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.
Glove Box
Glove Box
To open the glove box, pull the latch lever.
To close it, push the lid until it latches
securely.
WARNING:
Never drive with the glove box lid
open. It could cause injury if an a ...
The Inside
Perhaps the biggest downer about the five-seat Grand Vitara is its outdated
cabin, which looks like it's about 10 years behind the times. The biggest
offender is the center control panel, which in ...
A/T Selector Position Indicator (if equipped)
A/T Selector Position Indicator (if equipped)
When the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position, this indicator shows the selector
position of automatic transmission. ...