I picked up my black 2011 Kizashi SX AWD (Canada) on March 26th, 2011 and I am super happy with my decision. I followed the forums on this site before making the decision and I'm glad I didn't let any of the negative talk deter me.
I recognize that the car may have problems but I think people need to keep some perspective on the complaints. Just in case anyone is considering a Kizashi let me address my experience with some aspects of the car that have been portrayed a a negative light:
Rims and tires: Personally I think the 18 inch wheels look great and this is probably the aspect of the car that receives the most frequent positive comments.
Power: The CVT does limit the 'off the line' power but when up in the higher gear ratios on the highway I actually find this car pretty fast. I also feel like the speed from a full stop has gotten better as I've had the car longer although this might just be my imagination.
Stereo: I don't think it would hold up to any major custom job by a stereo enthusiast but I was surprised to read complaints about this as I'm really happy with mine.
Fuel economy: I can't comment on this as I live in a relatively urban area and I'm a short drive to work so I'm 70% 'start and stop' driving. As a result my fuel economy usually sits somewhere around 10.5 l/100km.
Warranty: I was surprised to read any complaints about this as in Canada this seems like a pretty standard warranty although not as good as Hyundai's.
Paint job: Totally fine and I've got about 3500 km on it although I'm not on the highway a lot. That said, I drove Toronto to Windsor and back 2x and there isn't anything
All in all, I think this is a great car especially for the price.
