2010 Suzuki Kizashi
The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi will compete against the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Chevrolet Malibu. See pictures of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi.

Consumer Guide’s Impressions of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi

A big little-car company takes another stab at a midsize sedan, and this one’s all theirs. Kizashi promises a sporty persona and available all-wheel drive, but will Camry, Accord, and Malibu have something to fear.

What We Know About the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi

Suzuki is a rising star on the world automotive stage. It’s the top-seller of the “K-Class” micro cars popular in its native Japan. It has a strong and growing presence in Europe. It commands a whopping 55 percent of the booming Indian car market. And its global business spanned 192 markets and 2.4 million total sales in 2007. In the U.S., though, Suzuki is a niche player despite more than 25 years on the scene. Though it has built a strong reputation with motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, boat engines, and other products, the brand still struggles to make serious sales inroads with cars and trucks.

That may be about to change. Suzuki’s SX4 compact cars are off to a decent start, mainly because they’re decently stingy with a gallon of gas. And unlike the underwhelming Esteem and Aerio of yore, the SX4 is appealing enough to earn Consumer Guide’s Best Buy ribbon for 2008 and 2009.

Now Suzuki is revisiting the midsize sedan after flopping with the 2004-06 Verona, a disappointing shortcut designed and built by GM-Daewoo in South Korea. Suzuki sees the U.S. as its “next great frontier” market, believing it can--and should--make far more money here, hence this new stab at a mainstream car with potential yearly sales in the hundreds of thousands. Never mind that the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi will have the tough task of wooing buyers away from perennial class favorites Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. This big little-car company is determined to be as much a power in America as it is elsewhere. With the lousy new-car sales picture in America, you gotta admire their pluck.

The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi will be a somewhat toned-down version of the Kizashi 3 concept unveiled at the March 2008 New York Auto Show. Suzuki says Kizashi is Japanese for “something great is coming,” so the new title must mean much is expected of the showroom model. Unlike the Verona, this design is entirely Suzuki’s own, built on a new platform that may host other future vehicles.

The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi will be several inches shorter than today’s Accord and Camry, but will be nearly as wide. The same comparisons hold for Chevrolet’s in-demand Malibu, another inevitable rival. Suzuki says Kizashi styling is meant to evoke “the physical superiority and dignity of a world-class athlete,” but we see mainly cribbed elements of Acura RL, Audi A6, Mazda 6, and several other cars. Kizashi is attractive, just not knockout original.

Updated by Don Sikora II 08.11.2009

For more inside information on hundreds of new cars of today and tomorrow, check out:

  • C­onsumer Guide New Car Reviews and Prices: Road test results, photos, specifications, and prices for hundreds of new cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs from the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide.
  • Suzuki: Read Consumer Guide's full reports, including ratings, prices, specifications, and fuel economy.
  • Midsize Cars: The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi will compete in the midsize car class. Here's Consumer Guide's roundup of all the midsize cars on sale today.
  • 2009 Consumer Guide Best Buy and Recommended Award Winners:
    Check out which cars won our Best Buy and Recommended awards for 2009.
  • Future Cars: Step into the automotive showroom of tomorrow with reviews, analysis, pictures, prices, and preliminary specifications on scores of vehicles that will be appearing next year and beyond.