My 2012 SE leather.

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KlutzNinja
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Good rundown, Kuro. I think the GTS could still get some SLS goodies, though, no? Idk if that’s what you meant by the package bit. My GTS Sport has the heated seats but not the rest. And I thought powered seats came on most Kizashis? I remember video reviews talking about how Kizashis come with 3-slot memory seats and that can only be with powered seats. Maybe the base S doesn’t have them. Not sure.

I’m also not sure all SLS models come with the navigation, either. I used to check used car sale sites and a few SLS models for sale in various States didn’t have the infotainment screen. The SLS I checked out in person did have it though. The backup camera had no guidance markers and was super grainy lol. But honestly it wasn’t any more grainy than my dad’s 2012 Jaguar XJL’s backup camera. That thing was atrociously low-resolution for such a high-end car.

One omission from the SLS entry is the auto-dimming rear view mirror; my 2010 Ford Focus SES had one and I’m sad my Kizashi doesn’t. I’m not a fan of how the manual dimmer works; it darkens way too much, whereas the Focus’ merely tinted just enough to not get blinded by dolts behind you with their high beams on :facepalm:. I hope the auto-dimming mirror in the SLS works better than the manual version.
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KuroNekko
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Yeah, I think you're right about some of the details like not all SLS models had the nav/camera and that GTS models were optioned with heated seats. Some of these things were options people could add if wanted. I just think the nav/camera was only an option for the SLS but I could be wrong. I think the heated seats also may have been paired with AWD. I've read that AWD models all had heated side mirrors while FWD models did not.
I've also read that one could get optional leather seats in an SE for some model years.
Oddly, some features were deleted for some years. For example, the moonroof was standard for GTS models in 2011. In 2012, it was either deleted or an option. I read that as Suzuki realized the Kizashi was a sales flop, they adjusted the features and options to reduce the starting price of each trim.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
NickL
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So according to what you guys say, GLS and SLS are only acceptable options in Us, because those are the only trims where Kizashi had sporty package (bumpers, side skirts, 18" rims) and the most important firm suspension. I don't mind so much for the luxury features in the cabin but if my Kizashi didn't have this sporty package and sharp handling due to suspension, most probably I wouldn't buy the car as it wouldn"t leave such a strong impression on me.
I am not saying that S und SE trims are bad, but I think that is totally diferent car.

Anyway, in any Kizashi that was for sale in Europe I didn't see the navigation inside tha cabin. I actually wanted to purchase the OEM navigation for my Kizashi but couldn"t find it anywhere online. Has anyone idea where should I be looking for?
"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing". H. Ford
Tom Kizzie
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Nick in europe we only have the kizashi sport. We have everything the sls and gts got except no standard backcamera and no Nav. Most suzuki dealers offer a aftermarket headunit with Nav. In the Netherlands they used a sony from what i remember. 1 out of 10 here have Navigation put in by the dealer.

I think our US friends have Garmin :D :drive:
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KlutzNinja
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KuroNekko wrote:Yeah, I think you're right about some of the details like not all SLS models had the nav/camera and that GTS models were optioned with heated seats. Some of these things were options people could add if wanted. I just think the nav/camera was only an option for the SLS but I could be wrong. I think the heated seats also may have been paired with AWD. I've read that AWD models all had heated side mirrors while FWD models did not.
I've also read that one could get optional leather seats in an SE for some model years.
Oddly, some features were deleted for some years. For example, the moonroof was standard for GTS models in 2011. In 2012, it was either deleted or an option. I read that as Suzuki realized the Kizashi was a sales flop, they adjusted the features and options to reduce the starting price of each trim.
Hmm, I didn’t know Suzuki toyed with the options so much throughout the years. My car also has the moonroof, for what it’s worth. And some SE models definitely came with leather as KiZoo and this thread have shown.
The inconsistency of equipment among trims and model years is a little flustering in trying to keep track of things. Usually automakers make little features here and there standard on lower trims with new model years, but I haven’t heard of offering an option one year, rescinding it the next, and then possibly offering it again after that.

And to think the Aussies get their own trims, too. I wonder if they vary from ours in more than just titles.
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KuroNekko
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NickL wrote:So according to what you guys say, GLS and SLS are only acceptable options in Us, because those are the only trims where Kizashi had sporty package (bumpers, side skirts, 18" rims) and the most important firm suspension. I don't mind so much for the luxury features in the cabin but if my Kizashi didn't have this sporty package and sharp handling due to suspension, most probably I wouldn't buy the car as it wouldn"t leave such a strong impression on me.
I am not saying that S und SE trims are bad, but I think that is totally diferent car.
Eh, I wouldn't take it that far. I personally like the look of the more aggressive Kizashi Sport with the fascia, side skirts, 18", and spoiler over the standard Kizashi but I don't think the two cars drive all that differently. For the suspension, the difference was that the Sport had a 10mm lower ride height. This would have firmed up the handling at the cost of comfort. While the part numbers for the dampers were different, there was never any determination they actually differed from the dampers of the standard Kizashi. I personally think the only difference was in the springs to lower the suspension 10mm. The aftermarket KYB shocks specified for the Kizashi fit all models regardless of Sport package or AWD.

Some members like WeShoot2 have owned both a Kizashi and Kizashi Sport and I recall while they did report a difference in handling, it was minor and did not seem to change the dynamics of the vehicle all that much. Also keep in mind changing things like the wheels and tires would enhance the dynamics of the vehicle significantly too.

I personally see the S and SE as the "bread and butter" models that largely appealed to people who wanted an AWD family sedan. I see these trim most commonly on the road and they are often driven by people who are obviously not car enthusiasts. No surprise that the SE was exclusively an automatic trans trim.
The GTS and SLS were the models more geared towards those who wanted a sports sedan-like vehicle with more aggressive styling, handling, and features for more $.
KlutzNinja wrote: Hmm, I didn’t know Suzuki toyed with the options so much throughout the years. My car also has the moonroof, for what it’s worth. And some SE models definitely came with leather as KiZoo and this thread have shown.
The inconsistency of equipment among trims and model years is a little flustering in trying to keep track of things. Usually automakers make little features here and there standard on lower trims with new model years, but I haven’t heard of offering an option one year, rescinding it the next, and then possibly offering it again after that.

And to think the Aussies get their own trims, too. I wonder if they vary from ours in more than just titles.
I read an article or brochure on the trims and options sometime ago. I think it was an article that detailed the changes Suzuki was making to adjust the prices of the Kizashi shortly before throwing in the towel. It basically opined that Suzuki realized the car was a flop and was watering them down to sell at cheaper prices before the exodus in 2012, realizing they couldn't meet the sales targets to remain in business in the US and Canada. I explicitly recall that for model year 2013, Suzuki only offered the manual trans in the base S model and only in white.

The Australians certainly got different packages and had some upscale features like factory HID headlights that we Americans never got. I know that in Japan, all Kizashis were CVT only but had optional adaptive cruise control because I went to a Suzuki dealer there years ago and picked up a JDM Kizashi brochure. The Kizashi was a car that sold in very small numbers in Japan to consumers and later offloaded as fleet cars for the Japanese government.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
NickL
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It"s really hard to believe how Kizashi was unsuccsessful in sales when you consider how amazing car it is. As Tom already mentioned, Kizashi was in Europe offered in only one Sport Trim which was an equal to SlS in US and had avery sinqle piece of equipment that was offered in Europe. At the price poin of roughy 30k Euros it was not cheap but when considered what this car offered it wasn't expensive either.

So fully equiped Sport trim was a direct rival of European Accord Type S with 2.4 engine and when beeing compared with it, Kizashi has a bit better acceleration from 0-60, a shorter stoping distance when hard braking, reacts better on sudden sharp handling manuovers and has a bit better gas mileage. And all being sad, it used to cost less than Accord.

So what is the point? How the hell this car remained so unpopular while being one of the bust bang for buck cars out there? I just don't get it....
"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing". H. Ford
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KuroNekko
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NickL wrote:It"s really hard to believe how Kizashi was unsuccsessful in sales when you consider how amazing car it is. As Tom already mentioned, Kizashi was in Europe offered in only one Sport Trim which was an equal to SlS in US and had avery sinqle piece of equipment that was offered in Europe. At the price poin of roughy 30k Euros it was not cheap but when considered what this car offered it wasn't expensive either.

So fully equiped Sport trim was a direct rival of European Accord Type S with 2.4 engine and when beeing compared with it, Kizashi has a bit better acceleration from 0-60, a shorter stoping distance when hard braking, reacts better on sudden sharp handling manuovers and has a bit better gas mileage. And all being sad, it used to cost less than Accord.

So what is the point? How the hell this car remained so unpopular while being one of the bust bang for buck cars out there? I just don't get it....
I agree that the Kizashi had all the right ingredients but there were some problems. First was the timing. The car debuted at the height of the economic crisis. Many consumers were looking for small cheap cars, especially in the US given the economic uncertainty and the higher gasoline prices. Suzuki just had a stroke of bad luck bringing their finest and most expensive vehicle when they should have brought something like the Swift here. As for Europe, I read that the Kizashi's packaging hurt it given it was only available as a loaded AWD with an auto in the UK and wasn't as modern in terms of powertrain as European rivals. Back at the time the Kizashi was developed, GM had stake in them. When the Kizashi entered the market, VW had stake in them. Suzuki was relying on either GM or VW to supply upscale engines to get it up to a higher performance playing field but those ambitions never took fruition. The Kizashi was left with its in-house 2.4 naturally-aspirated engine (originally intended to be the base engine) as the only engine ever offered anywhere. I read literature that Suzuki did not intend for this when they designed the Kizashi. Suzuki is also a company that isn't at the forefront of powertrain technology like Honda or even Mazda. They kind of get by and have a history of outsourcing larger engines for markets like the US. The Kizashi's J24B is a solid engine but was dated even when the Kizashi debuted. Rivals had engines that were more efficient and powerful unless it was their base engine. Unlike Suzuki, most rivals had turbos or V6 options to upgrade and many European models had diesels.
Basically, the Kizashi suffered from terrible debut timing and didn't really have the specs on paper to stand out. One had to basically drive it to see how it stood out but very few bothered to check out the car due to specs on paper. It's definitely a hidden gem and many publications that actually test drove it suggested it was such, both when still on the market and as a used car. I now see it as an obscure Japanese car created with great ambition but faded to oblivion. This trashed the resale value of the car but the intrinsic value is quite high for many owners. It's quite a nice car to own and drive.
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KlutzNinja
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I’ll also add that the Kizashi was aimed at competing against midsize cars like the Accord, Camry, and Altima, but it was a half-step smaller; somewhere between midsize and compact (e.g. Civic, Corolla, Sentra). Prospective buyers shopping the class of cars probably noticed that the Kizashi had a smaller trunk/boot and less interior room than the other midsize sedans. In this class, those factors matter a lot. It’s why you buy such a car over a compact. I’ve read/seen comparison tests the Kizashi lost because of this factor. Modern compacts are starting to eclipse the Kizashi in size and powertrains (e.g. Mazda3 sedan has similar exterior dimensions and its volume engine is of similar displacement and power)

Also, the Suzuki dealer network was pretty poor by the time the Kizashi released. At least in the US. In a lot of States, the closest Suzuki dealer was probably a long way away, unlike a Toyota or Ford dealer which are relatively ubiquitous. I’d imagine a lot of Suzuki dealers closed during the economic crisis.
The Kizashi also could have been marketed better; choosing to lightheartedly market it against the likes of the Audi A4 and Acura TSX was probably a mistake.
The name Kizashi was also a possible mistake; at the time, there weren’t really any cars with Japanese names. Camry is sort of based off of the Japanese word for “crown,” but no one knows or cares, and it’s an established name. No one knew what “Kizashi” was or meant and it sounds funny to the average American. Nowadays we have a few cars with Japanese names like the Toyota Mirai, but anyway it was an odd name and it probably didn’t really click with customers.

The Kizashi was on track to get a hybrid variant and maybe a turbocharged engine or V6, but obviously never happened. Honestly the hybrid likely would have been a dud; back then hybrid variants of sedans weren’t very good and had nowhere near the refinement they have now. For instance, the large battery would likely have been installed in the trunk, eating away at the already below-average space. And it would probably be at least as slow as the AWD variants, given that hybrid battery packs add considerable weight. I’d imagine a hybrid Kizashi would have been FWD, as AWD hybrids weren’t really a thing back then... But had it been an AWD hybrid, 0-60 MPH would surely have taken over 10 seconds. I doubt many would be willing to deal with such a slow car. And hybrids used to be priced pretty high back then (still sort of are), so you’d have a slow, expensive Suzuki. Would the average customer be willing to pay so much for a Suzuki? Probably not. Suzuki’s reputation wasn’t great considering a lot of its cars were ho-hum rebadged Daewoos and not true Suzuki-engineered vehicles like the Kizashi.
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NickL
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Well, You guys might be right when it comes to timing when this car came out on the market and economy crisis must have influenced in this car sales.

However, I must disagree when it comes to trunks size and room inside that Kizashi offers. Boot size is arround 460 liters which is equal to BMW 3 series, exactly like Acura TSX (European Accord) and just a bit less than Mercedes C serie. Ant the good thing about the trunks ist that has straight lines unlike for example Accura TSX where even though trunk is big enough on paper, has weird angles and is not so logicaly outlayed.

I use to drive Civic before Kizashi and as soon as I entered the car I realized there was obviously more space in a cabin. I am 6"1 with nearly 220 pounds and i have enough space front as well as on the back seat where I can "sit behind myself" and my knees are still not touching the front seat. But OK, I am an average size guy and I do know that in US guys are a bit bigger and that's why I believe that many cars that are offered in US we don't have in Europe. Instead, us is offered a car with similar characteristics but a bit smaller size like for example Camry and Avensis.

The Engine in Kizashi is, if you ask me,an oldschool piece of art. Ok, when you compare that is 2.4 liter Engine and that it has "only" 180 hp, you must admit that today and even 10 years ago you could find many cars that had smaller engines with turbo charger and equal number of Hp. Even though these turbo engines a bit more efficient, people often forget that they are not as nearly reliable and durable as bigger naturaly aspirated engines. There are much bigger pressure in the pistons of the turbo engine and that makes it wear out much faster. That is maybe not a concern for someone that drives arround 10k miles a year, but anyone who intends to travel a lot in a car, I am quite sure that will be more happy with bigger naturalu aspirated engine especially if it's a used car. Obvious proof of that are TFSI engines from VW that came out on the market more than 10 years ago. Even though there were many different engines offered like 1.2 1.4 1.8 and 2.0 every single one of them until 2015 had problems with eating engine oil, and the problem wasn't solved until late 2015. I am not saying that turbo engines are crap, but it is much harder to make a good and reliable turbo engine like it is the case with naturally aspirated.

And the conclusion is that I am really happy to be a owner of Suzuki Kizashi and that the car puts a smile on my face as soon as I step inside. :)
"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing". H. Ford
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