Suzuki kizashi saloon coming soon

Early 2012 promises to be a busy time with new launches in the UK and now Suzuki is joining in with the introduction of the Kizashi, a D-segment saloon. The Kizashi – which is Japanese for “a sign of great things to come” has an overall length of 4,650mm making it reasonably compact but still able to carry five people.

Priced at £21,995, there is plenty of bang for your buck with standard kit aplenty. This includes switchable 2WD/4WD, a six-speed CVT transmission with a manual mode via wheel switched or the gear shifter, traction control, anti-lock braking, four-wheel disc brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, multi-link rear suspension, seven airbags including one for the driver’s knee, a Sport aerodynamic package, 2.4 litre 176bhp petrol engine, leather upholstery, electric front seats with heating, electric glass sunroof, cruise control, eight-speaker radio/CD system, Bluetooth connectivity and USB port.

The brakes are made by the same people who make the brakes for Japan’s super-fast bullet trains so they shouldn’t have too much trouble bringing this car to a safe standstill. Fuel consumption is at 34mpg and CO2 emissions are at 191g/km.

Design improvements from the last one include a chunkier front fascia with chrome accents, a lower grille, body side sill extensions, lower body side mouldings also with chrome, 18-inch alloy wheels and a sports steering wheel.

In keeping with the often-treacherous UK driving conditions, the Kizashi for the British market has Suzuki’s latest intelligent AWD system – known as i-AWD. This is designed to provide more traction in bad weather, sticks to a 2WD with minimal torque to the rear wheels when conditions are good, and engaging AWD mode for more torque when required.