As the global market’s competition for cars intensifies, Suzuki, which sells more vehicles than prestigious Mercedes-Benz or Audi, moves toward the luxury segment with this well-thought-out sedan. At first glance from the side and three-quarters rearview, it easily looks like something worth twice as much, such as an Acura TL, while the front end looks more simply like next year’s Volkswagen Jetta. But it really takes personal experience to appreciate the little sedan with big ambitions and discover that it has its own identity along with most of what you’d want in an automobile today, such as rain-sensing windshield wipers (although with the notable exception of blind spot assist). However, on the safety aspect, the car already meets 2014 U.S. crash standards.
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Pronounced “kee-zah-shee,” this mid-sized sports sedan’s name derives from Ki-Za-Shi, meaning, “something great is coming” in Japanese. Started from a clean sheet with all new components, the 2010 Kizashi aims to be the elegant urban vehicle for people who value both pizzazz and practicality. Contemporary, lean and sporty looking, this auto includes an integrated dual sport exhaust for pleasing aesthetics and noise. The sedan is being manufactured at the automaker’s new plant in Sagara, Japan, and the entry-level S trim comes standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, six-speed manual transmission and sport seats. An all-wheel drive; continuously variable transmission with F1-style paddle shifters; ten-speaker 425-watt Rockford Fosgate sound system; leather seats with three-stage heating; iPod connectivity and Bluetooth audio streaming are all available. We enjoyed all of those features equipped standard on our premium-level Kizashi SLS AWD test vehicle.
Driving this chic four-door car is effortless in most situations and the all-wheel drive option gives you better handling and mental assurance in tougher circumstances. Since it’s small on the outside, city driving is a no-brainer. Yet the Kizashi is also big inside with plenty of cabin room and decent cargo space when the seats are folded. No, you won’t win performance competitions, and when arriving at a classical concert performance, you probably won’t stand apart from the competition in the parking lot. However, considering the value it offers and the warranty behind it, we urge you to give the Suzuki Kizashi your very own road test. Everything about this world-class sedan is premium except its price, and there are rumors of an upcoming turbocharged version and even a V6 motor version. Something great is (definitely) coming.
 Read automobile writer Dan Jedlicka's Suzuki Kizashi review
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