What was I expecting when the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi arrived for my two-week-long test drive? Well, not much, I'm embarrassed to say. I lecture my kids all the time on the importance of staying open-minded and forming your own opinions, so I'm ashamed to admit that I was harboring a lackluster view about Suzuki as a brand in general. With the introduction of the Kizashi, my hope is that my mind won't be the only one changed about the brand.
The Kizashi is a surprise indeed and has the ability to fill a niche of affordable-without-feeling-cheap smaller midsize sedans. The base Kizashi starts at $18,999. My test car, the SE trim level, cost $21,780.
This might be the only car I've driven with a continuously variable automatic transmission that didn't drive me crazy. It had plenty of zippy power, and the CVT didn't rev up too much and cause obnoxious interior noise. As a matter of fact, an average driver getting into this car wouldn't even notice anything different about the transmission, and I consider that to be a success of great measure. Add to that optional all-wheel drive and you've got yourself a great car for small families.
Temperature Gauge
Temperature Gauge
When the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position, this gauge indicates the engine
coolant temperature. Under normal driving
conditions, the indicator should stay within
th ...
If You Can Not Shift Automatic Transaxle Gearshift Lever Out of “P” (PARK)
Vehicles with an automatic transaxle have
an electrically operated park-lock feature.
If the vehicle’s battery is discharged, or
there is some other electrical failure, the
automatic transaxle ...
Safety
As an all-new model, the Kizashi hasn't been crash-tested yet by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It features eight airbags, including
seat-mounted torso airbags for all outboard seats ...