Overall rating:

The Kizashi is Suzuki's first ever D-segment car - and after much speculation, it has now been confirmed for the UK market. It will arrive at the end of 2011, packing plenty of equipment and four-wheel drive.

Key Facts

Pricing: £24,000 (estimated)
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: Vauxhall Insignia 4x4, Subaru Legacy, Audi A4 quattro
CO₂ emissions: 183g/km
Combined economy: 35.8mpg
Top speed: 134mph
0-62mph: 7.8 seconds
Power: 176bhp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 170lb.ft at 4,000rpm

In the Metal:

It's not a bad looker, the Suzuki Kizashi. Its profile is a little innocuous but from the front it appears snarling and curvaceous, while the equally curvy rear looks rather cool with the twin tailpipes flush with the bumper. It's very Japanese and wouldn't seem out of place on the Californian street racing scene - albeit with an extra spoiler or two.

The interior is similarly Japanese in its appearance - but that's less of a good thing. The Kizashi's cabin isn't badly built, but it's very dark and most materials fall short of what we now expect of European rivals. There's plenty of thick leather on the seats, the steering wheel and various other areas, though, which will remain for the UK production model.

Driving it:

Kizashi buyers will only be offered a CVT transmission and four-wheel drive in the UK, while Suzuki's 2.4-litre 176bhp petrol engine will be the only power option. Contrary to that, we drove a front-wheel drive, six-speed manual version, which is already on sale overseas, but it was enough to get a feel for the forthcoming car.

The big players in the saloon market now rely on turbodiesels or small capacity turbo/supercharged petrol engines to propel the bulk of their cars, so Suzuki's approach is an old-fashioned one. It's refreshingly different, though, because the 16-valve engine thrives on a bit of a thrashing. It comes alive in the upper echelons of the rev range and, though lacking the low down torque of a diesel or blown petrol unit, there's enough power at low revs to get by.

Rough road surfaces make themselves known, as the Kizashi's ride is a little less forgiving than we'd expect from a mainstream saloon. The reverse effect is that the Suzuki is actually quite communicative - you get a real feel for what's going on at tarmac level. We'd never call the Kizashi a serious driver's car, but it's more engaging than many saloons.

What you get for your Money:

Pricing has yet to be confirmed for the UK, but expect the Kizashi to cost around £24,000 when it arrives at the end of the year. The phrase 'a lot of car for the money' is very relevant here. Expect the likes of electrically adjustable and heated seats, HID headlamps, a full leather interior, 18-inch alloys and much more. In fact, the only non-standard option will be a satnav system.

Worth Noting

Suzuki knows that the Kizashi isn't going to sell in huge volumes in the UK. The lack of a diesel engine and, in its place, a larger-than-usual, rather thirsty petrol engine count against it. What's more, non-premium saloon cars have it tough enough in the UK as it is. The Japanese firm only expects to sell around 500 Kizashis annually, though, which is a realistic amount.

Summary

It's not going to worry the Ford Mondeo any time soon, but the Kizashi will probably appeal to existing Suzuki owners looking for something with plenty of space, a decent sized boot and/or the versatility of four-wheel drive. The Kizashi isn't up there with established mainstream saloons, but it does offer something a bit different to the status quo, along with loads of kit and Suzuki's top reliability record.