[srishiva]

Originally Posted by srikanths1

There is something that you need to note here, Maruthi is able to rein in the price cause of its heavy localization. So a direct comparison with accord might not be all that correct. An SX4 sedan starting at 14k$ in US sells at 7L (ex S.room) here. So a 18K$ Kizashi should command what... a 10L (ex S.room) price band. If so it would dent the City first and might spell trouble for the Corolla/Civic segment.

I would favor a 9.5L price tag (or is it asking for more) and that would spell trouble for a lot of players in the C+ and entry level D segment.

Maruti can price it lower by localizing. But, that would be at the cost of diluting the drivetrain, low quality etc., Maintaining the same spec with reduced price will not happen.

[abhi1309]

I doubt anyone will buy a Maruti above 6-7 lacs, no matter which one. It is a small car brand and is likely to do well in that segment. That perception is very strong.

[nurni76]

Originally Posted by abhi1309

I doubt anyone will buy a Maruti above 6-7 lacs, no matter which one. It is a small car brand and is likely to do well in that segment. That perception is very strong.

That's too much of a sweeping statement to make. Sx4 Zxi OTR price in Blore is > 8L and it has been doing decent numbers. INfact it started of beating even the city but the numbers have dwindled and settled to a respectable 1000 units a month of late.
I agree the perception is of a small car, but it definitely can make good c and C + segment cars. I personally feel Kizashi is stunner and will make an impact if priced around 11-12 L.

[Warhound]

They changed the concept vehicle so much. I would have paid an arm and leg to purcahse it as it was. =(

[Sarvodaya]

Motorids has reported that Suzuki Kizashi may be launched in March 2010 in India. Will be showcased at the Autoexpo. Specifications and other details:

**********************
Expected India launch: March 2010 (will be showed at the 'Expo).
Expected price: Rs 18 to 20 lakh (On-Road).
Engine: 2.4-litre, 188 PS, 230Nm.
Performance: 0-100 kph, 7.5seconds (claimed).
Rivals: Accord, Superb, Camry and Teana. It will be a fantastic VFM buy of the D-segment.

If you call yourself an auto buff, we are sure you have seen at least one picture of the crazy Kizashi concepts that Suzuki displayed in quite a few international motor shows. The radical looking concept has been heavily sobered down in its production form, and is now ready to hit the road. Come December and Suzuki’s Kizashi will be sold in America with a $20,000 (Rs 9 lakh) sticker price for the base version. That is just $1000 cheaper than the Accord, everyone expected it to be cheaper.

The car will initially be available with the engine option of a 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder DOHC petrol, pumping out about 188PS of power at 6500 rpm and 230Nm of peak torque at 4000 rpm. Transmission options will come in the form of a six-speed manual and a CVT. At a later point, Suzuki also plans to put in a 3.6-litre V6 in the engine bay, good for an impressive 252PS of peak power. The engine is currently used in the company’s XL7 SUV.

The Kizashi will be available in four trim levels at the time of its launch in the US, namely S, SE, GTS and SLS. The top model will retail for $26000 (Rs 12.5 lakh, exclusive of taxes) and will come with an all-wheel drive system which can be engaged by the mere push of a button.

The base level 'S' will come with standard push button start, sport front seats, steering wheel audio controls, automatic dual-zone climate control with passenger rear vents, stability control, 8 airbags and integrated-chromed dual exhaust tips.

The SE will add CVT transmission, 215/55-17 tyres, a 10-way power driver seat with 3-position memory, cruise control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift lever and parking brake lever.

The GTS will give its buyers the choice of 6-speed manual or CVT transmissions with paddle shifters, while standard equipment includes 235/45-18 tires on alloy wheels, one-touch moonroof, fog lights, a 425 watt Rockford Fosgate audio system and integrated Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming.
The top-spec SLS will have leather interior, three-stage heated front seats, a four-way power passenger seat, windshield wiper rain sensor and rear parking sensors.
We think the car looks quite ordinary from the front. It’ll pass as a nice design, but doesn’t have the flair to astonish anyone. It doesn’t have the sheer size of an Accord or the sporty stance of a Mazda6 or a Mondeo. At the rear, however, things get a little more dramatic with those big exhaust mufflers, which we think could have been designed better – there is something wrong with their proportion. We love the curvy bootlid and the flowing tail-lights though. Overall, the Kizashi, at best, is a middle-of-the-road contraption in terms of aesthetics for a vehicle that has been designed and engineered from the ground-up.

Suzuki had recently invited a bunch of international Auto journos for a drive of the car, and after reading their reports, it seems like that the Japanese company has come up with a formidable contender in the mid-size segment. Here’s what the journos’ impressions are about the various aspects of the car.

Engine
Powerful, revvy and punchy. Really shines after 4000 rpm, but doesn’t have much juice in the lower rev range. Isn’t too impressive for everyday use, but should delight enthusiasts.

Handling

This is one area where the Kizashi really shines. Almost every journalists who tested the car has said that the Kizashi is the most sure footed and the reassuring machine around the racetrack or a set of twisties. The vehicle has been tested at Nurburgring for handling, and impressed the scribes who were allowed to drive the car back-to-back after trying their hands at other cars in the segment such as the Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy and Mazda6.

The ride quality too, surprisingly even with such good handling characteristics is reported to be very plush.

Interiors

The kit levels are high, and the amount of equipment Suzuki has thrown in is an absolute steal for the price. The response of the journos about the quality of materials and the dash layout is however mixed. Some find it very good, while others have termed it as ordinary.

We are sure Maruti Suzuki will be able to undercut the competition on the price front by a significant margin when they bring the car to India. And it seems the Kizashi is a good enough product to lure the buyers away from their traditional choices like the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry in the India market. It’ll be crucial for the car’s success to have a diesel option in that segment. We just hope Suzuki has something planned.

**********************

[fx45]

its definately smaller than camry or accord but looks promising, bring in on MSIL

[Caramelo]

Originally Posted by fx45

its definately smaller than camry or accord but looks promising, bring in on MSIL

i have watched 39 mins presentation on the kizashi.(yeah i know i have lots of free time and nothing else to do )

but it was said that this car will be a performance luxury sedan. without a premium tag. and is similar to proportion with the vw passat.

i think this will be priced below the sonata petrol which is being sold in india. it has similar dimensions 4800- 4850 mm long.(i think plz correct me if am wrong).

they will also share bits and peices of SX4 with this i think. and will also have the same auto box as the new SX4.(logically)

[singh.amrit]

Does not really look like an accord-camry killer , may be successful if priced around 14-15L bracket ? (considering lesser equipment level)

[Atul-C]

I think it will do well if launched in india. Now in india people are looking up to maruti for upper end cars. Sales figure of SX4 are a proof.

[cooldude1988765]

Here is a first drive report
The review praises it on being very very FTD

[smooth]

Full Road Test of Suzuki Kizashi.
Source:-
2010 Suzuki Kizashi SLS Full Test

Word doesn't travel fast when you're a small-time player, but the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi has been a labor of love some four years in the making. It is by far the most important car Suzuki has ever launched in the United States.

Although compact cars rule most parts of the world, midsize sedans will make or break you in the U.S. market. So when the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi goes on sale in December, the American outpost of Suzuki has an opportunity to reinvent itself from scratch. The company has never had a presence in the midsize sedan class. That is, unless you count the short-lived Verona, a rebadged sedan from the Korean market.


Maybe you don't want to take the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi seriously, either. (Oh, that name.) So you'll just have to go for a drive in one. And make sure it's a back road with some tight corners. Do this for an hour and you get the feeling that Suzuki's chassis development engineers get real joy out of driving and they've tuned a midsize sedan for those of us who feel the same.

It's Homegrown
Concept versions of the Suzuki Kizashi were said to have a General Motors-sourced 3.6-liter V6. This gave some of us the impression that the whole car would borrow GM platform architecture, much like the current Suzuki XL7. But this is not the case.

Instead, the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi is an entirely homegrown design. Its basic architecture is front-wheel drive, although an all-wheel-drive version with a clutch-pack-type center differential is optional. And while the Kizashi is coming to the United States first, it will eventually be a world car. So Suzuki has had to make it a little smaller than a biggie-size Accord or Camry.

The Kizashi stretches 183.1 inches nose to tail and rides on a 106.3-inch wheelbase with a track of 61.6 inches. It's close in size to the Acura TSX and the 2005-'09 Subaru Legacy.

Grip, not understeer, is the prevailing sensation, thanks to some inspired suspension tuning.

Like the TSX, the Kizashi uses a 2.4-liter inline-4 engine. This engine has twin balance shafts and features variable intake valve timing. It's rated at 185 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 170 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm with the standard six-speed manual gearbox. With the optional continuously variable transmission (CVT), power maxes out at 180 hp at 6,000 rpm. You can only get AWD with the CVT, which also has shift paddles for its simulated manual mode.

Obviously, the Acura TSX and Subaru Legacy 2.5GT offer more horsepower, but the Kizashi easily tops the non-turbocharged Legacy's 170-hp rating. And among all four-cylinder midsize sedans, only the Accord EX (190 hp), and Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg and Passat (200 hp) beat it in the power department.

Suzuki plans to undercut the prices of most potential rivals anyway. The base 2010 Suzuki Kizashi S should come in below $20,000, and our high-line SLS with a six-speed manual transmission should cost about $25,500 (there are SE and GTS trim levels between these two). Expect to spend $27,500 on an AWD Kizashi with the CVT.

Doesn't Drive Like a $25K Car
Why mention the TSX and Legacy GT if the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi is so cheap? Well, it just so happens the Kizashi feels a lot like those cars, specifically the smaller 2004-'08 TSX and 2005-'09 Legacy that we liked so much.

In developing the 2010 Kizashi, says Gene Brown, vice president of marketing and public relations for American Suzuki, "we wanted to build world-class sport sedan at a price the average person can afford."

Of course, you'll never find a true sport sedan in the form of a front-wheel-drive midsize car with a $25K price tag, but the Kizashi offers a level of entertainment that has been refined out of most other midsize sedans. Like the older TSXs and Legacys, it feels relatively lightweight, agile and honest in communicating its intentions.

You're not supposed to be put off by the body roll through tight turns. Rather, this is your cue to push harder, because it's then that the Kizashi really digs in. Grip, not understeer, is the prevailing sensation here, thanks to some inspired suspension tuning and an above-average set of all-season tires — P235/45R18 94V Dunlop SP Sport 7000s. The electric-assisted steering is a little shy on feedback, but it weights up so usefully off-center that you scarcely notice it's electric. Stability control can be fully disengaged, and our Kizashi SLS test car slaloms at 64.8 mph and manages 0.88g on the skid pad.

Brake pedal feel is a tad abrupt at tip-in, but the brakes have ample power and resist fade well — exactly what you want if you're going to play around back roads. Our test car's best 60-mph-to-0 stop is 122 feet.


What really makes all of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi's cornering capability a neat trick, though, is the midsize sedan's composure on the highway. Even with 18s, our Kizashi SLS never rides harshly. Road noise isn't a problem, either.

Engine's Just OK
We can't muster quite the same enthusiasm for the Kizashi's 2.4-liter engine, but it's perfectly adequate for everyday driving. Low and midrange torque take priority here, and the upshot is that it's easy to get going in low-speed traffic and take full advantage of passing zones on back roads.

What we don't love is the engine's demeanor at high rpm. Power begins to drop off before the 6,600-rpm redline, and the 2.4-liter is not the smoothest or the freest-revving engine in this class. Rather, it's just average, and this stands out because the rest of the drive is far above average.

As today's manual gearboxes go, though, the Kizashi's six-speed is pretty good. Clutch engagement is a bit vague, but the long-throw shifter moves through the gates with precision. Heel-and-toe downshifts come easily if you want them.

This combination is good for an 8.3-second 0-60-mph time (8.0 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) at our testing facility. The quarter-mile goes by in 16.0 seconds at 86.6 mph. For comparison, a current-generation Acura TSX with an inline-4 (201 hp, 172 lb-ft) and equipped with a six-speed manual runs the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds at 89.8 mph. Most other non-premium four-cylinder sedans are a second slower than the Kizashi, save for the 2.0T-equipped VWs and the Accord EX.

There's more in store for the Suzuki Kizashi in the engine department. We're not holding our breath on a turbocharged version of the 2.4-liter, but Suzuki is already a testing a V6 AWD version, which does, in fact, have the GM-sourced 3.6-liter V6 from the XL7 along with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Snug but Well-Trimmed Cabin
Cost considerations evidently didn't allow for serious sport seats in the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, but the cabin is otherwise driver-friendly. The seating position is neither too high nor too low, and the three-spoke steering wheel offers both telescope adjustment and a comfortable grip.


Most controls are easy to find, and though the audio display in our pre-production Kizashi SLS isn't the most state-of-the-art, Suzuki is working to source an upgraded head unit for production models that will allow more characters to be displayed. Keyless start and a USB port are standard on all Kizashis, and GTS and SLS models get a Rockford Fosgate audio system and streaming Bluetooth capability.

Suzuki will offer an upgradeable Garmin navigation system for the Kizashi, but this time the screen is larger and built into the dash. The $1,300 price tag for navigation includes a back-up camera and real-time traffic updates.

The only thing that gives us pause is the somewhat snug rear-seat headroom and legroom, but that's merely a consequence of this being a world car. If you're way over 6 feet, don't get in the back of a Suzuki Kizashi.

Save Your Jokes
On the whole, it's pretty amazing how much Suzuki gets right with the Kizashi. This midsize sedan handles well, rides well and accelerates respectably. It's also attractive in an unconventional way and has all the features you'd expect in a mainstream car.

The only obstacles standing in the way of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi's success are its funny name and Suzuki's scant dealership network in the U.S. (Actually the latter really isn't funny at all, as dealers are few and far between even in import-friendly Southern California.)

But for those willing to track down a 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, this is a chance to own a right-size sedan that drives like the TSX and Legacy once did. If the Kizashi can find some buyers, it could change the fortunes of a small-time Japanese player that until now hasn't had the right kind of four-wheeled product for America.

[arunmur]

An inch above Corolla is where this car should be here. Any higher they will kill like the GV.

[v.anand]

Originally Posted by cooldude1988765

Here is a first drive report
The review praises it on being very very FTD

Amazing review. Seems to be one terrific car from Suzuki. In India, pricing must be very important, so it must not be a CBU. Should be a success if priced on par with Jetta and Laura to be able to undercut Accord with all the equipment that comes with US model.

IMO, another terrific car to keenly wait for to arrive in India in 2010.

[Caramelo]

any ideas on the dimensons guys?

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by Caramelo

any ideas on the dimensons guys?

Kizashi dimensions.

Wheelbase : 2700 mm
Length : 4650.7 mm
Width : 1805.9 mm

1) It looks like this is an all new engine and not J24A. But for India, IMHO, they will put in J24A for lower cost.

2) The body is quite rigid as per Suzuki's claims. Kizashi meets 2014 FMVSS214 Side barrier collosion and FMVSS301 50 mhp offset rear collosion test.
Means this car is going to live on for atleast 4 years.

3) Special alloys ensure unique chassis rigidity without weight gain, while aluminum suspension components reduce unsprung weight.

4) Few facts about Suzuki:

a) The No.1 selling car in Japan is from Suzuki

b) Production of more vehicles around the world than Mazda, Subaru and Porshce combined.

c) The only automaker with the efficiency and quality to remain profitable every year since 1951

5) Images.