Only a handful of Suzuki Kizashi saloons will be sold in the UK, with 500 slated to arrive in the second half of 2011. All of the UK-bound cars will come with four-wheel drive and a 176bhp 2.4-litre petrol engine.
Just as other Japanese car makers are abandoning the all-wheel drive saloon sector (with Mitsubishi confirming the impending death of its Evo model range), Suzuki is entering this rarefied market. The reason is that Suzuki does not have a suitable diesel engine for the Kizashi, but it reckons its Mondeo-class saloon has a viable customer base.
As well as four-wheel drive, all UK versions of the Kizashi will be fitted with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) gearbox as standard. In six-speed manual form, the Kizashi deals with 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds and has a top speed of 134mph, so expect the CVT version to be slower and less frugal than the manual's 35.8mpg combined economy.
Suzuki reckons most of its customers will be private buyers, so carbon dioxide emissions of 183g/km (for the manual) will be little hindrance to the 500 cars finding owners. Expect the Kizashi to cost from around £24,000 and be very well equipped when it goes on sale in the UK later this year.
Alisdair Suttie - 7 Mar 2011