The Kizzy keeps getting reviewed

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Firefly
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Location: Northern New Jersey, USA

KuroNekko wrote:Just curious, but what are you guys planning to do after the Kizashi? ...
I have been in a Mazda 6 since turning in an AWD SLS. While I am very satisfied with it, it's not the same kind of car. The 6 is bigger and feels bigger and more refined. It could very well be the most engaging drive in its competitive group. But not like the feel of the AWD Kizashi. In the past I have leased a BMW 330xi ('06) and 335xi ('08), and the Kiz felt somewhat related those, probably the AWD and close dimensions. (not power of course)

I think if I were looking for a close match I would look at the WRX - anybody try the current one?
Former driver of a 2011 SLS AWD Platinum
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KuroNekko
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Triggerhappy wrote:I've been spoiled by the reliability and how much car you get for your money with the Kizashi. My car is closing in on 100,000 miles. Only had to replaced the battery, tires, filters, fluids, wipers, and bulbs. Still on the original brake pads and rotors. My dad just bought a RAV4 XLE and the interior isn't as nice as the Kizashi. It also doesn't come with power driver's seat and it stickers for $29,000. Many midsized cars have poor interior materials unless you get the top of the line trim. I want my next car to have adaptive cruise control. I was thinking about the Tesla Model 3 but they will build the most expensive ones first before the $7,500 tax credit expires.
The Kizashi was nicely equipped and it's probably why other cars feel a little less feature-packed. Underdog brands like Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki, and Mitsubishi usually try to sway buyers by offering more features standard or for a lower price than bigger names. Having owned my Kizashi Sport GTS, it will be hard to go to a comparable vehicle without getting into a higher level trim. The thing that my Kizashi has especially spoiled me with is the Rockford Fosgate sound system. I know that from now on, I'll really want the top spec audio system in a car given the bar the Kizashi's RF system has set.

I'm interested in the Tesla Model 3 as well, but PHEVs make a lot more sense for me. If a vehicle can give me about 30 to 50 miles of pure EV range, it's all I need to cover my daily commute. I rather have a gas engine on board for long road trips which I occasionally take for both work and pleasure. While I expect a Model 3 to have more performance, I think a Chevy Volt makes a better vehicle for me in practicality. A PHEV SUV with 4x4 is what I really want.
bootymac wrote: Ironically I think this is the Kizashi's biggest strength. Simple, reliable and tried and tested technology makes the Kizashi a very owner friendly car. It might not be the most fuel efficient but when you end up spending money elsewhere on the car, the savings quickly disappear.
Real Suzukis have always been very reliable cars that don't need too much to keep them going. However, I don't think that newer cars are less reliable. I think it all depends on what kind of technology they are using. Hybrids have proved to be ultra-reliable and are about the only type of car that seems to not be plagued by CVT problems even when equipped with them. I think it's because the electric motor mitigates a lot of the work it has to do at low speeds. Non-hybrids with CVTs seem to fair a lot worse and even the Kizashi's weakest point is the CVT. While not prevalent, it does seem that some people have had CVT failures in their Kizashis at well under 100,000 miles. If we are to talk about the Kizashi's strength in having "tried-and-tested old tech" it really applies to the 6 speed manual models. I think the CVTs are more of a hit-or-miss and I am certain the manual trans models will outlast the CVT models in the years to come. This is largely true of any car when comparing manual vs. auto, but looks certain for CVTs.

I'm also wary of the wide-scale use of turbos from brands that don't have much experience with them. Ford's EcoBoost has a lot of complaints and low reliability despite good performance. Even German cars which have more experience with turbos have spotty reliability. While I think some cars like the WRX, Evo, GTI, etc. are relatively fine, I'm wary of the small displacement turbos appearing on just about anything given I wonder if their components are built to last from the added stress and heat over the course of many years. I simply don't think a Chevy Cruze's Ecotec is overbuilt to last like a Mitsubishi Evolution's engine. However, I think today's normally-aspirated engines are largely fine and probably are no worse than older designs like the Suzuki J24B in our Kizashis. If anything, it's the ultra-low viscosity grade of motor oils being widely used that concerns me. Brands like Subaru and BMW have recently developed oil burning issues and I think these thin oils may have something to do with it. Much like with CVTs and small displacement turbos, automakers have tried to implement questionable practices so their MPGs and HPs can look higher (at least on paper). The down side is that reliability and longevity suffers and it's one of the reasons why I like electrified powertrains; they're the technology that's proving to actually be more efficient and reliable while also not involved in some deceptive scam.

That being said, I agree with everyone that while the Kizashi's fuel economy is rather low (for today's standards), it's an impressive car that drives nicely and is quite drama-free for most people. I've owned my car for about 3.5 years and it currently has about 49,500 miles. The only real problem I had with it was the premature rear shock failure that was fully covered under warranty. I'm quite happy given my Kizashi is neither a garage queen nor a highway cruiser. It's in grueling city traffic on a regular basis in DC. However, it's these conditions that give it a regular average of about 22~23 MPG.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
Erik2mark
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KuroNekko wrote:
Ronzuki wrote:
KuroNekko wrote:Just curious, but what are you guys planning to do after the Kizashi?
I honestly don't have a clue...really. Nothing is going to hold a candle to the Kiz even 5 years from now. It should be no surprise to anyone here that I despise all the tech crap that's in a modern automobile's cockpit.

I'm in a Chrysler 200 right at the moment (because the Heep's at the stealer for a growing list of BS problems it shouldn't have at 11k miles). The 200's dash looks like something out of a video game starring back at me. Buttons and knobs everywhere on top of the gotta have touch screen. There's no way to use the electronic muscle memory to land your hand/fingers on the correct control without taking your eyes off the road to find what you're after. Not a big fan of super-bright backlighting, neon-blue or any other. I turn it down...and the car thinks I want to be blinded and turns it back up when it senses the sun's up. Then, just to really piss me off, the dimmer ctrl is non-responsive, nice. :facepalm: Maybe I oughta read a manual to try and find out what the tweeny-something thought I had in mind for the operation of such a simple device.

I will say, it rides the way I like a car to ride, stiffer and responsive...sporty and the thing handles pretty darn well, rather balanced, w/ the gutless 4-banger up front. It's got 15,7xx miles on the screen (no longer can it be referred to as 'the clock'). The 8spd trans...well...let's just say they had to take some $$ out of something in order to pay for all the wonderful tech somehow. Nice leather interior, better than the Kiz's, and it has paddle shifters on the wheel that don't react as they do in the Kiz...shifts when it wants, as opposed to when I command it to.
I had a Chrysler 200 for a few days as a rental too when my Kizashi was in the shop for a cosmetic repair. Overall, it was decent. Seats were very comfy which I find in just about every Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge product my boney ass has sat in. The ride was quite nice too, similar to the Ford Fusion I had a while back. Handling was decent, but nowhere like the Kizashi's. The Kizashi feels much more planted and the road feedback is more visceral though harsher. I think these larger domestics make good highway cruisers, but not really the best for the curves in the segment. The transmission has a bunch of cogs as you noted so the common complaint with this car is gear-hunting. I noticed some of that too when I drove it but it wasn't as bad as reviewers made it out to be. Perhaps I felt this way because I've been driving manuals for several years so I lost touch of what a "good" automatic would shift like compared to a gear-hunting one.

I do want to note however that the Chrysler 200 is going the way of the Kizashi as in it's headed for a death sooner than expected. FCA's CEO announced that FCA will soon be discontinuing the 200 and the Dodge Dart. The Durango is also going away too. It really looks like all he cares about is Jeep.

Ron, sorry to hear your Jeep is turning into a Heep like the last one.
You and Conicelli you my dear are a great asset to this company keep up the good work!
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