Suzuki Kizashi Review
Growing up

Suzuki is a brand that one usually associates with big, powerful motorcycles, clever small cars, rugged SUVs and value-for-money pocket rocket hatchbacks. So it was quite a big surprise a few years ago when the brand announced that it would be entering the big saloon market in the near future.

A Suzuki model that will rival the likes of the Toyota Camry? That would be venturing out of the brand's core values and quite unthinkable, many might have said. Well, Suzuki's critics can say whatever they want for this large saloon model, the Kizashi was launched globally last year and it has now reached our shores to do battle in a crowded playing field of large saloons.

If the Kizashi moniker is anything to go by (Kizashi actually means warning or omen in Japanese) then this is a sign that Suzuki's expansion plans include entering new niches and segments in the future that the brand is currently absent from. A large Suzuki MPV or sports car anyone?

At 4650mm in length, the Kizashi is noticeably more compact than the 4825mm Camry, the 4850mm Nissan Teana, the 4755mm Mazda6 and the 4730mm Subaru Legacy among others. In terms of size then, the Kizashi sits somewhere in between the Subaru Legacy and the mid-sized Mitsubishi Lancer EX/Nissan Sylphy group.

The Kizashi was initially previewed as three different concept cars but the production car looks no where near the radical looking show cars even though, the final concept, the Kizashi 3, has a rear end that vaguely made its way onto the road car here.

From certain angles and at first glance, the Kizashi does look like a scaled up version of the SX4 sedan but there's no denying that the bigger model features more purposeful proportions even though the sporty looking nose somehow looks like it is inspired from previous generation Volkswagens like the Mk 5 Golf. The rear is no less pretty thanks to sleek wraparound tail lamps and the way the swoopy C-pillar meets the BMW style raised boot lid. The curved profile of the boot lid and the twin trapezoidal exhaust tips further accentuate the Kizashi's sporty character even though the latter seems to be inspired by the Lexus LS'. The multi-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels fill the sizable wheel arches rather convincingly and is a major contributing factor to the Kizashi's purposeful stature.

All in all, the Kizashi has a sporty, athletic and purposeful stance and look that is pretty much missing from any of its closest competitors, some of which look too upright and staid next to the new Suzuki. The overall styling is certainly more European flavoured than traditional Japanese.