[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Reports indicate Maruti Suzuki is looking at revival of Kizashi for a possible 2019 launch!

Link

No chance. The product has reached the end of its lifecycle and the money Suzuki spent on bringing the Kizashi into existence in the first place was way more than it does on any other new car. The company themselves admitted that even if it sold in decent numbers, it would take atleast 10 years for the developmental costs to be recouped even though the product lifecycle is probably only 6-7 years, so a brand new model is also out of the question. I think this is just noise over nothing, but an owner can only hope

[Gmanliving]

Hi IshaanIan,

I don't have the privileges to send you a private message, so hope you wouldn't mind me asking you a few vital doubts about the Kizashi here.

I've currently used 2011 CVT model which has run 48,000 km for 6.25 lakhs.

Cosmetically the car is almost flawless however what concerns it the mechanical aspects.

Could you please share your insights regarding the maintenance and reliability of the Kizashi based on your ownerships.

The lack of warranty is what is concerns and worries me the most, also i've read a few threads with Kizashi's having way too many problems for a japanese built car.

Cheers,

Looking forward to your response.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by Gmanliving

Hi IshaanIan,

I don't have the privileges to send you a private message, so hope you wouldn't mind me asking you a few vital doubts about the Kizashi here.
======
Looking forward to your response.

Hi sorry just saw this post no idea how I missed it earlier since I am subscribed to this thread (must remember to trim down the number of threads I am subscribed to in order to avoid missing out like this).

The Kizashi has been a great car so far for me. Although mine is a manual, I cannot comment much on the CVT apart from the mileage it will give you in traffic is going to be pathetic for sure. I am guessing you would already be knowing that though. As far as maintenance goes, I usually wait around 3 days for the parts to come from Gurgaon or if it is not available in Gurgaon and they need to import from Japan, I have never had to wait for more than 2 weeks, so availability has never been an issue.

That said, you won't be able to blindly drop off the Kizashi to any Maruti service center as very few of them have people who know how to service the car properly. You need to check in the forum or amongst your friends which the best Maruti service center is in your region, and hand the car over to the team over there. 48000 kms is hardly anything you might need to have things like the lower arm ends and other small suspension linkages looked at as well as maybe change all the bushes. You should be able to judge by taking a test drive over a rough patch of road. I don't know about unreliable as I have not yet had any major issues with my car in terms of electronic or engine failure. That said, like every other D-segment sedan, these things are not built for Indian roads and will have to be nanny-ed around.

[octane1002]

So I just test drove a Kizashi, a manual at that and would like to share my experience.I was keenly exploring the possibility of having the Kizashi as a daily drive and my eyes lit up when I saw one on the classifieds here.

The car in question has been regularly serviced at the A. S. S. Well, I dont know if its my experience of having owned the original Octavia vRS that makes me say this... But, the Kizashi just didnt have that raw grunt that i was expecting it to at the higher rpms.

Surprising really, because an NA engine with roughly 20% more power than the 150 bhp RS, should have matched if not surpassed the grunt I was used to in my Octy. As they say, power figures on paper is not the be all and end all of driving pleasure, its the way the power is delivered that matters.

So let me get on to the steering part. Well the car is a little larger proportioned than the Octy RS, but here too I just felt the steering a little hard and not as sharp as I would have liked. Coupled with notchy gearshifts (which I now know to be common problem with manual Kizashis based on my research on the www.), the whole experience was underwhelming.Which was disappointing really, since I was willing to take a punt on the doubtful future parts availability of the car.

Overall, it may be good on some fronts( I find it to be a good looker.. the rear especially) , great on none.The car definitely isn't something that I would classify as an enthusiast's choice.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by octane1002

But, the Kizashi just didnt have that raw grunt that i was expecting it to at the higher rpms.

Surprising really, because an NA engine with roughly 20% more power than the 150 bhp RS, should have matched if not surpassed the grunt I was used to in my Octy. As they say, power figures on paper is not the be all and end all of driving pleasure, its the way the power is delivered that matters.

Overall, it may be good on some fronts( I find it to be a good looker.. the rear especially) , great on none.The car definitely isn't something that I would classify as an enthusiast's choice.

That has nothing to do with power and everything to do with torque delivery. Your Octavia was a turbocharged engine and this is a naturally aspirated one the power delivery is more linear and predictable out of corners in the Kizashi also out of the factory, throttle response is delayed to aid fuel economy so that could be another reason it didn't feel as electric as the old Octavia. That said an NA motor will always feel like it has less 'grunt' than a turbocharged one but race the two before you come to any conclusions.

As for the steering, it isn't a Hydraulic unit so won't feel as great, but as far as electric units go very few match the feel and directness that the Kiz has to offer (even among the Laura and new Octavia). Great at none you say? How about the best in class braking? Or excellent mechanical grip that the chassis has to offer? On several instances I have out cornered or acheived higher corner speeds than several Skodas. My buddy owns a dealership so I'm well acquainted with the brand and its cars. I'm sorry but either your test parameters were too limited or you have been blinded by oldschool hydraulic steering and turbo engines but I don't think your last statement holds any weight.

No offense taken and none dealt out just saying that in order to make that last statement especially coming from an enthusiast's POV, I feel you ought to be able to comment on more areas and you definitely cannot ignore areas in which the car excels at like braking and grip. Unless ofcourse you are coming from an entirely different more conservative driving philosophy.

Anyway, perhaps a Linea T-Jet will be more your style?

[octane1002]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

That has nothing to do with power and everything to do with torque delivery.
========
No offense taken and none dealt out just saying that in order to make that last statement especially coming from an enthusiast's POV, I feel you ought to be able to comment on more areas and you definitely cannot ignore areas in which the car excels at like braking and grip. Unless ofcourse you are coming from an entirely different more conservative driving philosophy.

Anyway, perhaps a Linea T-Jet will be more your style?

What you have essentially summed up are the reasons for why the car doesn't feel as fast or the lack of grunt and sharp steering. As i said its not what id call an enthusiast's choice.Certainly nowhere close to the old RS and I have mentioned my point of reference as well. I still stand by my point.So what is the point comparing it to newer 'Skodas'.. Newer Skodas aren't my point of reference, read my post again if you will. As for outcornering and acheiving higher speeds, doesn't prove a thing, too many factors at play(different skill levels of drivers for example).

I'm sorry if my views sounded a little offensive to a Kizashi owner, all I meant to say that its well rounded package for others, not an enthusiast. Your reply hints at you mistaking my inputs as some some sort of brand rivalry where you claim knowing the Skoda brand and its cars. Please understand I am referring to the driving experience of the Kizashi vis a vis an Octy RS and that's about it.

As for knowing how an NA engine is supposed to feel, well I do know my cars. One of my rides is a 1.6 Suzi Baleno and the other an Audi V8, (Im certainly not blinded by 'old school' parameters of turbos and hydraulinc engines just because I praised the Octy RS for what it actually was).

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by octane1002

..........
I'm sorry if my views sounded a little offensive to a Kizashi owner, all I meant to say that its well rounded package for others, not an enthusiast. Your reply hints at you mistaking my inputs as some some sort of brand rivalry between Skodas n Suzukis. Please understand I am referring to the driving experience vis a vis an Octy RS and that's about it.

As for knowimg how an NA engine is supposed to feel, well I do know my cars. One of my rides is a 1.6 Suzi Baleno and the other an Audi V8, not comparing the Kizashi to them, but yes i love NA cars and know what to expect of them.

Like I said, no offense taken and none dealt out. My comparing the Kizashi to the Laura and newer Octavia were simply because those are the only cars (barring the Jetta which is essentially the same as the Laura) which cater to enthusiasts in that segment. The Cruze is a diesel and never really handled all that well, and the Accord, Corolla, Camry are all boats in comparison. No brand rivalry here simply comparing against other possible choices an enthusiast has.

All I meant was that as an enthusiast, recognizing the different technologies used in a modern car and comparing it to other modern cars with similar levels of tech would be wise. That is all. As for mechanical grip on offer, there are tests conducted by external auto-journalists on the web and I myself have driven Laura and Kizashi back to back that is why I made it clear to mention mechanical grip in specific. Anyway I myself much prefer older cars as I feel the driving experience is more diluted due to manufacturer tuned stock setups where there is throttle delay and electric power steering units. Infact on the lookout for a Forester as my daily driver currently

All I am saying is that it makes sense to account for limitations imposed by modern tech and compare a car to other enthusiast options of the same age also as far as mechanical grip and braking goes, maybe you haven't tested that out thoroughly but it really is astonishing and unrivaled, so seeing you say it doesn't do great in any area after ignoring those factors, simply made me want to point it out that's all. No brand bias here at all I just love cars in general and personally do prefer the older stuff as well just that I myself am not blind to areas where the newer cars perform better, albeit with less drama and feel.

Oh and if modern eps and laggy manufacturer tuned dbw throttles, are not your thing, might I make another suggestion: the Mitsubishi Cedia. Absolutely brilliant analogue car, handled better than the Civic in its time, and came with the ground clearance and suspension needed to tackle bad roads. Plonk in a turbo though because it is a bit slow.

[TB16]

I own a kizashi and i seriously think it is not a car made to cater an enthusiant. Atleast not the stock version which rolled out of the factory. By modding it a little bit, one might be able to squeeze some performance out of it. My comparison is strictly with the Laura VRS which i test drove back to back with the kizashi. Although the VRS had the same 1.8 TSI found in normal laura petrol, but it somewhat felt a little sporty, specially in the handling department. These are the only 2 cars i test drove before finalizing the kizashi since i didnt want to buy a skoda.

Where the kizashi shines is out on the highway. The car is super stable in a straight line and is a very comfortable long distance high speed cruiser. Atleast that is what i feel having driven the car for the past 5 years.

[TB16]

Any active Kizashi owners in Delhi-NCR? Where do you take your kizashi for regular servicing. Uptill now i've been going to the Maruti Service Masters in okhla but im not happy with them. Any suggestions?

[lofty2304]

Originally Posted by TB16

Any active Kizashi owners in Delhi-NCR? Where do you take your kizashi for regular servicing. Uptill now i've been going to the Maruti Service Masters in okhla but im not happy with them. Any suggestions?

Stopped going to MASS a while back. Sub-par service and attitude. My Kizashi is taken care by Jain tyres workshop in Gurgaon (opposite Good Earth Mall). Let me know if you need the owners contact info and all.

[TB16]

Originally Posted by lofty2304

Stopped going to MASS a while back. Sub-par service and attitude. My Kizashi is taken care by Jain tyres workshop in Gurgaon (opposite Good Earth Mall). Let me know if you need the owners contact info and all.

Hey lofty, Thanks for the reply. How old is your car and how many KM has it done? Please share the details of the workshop here only. It might come in handy for other owners aswell. Thanks

[lofty2304]

The car is a 2013( silver) CVT. It has done around 55k. For parts and all I use boodmo (app/website). They are a bit cheaper than Alva(MASS authorised). The workshop mentioned above is owned by Ajit Jain (+919999993610). This guy has a knack for arranging parts within a stipulated time frame. A few titbits with regards to service. The cabin air filter which costs a bomb(5600) is interchangeable with a Nissan sunny cabin filter(300). Similarly for the oil filter use the Sx4 one...cheaper and all. Honda Civic rear disk brakes (2k) can be used instead of the the maruti akibono(6.5k) ones. If any of you fine folks have such titbits please do share.

[TB16]

Originally Posted by lofty2304

The car is a 2013( silver) CVT. It has done around 55k. For parts and all I use boodmo (app/website). They are a bit cheaper than Alva(MASS authorised). The workshop mentioned above is owned by Ajit Jain (+919999993610). This guy has a knack for arranging parts within a stipulated time frame. A few titbits with regards to service. The cabin air filter which costs a bomb(5600) is interchangeable with a Nissan sunny cabin filter(300). Similarly for the oil filter use the Sx4 one...cheaper and all. Honda Civic rear disk brakes (2k) can be used instead of the the maruti akibono(6.5k) ones. If any of you fine folks have such titbits please do share.

Thats some really clever hacks specially the cabin air filter one. Is the sunny's filter a perfect match for kizashi or requires some fiddling? Although my car has done only 25k Km, i already had to change the brakes at 15k Km as the original brakes just broke off. Thank god i wasn't driving at that time. The new set of brakes (both front and rear) costed me about 15k including labour changes.

Can you please share your 30K service bill here if possible. I'll probably be taking mine for service this weekend. Thanks.

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by lofty2304

The car is a 2013( silver) CVT. It has done around 55k. For parts and all I use boodmo (app/website). They are a bit cheaper than Alva(MASS authorised). The workshop mentioned above is owned by Ajit Jain (+919999993610). This guy has a knack for arranging parts within a stipulated time frame. A few titbits with regards to service. The cabin air filter which costs a bomb(5600) is interchangeable with a Nissan sunny cabin filter(300). Similarly for the oil filter use the Sx4 one...cheaper and all. Honda Civic rear disk brakes (2k) can be used instead of the the maruti akibono(6.5k) ones. If any of you fine folks have such titbits please do share.

While things like cabin air filter is fine, why would you want to switch brake discs from another car? Just because they may fit does not mean they will function properly. Also OEM parts makers are not crazy, if a certain part is suitable for 2 different cars, it will be listed in their catalogue. I certainly wouldn't switch parts like this just to save time/money.

[lofty2304]

I didn't say I switched brakes. I didn't ask for you to switch brakes with another car either.
Giving you fine folks this little alternative in case the parts are not available or for an emergency. Go to Kizashi club dot com,you will find many instances of Kizashi owners doing the brake switch and being happy about it.