000 Motoring Suzuki April 12:Layout 1
20/03/2012
18:04
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motoring
throaty warble… Eric Barton pushes the pedal in the new Suzuki Kizashi.
Unlike the emperor’s new clothes this is no apparition. It’s not Scotch mist or Lord Lucan in disguise… and like seeing a nude person run down The Promenade in Cheltenham, it’s a head turner! The Kizashi will play a starring role in Suzuki’s plans for growth. Unlike the hatchbacks and 4x4s for which they’re known, this is their first family saloon. It’s a real whiff of fresh air to see this car launched into the European market. The middle ground in the battle for a slice of the family saloon business is huge. The Kizashi is already well known in some of the biggest territories in the world. It launched in Japan and the US in 2009, then Australasia in 2010 and India last year. So it’s already found its feet elsewhere. The Kizashi does have a mean looking streak to it and delivers a sporty silhouette that promises a bit more entertainment in the handling department. It’s a very compact number (as you’d predict from a company that’s spent so long making small cars). The car’s squat compactness is in my mind part of its visual appeal, which is nicely enhanced by wide tracks, 18-inch alloys, jutting sills and valances, twin exhaust pipes and a ducktail boot lid spoiler. Which all I may APRIL 2012
add all come as standard. Under the armour-like panels is a reinforced steel body shell and an all-independent, aluminium-rich suspension which contributes to the lightness and driving agility. The interior of the Kizashi is delivered fully loaded. Functionality and real value for money is what this car is all about. It’s amazing when you realise the equipment that Suzuki will give you as standard. The Kizashi at £21,995 buys a car with electrically adjusted, heated leather front seats, an eight-speaker audio system, electric windows all round, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, automatic headlights, privacy glass, USB connectivity, Bluetooth, high-intensity headlights and seven airbags. The cabin itself is roomy enough with the driving position well sighted. The leather-trimmed primary controls are pleasant and with a nice level of tactility. A textured, soft-touch dashboard provides a quiet subtle look. Whilst acceleration isn’t ballistic the Kizashi has good handling balance. There’s very little understeer which is due to its grasping front end, with the rear axle responsive enough to make for some absorbing and very adaptable cornering. The 0-60mph is 8.8 seconds with a top speed of 127mph, returning
34mpg. The Kizashi’s four-wheel drive system adds its own personality into the car’s dynamic mix on wet or slippery surfaces with the i-AWD system coming into play as it juggles power towards the rear axle. In the dry, even at the limit of grip, the Kizashi’s throttle-on handling does feel very front wheel driven. The brakes are very good. Well they would be… they’re provided by Akebono, the same company that equips Japan’s 275mph bullet train. The only available engine is a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit with 176bhp mounted crossways under the bonnet, mated to a continuously variable transmission driving all four wheels. This in effect offers a fully automatic gearbox which is switch-able to a nifty manual paddle shift. And all that for less than £22K. That’s a steal, as you’d expect to pay in excess of £30K for all that wizardry. There’s a fine line between a nice throaty sounding note in a car engine and a downright ugly spluttering cough. The Kizashi does produce all the right noises and at a price that won’t have you yelping. CS
For more information please call Tel: 01242 224477; www.johnwilkinscars.co.uk
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