MNSLS - Introduction

[MNSLS]

Hello Board,

I'm new to the Kizashi ownership. Just over a month now driving a used, but new to me, Azure Grey 2010 Kizashi SLS. Doesn't have XM Radio but most other stuff.

The Kizashi has replaced my 05 Saab 92x Linear. The Saabari was pushing 200K and the kids needed more room in the back.

How'd I find the Kizashi? I was driving lots of different things trying to figure out what I wanted for the next 4-5 years. I started first in the Subaru camp, had a few others of those in my past besides the Saab. The new Impreza was fine but I was already driving one. The Legacy was nice for size and not too bad for handling. So I kept looking. Drove most all small cars and mid-sized cars out there. I had semi-settled on a new Mazda CX-5. It's fairly akin to a big hatchback.

I was out one day at the Ford dealer as I thought I should try an Escape to see how the CX-5 compared. The salesman was trying to sell me on a used Fusion. Not a bad car but nothing overly exciting about it either. I saw this Kizashi on the lot. I wasn't really considering it but figured what the heck I'll ask for a drive.

The Kizashi sucked me in. Nice handling for a 'mid-size'. Decent room in the back. Not the best but not the worst either. I left and spent the next day doing research. What is this Suzuki thing. My old Samurai was very reliable. (Though it didn't run anymore after the rollover.) The Kizashi got good ratings from the Auto press and various users. It was hard to find anyone to say anything bad about it. So, I mostly settled on the Kizashi. The CX-5 was still an option.

I consulted the wife and she wanted the heated seats of the Subaru and prefers sunroofs. Egads... Well, CX-5 is new and this pushed us into a $30K car. Additionally the CX-5 outfitted in that manner was tricky to find.

There happened to be a couple used SE w/ Leather, a GTS, and a couple SLSs along with about as many new versions. After looking them all over I thought the Azure Grey looked the best. Knowing I have kids and will dent/scratch the car up I figured used was a better choice for us. (Well and $18K vs $29K didn't hurt either.) So I went with the used Grey instead of new Grey.

After the first month of driving I can see why the positive press. This car is fairly solid. It feels faster than it is. Handles well. The Rockford Fosgate is nice. I do have BlueTooth and no navigation. (Anyway aren't Cellphones for Navigation.)

...

My first impressions on needs on the Kizzy. How about a compass? Seems like the car, similar to our ex-2000 Avalon, should be able to tell you the direction. Not a overly big thing, but for all the little details Suzuki considered it seemed to me this is a miss. And certainly for Minnesota I would have appreciated a remote start package of some sort. Seems for about the $30K price point others (Subaru for example) can come with that built in.

First changes - I'm kicking around a couple minor mods as my first changes. (Mostly for fun.) I like the mudlights on the doors. I think they'd look better as a blue led. At the same time I'll probably change the peddle lights with a blue led. My next would be tinted windows. I think the Azure Grey would look a bit 'badder' that way.


Well that's a short intro. Hi all and feel to ask me questions.

[Northernstar]

welcome to the forum

[chazyouwin]

Welcome - I have the same vehicle, albeit front wheel drive not all wheel drive. I can just see you driving in Minnesota in the countryside blanketed with snow, needing a compass everywhere you go. Heh. Anyway, if you are looking for dedicated snows I'd suggest thinking about not making the same mistake I did - stay with larger wheels, not 16" but rather 17" or even 18". If you go with 16" and squishy snows like Blizzaks, you'll find that rather ruins the sharp handling characteristics.

Also your post was a bit startling in the statement that the Samauri did not run after the "rollover" (?) What was that?

Common theme of many Kizashi owners here is previous Suzuki car ownership. Loyalty discount from Suzuki helps with that, I suppose, but many of us have had positive experiences.

[chazyouwin]

Also, despite the lack of 3.5 mm input, the Kizashi does offer a couple of other excellent competing options for getting your music through the speakers (USB and bluetooth). The USB input is what I've used. It is quite good and is integrated well with the steering wheel controls.

[MNSLS]

@Chazyouwin,

Quickie review of the Samuri accident.

Feb in the mid 90s I was coming home on Hwy 61 north of Duluth. It was a bad snowstorm. I was driving below speed limit but apparently not enough. I was in the southbound lane. I did a 180 and hit the 2-3' tall snowbank made by the plows. The northbound lane is lower than the southbound lane. I rolled the Sammy a few times down the hill. It landed short of the shoulder for the northbound traffic. Sammy was totaled - broken frame, broken roll bars, broken rear axle, and sitting upside down ran all the oil out of the engine. My girlfriend and I walked away. I bent the steering wheel in half and broke 1 bone in my hand.

My favorite part was the jerk cop. He had me replay events. He proceeded to tell me that it was not slippery and I must have been speeding and he needed to give me a ticket. I said fine but know that we can talk about that in court. On the way to his car he slipped and fell on his back. As he was getting up a car went in the ditch between him and his squad. I didn't say anything about it, but I didn't get any tickets either.

THANKS for the tires advice and saying Hi!