2012 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS Review

Suzuki Kizashi Sport

It cracks me up that this is called the Sport model. It's anything but. The combination of the four-cylinder and the continuously variable transmission just doesn't cut it. Add in all-wheel drive sapping even more power and, well, you get the picture. The fact that the four-cylinder is a bit crude and loud only adds to my distaste for the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS. The shift paddles on the steering wheel seem like some sort of cruel joke. 

It's not bad-looking inside and out. It reminds me a lot of the last-generation Volkswagen Jetta, which was good-looking. The all-wheel drive would make the car a good winter warrior, and I will say that the steering is good, and the ride/handling mix is as well.

But the Kizashi is not really on my radar. Not with the Mazda 3, the Ford Focus, the Chevrolet Cruze, etc. on the market--or at least not on my radar as a new car. Maybe a sub-$20,000 used one. 

COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO-WRIGHT: This Suzuki brought back fond memories of our long-term Kizashi; I know that I was one of the few in the office who enjoyed zipping around in the car. But, that 'Zashi did not seem as sluggish and as noisy--even with the CVT--as this Sport model did. Wow! I found myself turning up the radio to be able to hear it over the buzzing, especially at higher speeds.

Inside, the interior is pretty basic, which I expected. But the yards of hard plastic lent a lesser-quality look. And the seats lacked bolster. But there was plenty of legroom and shoulder room up front and in the back seats, and the trunk was spacious.

Suzuki Kizashi Interior

The Kizashi is good around curves and corners and is easy to toss about. And brake pedal feel is solid. This car does handle well; it just needs a better combination to get it moving down the road.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: I remember when the Kizashi hit the market--it made quite an impact, at least among auto reviewers, being the first modern Suzuki sedan to feel like a real car. Unfortunately, it never made much of an impact among the buying public thanks to a nonexistent marketing campaign and the fact that folks shopping midsize sedans simply don't think to look at a Suzuki dealership.

Outside, Suzuki made an effort to craft something a little different, and the Kizashi stands out to some degree. On the inside, though, it's a generation old already, thanks to hard plastics, an outdated driver interface and chintzy feeling controls. Then there's the smell--is it possible for a car to smell cheap?

But what kills the Kizashi for me is, unsurprisingly, the powertrain. The four-cylinder CVT combo is just plain bad and would be in any car. But it's more noticeable by virtue of the otherwise adequate wrapper in which it's packaged. 

Would Suzuki have had a competitive midsize sedan if the Kizashi had a better driveline? Probably not, but you have to wonder what would have happened if, say, the Hyundai Sonata's turbo four and six-speed automatic were under the hood, and a smattering of ads had directed folks to at least take a test drive. 

Instead, along with its Grand Vitara stablemate, the Kizashi likely will become one of the last four-wheeled Suzuki products we see on these shores for a while.

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR CHERYL L. BLAHNIK: The Suzuki Kizashi looks good. I've always been a fan of the shapely exhaust outlets and its overall sporty appearance. Like Cynthia, it made me think of our long-term Kizashi. 

It's a shame that this car didn't make a bigger splash with consumers. As Andy noted, the lack of marketing and the company's history of mediocre cars didn't do the Kizashi any favors. However, Suzuki does have some street credentials, but that's for its great motorcycles. There's a Suzuki bike in my garage right now, and I love it. 

Suzuki Kizashi Back

As for this Sport model, I do like the small cosmetic upgrades, but I think Suzuki should have attempted to squeeze some more power out of the four-cylinder to go along with the suspension upgrades.

2012 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS

Base Price: $26,494

As-Tested Price: $27,149

Drivetrain: 2.4-liter I4; AWD, continuously variable transmission

Output: 180 hp @ 6,500 rpm, 170 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,241 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 25/24.3 mpg

Options: Bluetooth connectivity ($250); premium floor and cargo mats ($210); premium metallic paint ($130); trunk subfloor organizer with first aid kit ($65)