Suzuki Kizashi FR (2010-2015)

Ticks a lot of boxes – Purchased a 6 speed Manual base XL Kizashi last month. So this is an initial review and updates might be added based on ongoing experiences. Good: Very solid body structure, refinement, quality of fit-and-finish, sharp and confident handling, good looking, interior space, fuel economy (7L/100km on Highway, 8L/100km in Town on 91 Octane), Suzuki… Read more

reliability (I hope), decent acceleration for a 4 cylinder.

Not So Good: No cruise control on XL, still getting used to push-button Start etc, no bluetooth (now using a FM handsfree adaptor), clutch take up too close to floor, brake pad dust.

Very impressed so far, but may have been better to buy the better equipped XLS.

Excellent quality vehicle – This is a very good small car. Quiet, well designed and build. Excellent road manners, well tuned suspension and CVT (a rarity these days). Quality interior materials and paint finish. Reasonable fuel economy relative to the size of the engine and weight of the vehicle. Drives like a much larger and significantly more expensive car. Minor… Read more

quibbles: front pillars are thick obstructing side views of the road (supporting 5* crash rating), small(ish) fuel tank, 7.5k service intervals and, low front and rear passenger head room (not suitable for anyone over 6" tall).

Gets worse with time – I absolutely fell in love with my Kizashi when I bought it in 2011 (it's a MY 2010 sedan XLS, manual). The seats were so comfortable, the seat heaters were awesome (we lived in Canberra then, so very helpful in winter!!) and the sunroof was a great accessory, too. The handling was terrific, the mileage was great and she was just a pleasure to… Read more

drive - long or short distances, sedate or aggressive driving. She could do it all so well. She can also fit 3 car seats across the back, woohoo! And her suspension is great for bumpy rides.

Fast forward 6 1/2 years later and after 2 accidents, she's just not the same. But the problem probably wasn't hitting the kangaroos - it was that I drove on dirt roads sometimes, and the design of this car is such that the air intake for balancing out the fuel tank is right behind the left rear wheel. So it would suck in dirt into the carbon canister and the fuel lines. I had three cracked fuel tanks. THREE. I breathed in toxic petrol fumes numerous times. So did my kids. It was awful. Suzuki head office was APPALLING. They even had the hide to say that petrol fumes are safe!! She ended up costing me over $3000 out of pocket and has had close to a year off the road all up.

I've got her back now. She's not as fast as she used to be but she's not bad. She has trouble starting sometimes and the mechanics don't know why (and I've had to find an awesome mechanic due to her troubles - at least the air intake problem is fixed with a little modification!). Her mileage is still pretty good - about 8.4L/100km on average, driving a mix of city/country roads. Her handling is still great, I'd feel safe having an accident again (see the ANCAP tests, the Kizashi fares really well!) in that she's a really safe car...oh, excepting for those pesky petrol fumes!!

The seats are still comfortable and I still like the lumbar support. I have found few cars that stack up to such a good, comfortable driving position. Perhaps the seats are a little firm - but I'd prefer firmer to softer. I do put the head restraint in backwards, as it works better for my spine and head position.

But I do worry about what else might go wrong with her. She's done just over 150,000km and I suppose one shouldn't expect miracles. But no-one wants to buy these cars anymore, so I'll just have to run her into the ground. If she gets too expensive to run, I guess she'll be sold for parts. Her interior is still working fine, however. There are a few creaks and groans here and there but on the whole she's still OK and she's still comfortable to drive and mostly does what I ask of her!

Suzuki Kizashi XLS AUTO – The performance and handling are great. The car can take you from 0 to 80 KM/H before you know it. However, when you step on the accelerator the vehicle does make a mean revving/ accelerating sound but it's not necessarily a bad thing. I quite enjoy it. This whole car was made with the highest quality from the interior (seats) to the exterior… Read more

(door). Everytime you close the door, there is a nice solid sound.

The driver/ passenger seat adjustment makes the car easily accessible for any height to drive the vehicle as you can manually set and save your preference using the electrical seat adjustments. The legroom at the back and front is also fantastic as well as the sides of the door, door handles, dashboard etc. were all made with the finest material as it's solid and comfortable to touch.

The vehicle is quite reliable, I haven't run into any major problems yet. However, the car does consume a fair amount of fuel with an average of 9.5 - 11.0 Litres/ 100KM. I only use the vehicle to travel around the city.

Improvement would be to add indicator lights onto the side mirrors and automatic folding of side mirrors when the car is parked. Other than that it's a perfect car to own and drive.

Delighted! – Bought my Kizashi from a dealer a couple of weeks ago & so far I'm delighted. My previous car was a turbo diesel with a "normal" 6-speed automatic so it's taking a little while to adjust to the different driving dynamics. The Kizashi is smooth, very comfortable with supportive seats & adjustable driving position & is, surprisingly, spacious - I… Read more

had expected to feel cramped after downsizing from a larger family-sized sedan but don't feel I've lost any usable space such is the well designed layout of the cabin. The car feels very solid, like it's carved out of a solid chunk of metal, the doors close with a reassuring "thunk", & the fit & finish is superb. The car rides smoothly on the 18" alloys (with a full-size alloy spare too!), the steering & suspension are a revelation over my previous sedan, the CVT actually works very well with little "droning" & feels like a normal auto transmission (congrats to Suzuki for sorting theirs out!) & the brakes are excellent. While mine is the "base model" in the lineup there's no sense of missing out on too many important features (except for reversing sensors!). Outward vision is very good but I will be having reversing sensors installed (not a standard fitting) because of the high boot lip & sporty-looking spoiler obscuring the rearward view. My only criticisms are to the old-fashioned bonnet prop-rod & the gooseneck hinges in the boot (my previous older model sedan had gas struts at both ends). The Kizashi was discontinued which is a real pity because it is a truly superb sedan.

A much underrated mid size sedan – The Suzuki Kizashi will be retired soon from the Australian market. A great pity. The vehicle has a big interior, all the modern conveniences, plush leather, electric seats, seat heaters, dual aircon, big mirrors and more. The vehicle has plenty of power and powers up the F1 hills with ease. Our Kizashi has been economical and maintenance free.… Read more

Our only problem has been the seat belt alarm on the passenger side, which would be expensive to fix, so we leave the seat belt connected. For comfort, power, reliability and style you can’t fault this vehicle. I’m not sure why Suzuki are retiring the badge, I would buy another one if I could.

Powerful car, but not that popular in Australia – I bought a 2015 Kizashi and I continue to drive it and enjoy it. It is very responsive and reliable. The body is attractive. Suzukis are more powerful than other cars and you really enjoy it when accelerating. The drawback is that the Kizashi has not been very successful in Australia and this means that repairs will probably be expensive.  Show details

Absolutely brilliant to drive – This is an excellent and comfortable car to drive. Definitely the best sedan I have ever owned. The handling is superb. The car is fully loaded with leather upholstery, heated seats (brilliant for a sore back), climate control A/C, front and rear parking sensors and heated mirrors (also great), plus lots more. The CVT works brilliantly with… Read more

the paddle shifters. The only gripe would be with the satellite navigation system which combines the radio, clock, Bluetooth phone system, reversing camera and satellite navigation in the one unit which comes on automatically. My wife has a habit of turning this off. Consequently there is no access to telephone calls and there is no other clock available. The car is very reliable and the servicing costs are fixed and reasonable. Fuel consumption is about 9Litres per 100K, down to as low as 5.7Litre per 100K on a trip. It is a shame that Suzuki did not advertise the vehicle very much as it has a lot more to offer than the opposition. The AWD system is similar to the system fitted to the Subaru WRX STI which costs considerably more.

I do feel that this vehicle has the potential to be a collector car. One to keep as it is a brilliant car which had a short lifespan.

2011 Suzuki Kizashi AWD Sport – What a fantastic vehicle, best car I've ever owned. You get so much value for the price it's insane. What a pity that this car was discontinued as I think this car gives competitors a run for their money. Handles great, leather seats are great, automatic lights, automatic wipers, climate control air-con, electronic seats with memory setting,… Read more

heated seats, keyless entry, Bluetooth radio, cruise control and more. The only negative I san say about the car is that it is a bit on the heavy side when it comes to fuel consumption, especially for a mid size sedan. Consumption is between 10.3-10.8 liters of fuel for every 100km combined freeway and city driving.

2010 Kizashi AWD sport cvt auto – Hi. Recently bought the AWD Kizashi cvt from a dealer wth AWN warranty in Aspley QLD, drove back to Rockhampton. 2 wks later back to Brisbane for cvt loud whining noise repair. Limited dealer contact. Been a month with no car. Parts availability driving repairer crazy. AWN not worth the paper it's written on. On return? will sell it. Not risking another cvt failure. Anyone else have cvt failure? Be interested to know. Thanks.  Show details

A Euro with Japanese ownership assurance – Waited until I owned and lived with this car for at least 6 months before laying judgement. And it's been a close to 5 star experience (shame I can't give 4.5 stars for this review). Having owned two Hyundai's in the family in past years (and very happily so), I wanted something more Euro/Mazda and less Toyota/Hyundai ie. a traditional medium… Read more

sized Euro-focussed driver's car along the lines of the original Honda Accord Euro/Mazda 6 (current Mazda 6 is closer to large Camry size). Spent months looking for a Gen 2 Lexus IS250, but for $20k most examples had tired/worn leather interiors due to close to a decade of ownership. And I found the 2.5 V6 was a bit sluggish at low revs for a mainly hilly city driver like me; as well the drivers head room was appalling even for a medium height person like me. A shame as I adore the Lexus engineering precision, which clearly shows in the longevity of their cars.

Being a car nut, I somehow recalled this Kizashi was now pretty much an orphan on the used market due to its discontinued status, thanks to Suzuki unfortunately releasing this car during the GFC years of 2010+ as well as being sidelined by the SUV craze. Reading the generally favourable reviews of years past, this car was suddenly a no brainer for me, and within a month I found a mint almost top line example with 60k country kms on it. Quite different to a Lexus yes, but equally if not more inviting in terms of a Euro interior and ride/handling.

So after 8 months of living with my "Suzi", .... the bad bits first ....

- I hate them leather seats - they're too wide to adequately grip my body during cornering. I have to literally shift my body and lean on the opposite lumbar side for support during enthusiastic cornerings, or I'll just be sliding in the seat. My wife's i30 GD wagon's cloth seats on the other hand support and grip perfectly. By far the worst aspect of this car, made worse by the fact the handling is so good you wish the seats allowed you to enjoy it! I'm trying to find aftermarket ways of padding the lumbar better.

- Garmin Infotainment audio system is a a mixed bag - yes it's great there's a built in GPS, but without traffic monitoring (Suzuki Aust informed me they do not have licencing with Garmin for this), Google Maps on my iPhone is simply more versatile during the peak hour commute. Worst bit about this Garmin audio? APPALLING sound quality - devoid of clarity and barely adequate bass. Such a backward step from the Rockford Fosgate system of the previous Prestige models of 2010-2012. I've since replaced the paper-mache front door speakers with a pair of Pioneer 3-way coaxials (thankfully it was just pull out put in process) and sound quality is now good, but still wishing I had the Fosgate sub in the boot. Looks like Suzuki went market desperate back in 2013 to chase customers who were after GPS convenience at the expense of audio quality.

- Bluetooth connection to the phone is erratic - I estimate on 1 of 5 occasions it won't connect properly when I'm trying to receive a call (legally, via steering wheel buttons). Turning the Garmin system on and off usually solves the issue, but you get inconvenienced by the dropped call. Garmin system on balance is ordinary.

- Goose neck hinges in the boot - hate them full stop. No reason for any manufacturer to keep this old tech that crushes items in the boot if full, but understand the likes of Mazda have gone back to them because it's probably easier to motorise these hinges than the small cantilever external boot hinges you still see Subaru using in their Liberty. Boot size otherwise OK for a true medium sedan.

- Changing parking light globes - thankfully I haven't had to replace them yet, but you have to remove the front bumper to adequately access either the headlight (thank God mine are HID's) or parking light. Yes, removing bumper to replace globes. The Suzuki engineers here needed a whack to the head - how fundamentally idiotic in an otherwise brilliantly engineered car.

- HID main headlights are decent (should be, being HID), but like a lot of non-Australian designed cars, the conventional halogen high beam couldn't light 20feet into a darkened cemetery if it tried. Previous bush based owner presumably installed an LED bar light behind the grill to improve the high beam output but little was improved.

Things I've grown into:

- CVT transmission ... when I first test drove this car brand new in 2012 I hated the CVT - it turns out I didn't like it simply because I wasn't used to the sometimes "constant rev during acceleration" feeling - the performance itself was fine. Ensuing years of CVT-equipped rental Corollas and sitting in CVT Hybrid Camry cabs convinced me this type of tranny actually makes sense - get over that occasional constant rev odd feeling, and you're fine. And I've been more than fine with my Suzi's CVT, because it kicks down very quickly and kicks butt when picking up speed with the engine revving at its optimum power/torque rpm.

- I've always found steering wheel paddle shifters to be gimmicks as there is nothing that replicates the subconscious sensory shifting of a floor H-gate manual stick - but these paddle shifters have also grown on me - the car is actually very enjoyable when driven as a manual.

- 19 inch wheels on barely-there 45 series rubber navigating a kerb, is like a boxer leading with his chin - you're gonna get whacked and come out hurt at some stage. A couple of parking and kerb strikes at speed misdemeanours left nasty chips on the wheel and tyre sidewall. But I accept the wheel tyre combo looks stunning! And for such low profile rubber the ride may be firm but still very comfortable and even refined.

- 6mths/10,000km service - would be better if it was 12mths/15,000, but as I ignore the 6mths anyway and just service it when 10,000 comes round (normally in about 10-12 months), I can live with it.

- Fuel economy - commuting in peak hour weekday and more flowing weekend traffic returns 11-11.5 L/100km. Not great but pretty standard in my experience for a 4cyl 2.4/2.5L. Highway consumption is closer to 7.5L/100km, again par for the course. I recall Mazda 6 of that era was similar in real world but Accord Euro was exceptional on the highway. All up I'm happy re consumption as fuel is only a fraction of overall running costs.

Things I love:

- Instrument lighting and overall dash setup - it's got a high lip and is minimalist, but more sophisticated for it. The busyness of the Accord Euro's small-button splatter heavy setup would drive me crazy.

- Auto headlights and wipers are great - but these are run of the mill nowadays.

- Proximity/keyless starting - very good.

- Firm but comfortable ride - unbelievable for a car that sits on 19 inch wheels and 45 series tyres.

- Roadholding - sticks to the corner like it's on rails, unless it's wet of course where the wide tires can aquaplane a bit if cornering speed is a bit too irresponsible.

- Steering accuracy and feel - one could possibly ask for more road feel, but it's good on a twisty road and very accurate. Steering effort at parking speeds though can be a bit stiff, but I'm used to it now.

- Refinement on open roads - Lexus like. Enough said. When I'm out on the open road, I always feel I'm in a prestige sports sedan (without the breakneck 6 cyl power naturally).

- Full sized spare (and matching alloy wheel!). Sorry space saver spares kill me - who wants to limp home from afar with a bicycle tyre, limited to 80km/h?

- External lines and overall design of the car - it's derivative I know (think that generation VW Jetta front) but it's a beautiful car from end to end - just perfect proportions all round.

- Engine power is adequate, and generally refined. Engine note isn't that sports rorty, but much better than the average 4cyl sewing machine.

So the best way to sum up my ownership experience is I have a great handling, riding and refined prestige-feel car aka "Euro", with Japanese reliability assurance (apart from a squeaky brake pedal which was fixed under warranty, nothing has gone amiss since). Compliments from passengers and friends are regular, particularly because they don't expect this sort of car from Suzuki. Such a shame this couldn't catapult Suzuki to another level like the Legacy/Liberty did for Subaru in the late 80's.

So if you're not into in built GPS, get the 2010-2012 models with the Rockford Fosgate audio system - absolutely worth it.

On balance I could be happier with my Suzi, but still definitely a keeper.

Perfect vehicle for Chinese manufacturer to copy – This is an outstanding car. It does everything correctly handling is fantastic, very reluable & costs peanuts to maintain. The vehicle has a quality feel to it, doors are solid & close with a clunk. It has a great safety rating & its styling is still an eye catcher. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the many large manufacturers gets hold of this… Read more

vehicle & copies it they couldn't go wrong.

I have spoken to many other owners & to a person they have nothing but prause for this beauty!

Perfect in every way – I own a 2010 prestige CVT kizashi, and is the best car i have ever owned. Bought it at 30,000km and its now at 87,000km after owning it for 3 years. I service it every 6 months and only other things i have done are one set of tyres and a battery. Otherwise everything works as it should as ifd from the factory. I want to emphasize on the brilliance… Read more

of this car as i have previously owned a wide range of cars from mercedes, Toyota, honda, nissans and none of these compare to the kizashi's build quality, handling, looks, sound system and reliability.

The perfect car – I've had my 2011 Prestige with CVT for 3 years now. Currently on 101,800km and still going strong. I cannot fault this car, it is an absolute dream to drive, and i still have a huge smile on my face every time i drive it! I do a lot of highway driving and the CVT is perfect for this. Love the 10 speaker rockford fosgate and love how well the car… Read more

handles. Sure other cars are a bit quicker but i'm in no rush! On my 2nd set of tyres, the factory Yokohamas lasted 70,000km for me and I've got Kuhmo Ecstas all around now and i highly recommend!

Very lucky to own one of these cars!

Update: Suzuki Kizashi (63,000km) – We have now owned our Kizashi for 5 years of completely trouble free motoring. I still cannot fault this car. After 63,000 km I still have not heard a squeak or rattle, it is put together amazingly well, and quality wise is the best car I have ever owned or driven. If you are thinking of buying a car of this size, do yourself a favour and at least… Read more

test drive a Kisashi, Suzuki for some reason have never promoted this car, consequently you don't see a lot of them around. Be one of the lucky few and try one out, you won't regret it! I certainly don't.

Pretty good car – I bought a Sport AWD in 2011 and sold it in 2014. At the time, it was a nice looking car with great handling and build quality. Rockford Fosgate sound system with sub was amazing and the car had great boot space. I ended up replacing it in 2014 with a Mazda 3 SP25 Astina. The Astina has real leather whereas the Kizashi's is fake, the Astina kills… Read more

the Kizashi in performance and the Astina is jam packed with safety tech that the Kizashi doesn't have as it's now outdated. Also, the Kizashi's CVT can't match the Mazda 3's fast shifting and smooth 6 speed automatic.

I wouldn't recommend buying a Kizashi now as Suzuki are no longer producing it and compared to other cars, is outdated.

Most complete car I have ever owned – I bought this 5 year old car with only 33000 kilometres on the clock from a previous single owner. I have now covered 7000 kilometres. It remains in near perfect condition . I have never driven a continuously variable transmission before having a variety of Automatics and manuals and I have a variety of cars from a polo to an XJ 8. The Kizashi… Read more ·  1

transmission takes no time to get used to and unlike some other makes is regarded by mechanics as essentially Bulletproof. In fact I would never go back to a standard automatic as the CVT even makes my silky smooth 6 speed Jaguar transmission feel jerky. the driving position with the twin front electric seats can be made comfortable for my variable sized family my only minor quibble is that the steering wheel slightly obstructs the instrument panel from my preferred high seat position. Acceleration is good particularly in the passing speeds on the open road. Steering is very accurate. Handling is set more for performance than comfort which I prefer and the car feels very tight compared to the Honda Accord which has more body roll. Other reviews commented on the restricted vision created by the a pillars and I agree although I am also used to driving a Honda Odyssey with similar problems but this is what we have to expect for a 5 star safety rating. Fuel consumption on an 18 kilometre Urban commute is over 10 litres per 100 kilometres but this is for my enthusiastic driving style in mainly stop start traffic and only a short motorway run each day. At least it takes 91 octane ! Best package I have ever driven and heartily recommended. Change the tires from Yokohama to Goodyear Eagles though! The yokohamas although only half worn are average in the dry and scarily unpredictable in the wet.

Update at 75,000km – Almost 4 years old. 75,000km service only $167 including replacing wiper blades & new battery for key fob. Of worthwhile mention is the Yokohama DB tyres which are approaching replacement after being fitted new. Intend to replace with same given their outstanding durability. No other problems with this great car. Only things I would change would… Read more

be the large turning circle (too few turns lock to lock), the hinges in the boots for struts and the audibility of the indicators when engaged which are too quiet. Otherwise this car is a dream to drive in all respects and comfortable for the driver and passengers.

Awesome all around car!! Probably the best in it's category actually – I bought a 2012 Kizashi Sport in October 2012. Not one single issue so far (50 000 km). There is a whining sound with the CVT transmission, but it is normal. The car is quite heavy and the transmission was created for FWD car. If you get the AWD CVT version it will whine. Besides that incredible handling and comfort!! The gas mileage is not the… Read more

best, but it is to be expected with AWD. This is the best car I ever owned. I had a 2006 Audi A4 Quattro and an 2000 Audi A4 Quattro and the car is a lot better in regards to handling and reliability and I personally think it looks better than 99% of the car on the road, but the people do not like the S emblem on it.

UPDATE: Now at 62 000 (no issues what so ever...oh right I had to change 1 rear stabilizer bar bushing). Love the look, the handling, the sound system (Rockford Fosgate!!), the comfortability, etc. I receive compliment on a weekly basis from people I do not know.

Fantastic package – Test drove an auto Touring Kizashi in June 2012 and have owned one since. Love the mechanicals, love the size, drives beautifully, very good economy and my wife adores it. Grossly under-promoted by Suzuki! Have owned many cars in 40 years of driving and I'd be happy to drive the Kizashi for 40 more. It's red and looks great, and goes faster than the others.  Show details

Best car I ever had – Bought my Kizashi in January 2011. It's a 6 speed manual XLS with all the goodies. I have done a number of trips from Sydney to Brisbane and recently completed a round trip from Sydney Melbourne Adelaide Sydney. Averaged 6.5 litr per hundred. Handling was great, ride was silent and performance was on par with any 2.4 engine. Mileage is now just… Read more

under 60k and has not let me down.

The interior is still like new , still have the original Yokohama 18 inch tyres on which are incredibly silent and comfortable. This car is incredibly underrated . And best of all still get the looks as it is a unique looking vehicle . All I can say is that Suzuki has completely mismanaged their advertising on this car as it is on par with any European car for finish and reliability.

Great Value Car – Got an XL CVT FR Model and it beats most expensive cars with regards to everything. Love the engine sound during start and the quietness inside the car. Can't believe most people miss this one like the one looking at a Kizashi at the dealer but chose a Kia because his wife wants it.  Show details

Great value – This car is great value, I've got the XLS FWD everything you would require in a car, the interior finishing is quite good with all the goodies you could ever need, the handling is excellent really does handle very well when you have the opportunity to give it a decent hit out, very sport feedback with excellent grip though the windy stuff. The… Read more

fuel consumption is not that bad for a 2.4, interior room is quite surprising for a car this size and the boot is shopping friendly and it looks great on the road. This car for it's price really does stack up very well against some of the much more expensive imports.

Classy & Ultra Competent Mid-Sizer UPDATE 2 – My manual Kizashi has now done 25000 and has not missed a beat. Since my last review I replaced the original 17in wheel-tyre combination with the 18in XLS with Michelin Pilots. The OE 17in Yokohamas provided a stunning ride quality but I always thought that the steering was a touch vague. Now the 18in combo has provided a stunning degree of… Read more

accuracy with a very small trade-off in ride comfort. In Dec 2013 I drove from Cairns to Northern NSW and back in 38 degrees heat at times and the air-con was superb. The overall fuel consumption with air-con on was 6.5 l/100k on 91 octane - pretty good for a mid-sizer. In Cairns I often get 6.8-6.9 as the engine is freeing up. In my previous review (Sep 27, 2012) I was slightly critical of the standard car's seats compared to my previous car but not now. Very comfy on long trips.I did a lot of overtaking and the surge in 4th gear is first class. No lack of power in the manual Kizashis. I have had two services so far - one @ $190 and the 2 year one cost $250 because I demanded a tyre rotation, balance etc. My brother in Brisbane who owns a manual 2012 Mazda 6 drove my SuzKiz when I was down there at Xmas 2013 and he remarked how quiet it was and that he thought that the Kizashi gearbox was smoother than his Mazda's. All in all, I am seriously thinking that I may still have this car in 2020. I still reflect on how many Kizashis would have been enjoyed by drivers throughout the world who appreciate well designed cars had Suzuki had the marketing power of Toyota or GM. What a really classy, competent car this Kizashi is!

Previous review:

Just bought a demo 2011 (MY2012) Kizashi XL manual (1k) in Brisbane and drove it back to Cairns. What a sensational trip! The ride was phenomenally controlled and comfortable - much better than my brother's 2011 Mazda 6 Touring. Handling was brilliant for this "base" model with 17inch mags on 215 tyres. Fuel consumption for the 1700k trip ranged from 6.2-6.5 litres/100k. Furthermore, it takes 91 octane and with a 63 litre tank it was possible to get near Mackay (1000k). I have heard a few disappointing aspects of the CVT auto but in manual guise this car has all the overtaking power one would expect of a mid-sized car. Excellent gear shift, smooth and easy. Fabric seats classy but not quite as comfortable as my previous Astra SRI leather sports seats. IPod Mp3 stereo excellent as was Air-conditioning performance. If only Suzuki had the marketting power of Toyota and Mazda then this would be a best seller. The car also has a 5 year warranty.

Flawless – To the exterior through to the interior I fell in love with the Kizashi. The engine sounds great and the drive was smooth. The cvt drone was apparently an issue to some people but I rather enjoy hearing it. The steering and handling is just superb. Love it.  Show details ·  1

Top quality - Good Price – I had not heard of or seen a Suzuki Kizashi until I saw one on display at Sydney Airport. When I got home I went to my local dealer and test drove an AWD sport model. I took that car home the same day. I had been looking at replacing my 21-year-old Subaru Liberty and wanted an AWD for towing a boat. The new Subaru Liberty was good to drive but to… Read more

option it up to the Kizashi was over $12K more and it didn't have a standard size spare wheel, the Kizashi even has a Mag wheel as spare. The Kizashi handles better then the Subaru around tight bends, has good positive feel steering and once you get used to the seamless changing of the CVT transmission, coupled with the paddle shifts if you really want some fun driving, the whole transmission just works with no fuss. The CVT does seem to loose some engine braking but that can be overcome easily if going down steep hills, etc. by just going into manual mode. The engine if freely revving and, for me, has enough power but I guess a turbo would be more suited to a "Sport" model. Fuel consumption is 9.4 L /100k and that is over 15000 kms although I live in a very hilly place and mostly short country driving. This is a very HONEST motor car, what you see is what you get, and it all works as it is supposed to. Beats me why Suzuki do not advertise it?

Well I have 35000K's on the Suzuki now, the replaced seat stitching has never got any worse then the initial bit of fraying and apart from that there has never been ANYTHING go wrong with this fabulous car. Mine is Silver and it is noticeable how many people take a second look and or comment on the paint job. It truly does reflect better than most silver Paint jobs. As for driving, well nothing changed, still a great car to drive, fuel economy for me is still 9.7/100km but I really don't drive for economy, if it's hot the air con is on, and if the speed limit is 100 k then that's it. :-) Handling, looks, price, servicing every 15000 kms, a good towing vehicle. Silver stitching on the drivers front seat fraying, has been replaced under warranty, but fraying again. Just design problem.

Fantastic! – Absolutely love this car! Plenty of room (for a small car), all the extras, low price! If this car had any other badge on it, it would cost at least $15-20,000 more. Have had it for a year now and no problems! I have been used to V8's and thought this would be weak as... but no, It has great get up and go! If you want a hassle free car with great… Read more ·  1

extra's and mileage this is the car! Love, love, love it! So does the hubby! Power, interior, exterior, what don't I like? Wouldn't suit someone who is 6 foot tall or more.

CVT – The CVT concerns are mainly to do with not being used to it. It's a completely different concept of transmission. There are no actual gear changes at all really. All that really changes is the engine revs to get you to the speed you want. If your used to and auto that has definite feel of changing up through the gears then the CVT will feel weird.… Read more ·  1

Whilst puttering around in casual traffic it will automatically want to do so at the lowest revs but if you plant your foot it will give you quick smooth acceleration. It's just a different concept to get used to.

Best Car I have owned – Just picked up my new 2013 Kizashi Prestige. Received the new mod cons including rear camera and sat nav with Bluetooth. Great drive and well appointed. I love the feel of the all trim leather, and the safety features such as 7 airbags which is has has a safety rating. All new Kizashi from August 2013 comes standard with the sports pack which also… Read more ·  2

is lowered slightly than the standard older model. It's a real pity more people don't drive a Kizashi. Fuel economy, & great road handling.

New Kizashi Owner update – 6 months in and love this car. Also great service from Brooks Suzuki in Wodonga. Starts every time and is a delight to drive. Quick (no fines yet) and easy to drive. Quality of build is evident. Well done Suzuki. Don't care about [censored word removed] car reviewers , this is a serious mid sized car for consideration. Driving it. Particularly on the highway/freeway- this car is al supremo

Pity more people don't bother test driving a Kizashi – Most certainly an overlooked vehicle by many buyers of mid size vehicles. Excellent equipment levels on even the base model (except for it missing Bluetooth connectivity). Excellent compromise between handling and ride quality. Low levels of interior noise make it feel like a lot more expensive vehicle. The 2.4 litre four cylinder engine is… Read more ·  2

very flexible and happy to lug high gears- resulting in excellent economy. I'm averaging 8.9l/100km driving around Adelaide and it's suburbs. The engine will cope easily with fifth gear at 60km/h (approximately 1500 RPM) and still accelerate cleanly up slopes. Sixth gear isn't much use until you're traveling at over 80km/h. The manual transmission shift action is not the most precise, but it has freed up with time. Acceleration performance is good, but could be improved if the gear ratios were lower. The engine does get a bit breathless in the upper rev range, but it's willingness to respond at lower revs (where you spend most of your time) more than compensates.

Handling is very well balanced between ride comfort and outright cornering potential. On the 17" wheels the ride composure is very good with mid corner bumps not unsettling the rear end like a lot of other vehicles. A lot of time and money has obviously been spent on the suspension with high quality light weight aluminum suspension arms fitted in the rear. When pushed (very) hard the rear end does roll a bit, but aftermarket rear swaybars are available which should cure the roll. The fuel economy orientated Yokohama tyres are also not the best if you like using the cornering potential.

Legroom in the rear is more than enough for a 6ft driver with a 6ft passenger sitting behind them. The new Mazda 6 and Accord Euro are longer, with the Kizashi more equivalent in size to the original Mazda 6.

Comes with a full size spare alloy wheel- unlike a number of other vehicles. Fuel economy, purchase price, standard equipment, build quality, ride/ handling. Perhaps gearing the engine a bit lower to benefit performance would be an improvement?

Excellent car – You've probably read every review stating how fantastic this car is. True, it is indeed. From the design to the handling. What I love is all the attention to detail. The door courtesy lights and small red foot well lights were a nice surprise as I hadn't read about those. I'm so happy with my car and still very happy with my decision to date.… Read more

Every drive is a pleasure.

Beautiful car, just buy one you'll absolutely love it!

Kizashi Touring 6speed MT 35000kms Handling, loves those corners. Quiet ride. Comfortable. The design. Attention to detail. The manual transmission is smooth as silk.

Kizashi AWD Sport 2012 - MY13 – Just picked up my new Kizashi - latest update includes sat nav and rearview camera. The car is beautiful quality, well thought out and functional. Great medium size that fits the kids int he back with no issues, the boot size is great as well. Now for the auto - look - it's a matter of getting used to how the CVT works. If you put your foot down -… Read more ·  2

it doesn't respond too well - but if you are a little lighter with your foot you will get the same result - just a lot smoother and more fuel savings. It's very comfortable to drive, I did buy the Sport model so with sport suspension - it does make it a harder ride, but I'm fine with that - if you like a softer ride go with the prestige model. The reverse camera is very basic, no lines to direct you and the bottom quarter of the screen is taken up by the bumper bar. Also when it rains - you end up seeing the rain drops on the feed back through the car image - I know that doesn't sound too bad - but other reverse cameras don't seem to have that problem - I think its where they have positioned it.

I does not come with the Rockford fosgate system - which I was told it did -but apparently because of the sat nav/reverse camera - it has replaced it. So be careful if they try and tell you it's in there - like I was told (still trying to sort out this issue now- but credit to the car yard they are trying to resolve the situation). I drove heaps of cars before finding this one - and I love it. You would be struggling to get a great car with "all the fruit" as this one has for the great price. Do yourself a favour and have a drive - I bet you will be grinning when you get out!! Great looking, not everyone owns one, long extended warranty - 5 years plus another 3 years from the dealership Reverse camera very basic.

Shame about the CVT – Brilliant car from the heated seats to the fold down rear headrests. Good solid feel, handles as well if not better than my previous SV6. Not sure if I will ever get used to the CVT feels like motor and trans are on different pages, over revs and does not get the power down like a conventional auto. Still excellent effort by Suzi. Fit and finish 1st rate CVT mapping Show details