like the Fusion, the Accord, the Camry, the Chevy Malibu, and the Nissan Altima, all of which are five to 10 inches longer. Its compact overall dimensions serve to reinforce its more sporting nature and attributes.

At $26,049, the Kizashi Sport SLS is the biggest, most expensive car ever offered by Suzuki in the United States--yet it is value-priced when compared to most of its mid-sized competitors.

All 2011 Kizashi models are equipped with a new 2.4-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder engine. When mated to the six-speed manual transmission, it delivers 185 horsepower at 6,500 r.p.m. with 170 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 r.p.m. (When matched up to the Continuously Variable Transmission or CVT, the engine is tuned to deliver 180 horsepower at 6,000 r.p.m.) Over the course of my 500-mile test drive, the Kizashi Sport SLS delivered a real-world 29.1 m.p.g., bettering its EPA city/highway numbers of 20/29.

My test model was equipped with the six-speed manual. Unless someone in your household hasn't yet mastered the art of driving a stick, pick the six-speed manual transmission over the optional CVT (see sidebar below).

While its shifter lacks the finesse of the best in class, the Honda Civic, my Kizashi exhibited a precise feel when rowing the gears. I would certainly classify it as very good.

Where the Kizashi truly shines is in the handling department. In this regard, Suzuki's offering has more in common with the Audi A4, the Mercedes-Benz C300, and the Acura TSX than with mid-sized family sedans. In the KizashiKicks.com comparison, those are the vehicles against which the Kizashi was benchmarked.

According to the numbers from the third-party testing firm, Consumer Automotive Research, the Kizashi more than held its own. In a 600-foot slalom, the Audi A4 Front Trak ran the gauntlet in 6.83 seconds at a speed of 59.9 m.p.h., and the Acura TSX did so in 7.45 seconds at 54.9 m.p.h. The Kizashi ran through the cones in 6.97 seconds at 58.6 m.p.h.

On the 200-foot skid pad, the Kizashi turned in .94g lateral acceleration compared to .92g for the A4 and .87g for the TSX. (These are exceptional numbers. Just think--10 years ago, anything greater than .90g was supercar territory.) Part of this is due to the Kizashi's extremely stiff structure combined with multi-link rear suspension constructed with embedded aluminum. This allows for crisp, nimble handling with excellent stability and reduced chassis vibration.

Previous Page

Next Page