Suzuki Kizashi: Small fish in a big pond

Jun 7, 2010 1:32 PM

The Suzuki Kizashi is kind of a head scratcher. It's not a bad car, but it isn't likely to turn the family-sedan segment on its ear, either.

Interior fit and finish will impress, especially if you've ever seen the inside of another Suzuki. And the equipment level of our $22,489 test car is more than is customary at the price, including lux touches like dual-zone climate control, driver's seat memory, and keyless ignition, along with little details like full auto up/down on both front windows. It's also fairly civilized on the highway, with decent ride and handling—especially compared to past Suzukis.

Far be it for me to wade into the dangerous waters of judging styling, but the Kizashi isn't bad looking, either. It even manages to pull off a certain upscale look. (See our sedan buying advice and ratings.)

The problem is, the family sedan market is already full of a number of really good contenders, whose names and reputations are better known to the families buying them. And while the Kizashi is big for a Suzuki, it's smaller than what competitors offer in the same price range.

Suzuki is marketing the Kizashi as a sport sedan, but I just spent a few hours driving ours to Yonkers from the test track, and frankly, that's kind of a stretch. It wasn't a bad drive, but it wasn't sporty.

Buyers looking for a sport sedan will likely take a pass on the Kizashi, if it even appears on their radar. And families are usually more concerned with interior room and bottom line than auto up/down windows. Call it what you will, the small sedan or family sedan market is a tough one to break into. As I transition into our $21,800 Hyundai Sonata, it is clear that Kizashi has its work cut out for it.

—Jim Travers