advantages that make it a standout category performer.”

References

External links

{{Suzuki timeline (North America) 1985 to date Kizashi Cars introduced in 2009 2010s cars Mid-size cars Sedans Front-wheel-drive vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles Vehicles with CVT transmission