Back in 2008 on one of my weekly summertime spy shooting expeditions to Death Valley, I came across one of the most thoroughly cloaked prototypes I'd ever encountered. At first, I thought that it was a refresh of a Dodge Avenger. Boy, I wasn't even close.

I walked right up to the prototype and snapped my shots, but it wasn't until later that I realized the vehicle was a Suzuki, the production version of the Kizashi Concept Car.

At the 2009 New York International Automobile Show, Suzuki launched the production version of the Kizashi. Sales started in late 2009 to generally favorable reviews from the automotive press. Competing in the mid-sized sedan category, Suzuki is trying to position the Kizashi against more than just larger cars such as the Ford Fusion, the Honda Accord, and the Toyota Camry.

The Japanese automaker also wants the Kizashi to stand as an alternative to C-segment sport sedans from Europe, especially the Audi A4, the Mercedes-Benz C300, and, for good measure, the Acura TL (which, like the Kizashi, is built in Japan). When comparably equipped, almost all of them cost far more than our test car here, a six-speed manual Kizashi Sport SLS.

First, a little background is in order. For most of the last decade, GM owned a minority stake in Suzuki.