after three weeks....

[Minority]

Hi Shaneous,

I've got the XLS CVT as well, and apart from being a bit slow initially, it goes quite well when you boot it.

My issue is the vibration and roughness when it's being driven gently!

The CVT seems to put it in a high ratio way to early (seems like whoever programmed it thought it was a 4L Falcon six cylinder engine) and it just feels so rough at anything below 2000rpm.

Don't know if you ever drive yours gently , but I would be interested in your experience, being an Australian car like mine. (anyone else please feel free to comment as well).

Like you I love the handling, looks and general ambience of the Kizashi!

[lookin]

Im in the same boat as you shaneous i have no issues with kizashi not even a chip the so call lag issue i dont know i view it as just a noise the engine because the car dont slow down isnt that what a lag is my theory is when hearing this noise people tend to ease off the accelarator and say that sound is a lag is that possible of course they are speed guys but its a 4 .... I think its fine but thats me

[babacu]

Hi Shaneous,

My issue is the vibration and roughness when it's being driven gently!

The CVT seems to put it in a high ratio way to early (seems like whoever programmed it thought it was a 4L Falcon six cylinder engine) and it just feels so rough at anything below 2000rpm.

That's my main complaint as well, the roughness of the engine. I'm not particularly dissatisfied with the power, but it feels too rough at low rpms and noisy at high for what I get out of it. Drive it slow and it will upshift quickly, ending in a vibrating state. Drive it above 3000 rpms and it's quite loud, especially at low speeds when other noises don't mask the engine one a bit.

The workaround for the vibrations at low speeds is to put it in manual mode. Unless pushed, it gets to 5th (well, its rpm equivalent, given it doesn't really have gears) when it reaches 40 km/h or so, that's way too early, IMO. So if not for squeezing any additional power out of it (I doubt that's really possible), the manual mode does help with keeping the engine in a more responsive rpm range for a given speed.

[Minority]

That's my main complaint as well, the roughness of the engine. I'm not particularly dissatisfied with the power, but it feels too rough at low rpms and noisy at high for what I get out of it. Drive it slow and it will upshift quickly, ending in a vibrating state. Drive it above 3000 rpms and it's quite loud, especially at low speeds when other noises don't mask the engine one a bit.

The workaround for the vibrations at low speeds is to put it in manual mode. Unless pushed, it gets to 5th (well, its rpm equivalent, given it doesn't really have gears) when it reaches 40 km/h or so, that's way too early, IMO. So if not for squeezing any additional power out of it (I doubt that's really possible), the manual mode does help with keeping the engine in a more responsive rpm range for a given speed.

Yes, I'm wondering where the "smooth, economical and powerfull" engine is that the brochures tell me I have in my new Kizashi (a "luxury sedan" acording to the blurb).

When driving in manual mode I find the lower ratios too close together, with a huge gap between 5th & 6th. As these are purely arbitrary change points (at least thats how I understand it works with the CVT) it should be very easy for Suzuki to reprogram for better spaced ratios!

[gaww]

It is odd that a number of you are experiencing roughness at low speeds. I have not noticed that at all - mine is as smooth as advertised.

I do have the lag, which I believe is the result of the relatively high gearing in "1st", but again - no roughness at all. This may indicate an actual mechanical problem with your cars, and if so, you should have it looked at under your warranty.

It is rather noisy at the high rpm that the computer sets (5800 +/-) at full throttle after the 0-15 mph "lag" under full throttle acceleration. This is sometimes needed here in WNC on a few very short merge lanes onto the Interstates, where you have to get up to 60-70 in a hurry - not on any race track.

Have not had issues with the amp, but I do not play it at high volumes, which can result in damage to the speaker coil and/or cone. I also have no paint chip issues on a December 09 car.

[TheHolyGhost]

I have a manual so it may be different but I find the engine to be very smooth. The engine can get loud at higher RPMs, but I can't say I've met many 4 cyls that don't.

[speedsterz]

All great points, thanks for all the feedback...as mentioned earlier I've ordered my K&N filter and its expected to get here on July 30th...I'll be out of town returning on August 8th. First thing I will do is drop in the K&N and give some feedback.

I'd like to point out that I have not driven an automatic since the early 90's when I owned a Buick Grand National. I think part of my growing pains is getting accustomed to not shifting my own gears. My original intention was to buy a 6 speed but there were none left in the SFL area so I went with the CVT.

On a very positive note, the car continues to get stares and compiments. I have not seen any Kizashis in Miami other than mine so far.

[gaww]

Too bad you did not hold out for the 6 speed manual - it is supposed to be much more fun to drive.

Surprised that a dealer would not locate one for you. My dealer located the one I ended up with in Tennessee (I am in WNC).

I got the CVT because I needed AWD, but you would not down there. I have the K&N, and did not expect nor experience any significant difference. Now, as for a RAM intake - that is another matter.

[lookin]

i dont have any roughness either it seems to me theres a lot of domino effect on the forum and lots of nit picking ....i know im gonna get it right well man up i could take it at least i said what i feel.....

[Minority]

It is odd that a number of you are experiencing roughness at low speeds. I have not noticed that at all - mine is as smooth as advertised.

I do have the lag, which I believe is the result of the relatively high gearing in "1st", but again - no roughness at all. This may indicate an actual mechanical problem with your cars, and if so, you should have it looked at under your warranty.

I did take mine to the dealer, who have been very helpfull, they checked the car out to see if they could find anything wrong (they couldn't) they also drove their demo cars to compare (it was the same), but they did admit to the roughness/vibration and said that it must be a characeristic of the car. As the Kizashi has only been out in Aus for a month or two, I don't think any of the dealers have a great deal of experience.

I also drove a manual which exhibited the same characteristic if driven in the same manner (but on a manual I wouldn't drive at so low revs in such a high gear).

The engine is definately rougher than my last two Mazda 6s and definately rougher than my wifes 2L Kia Cerato (Forte). Even if I drive my wifes car at 1500rpm in top (it's a manual), it's much smoother (it doesn't want to accelerate away from 1500rpm in top, but it's not rough like the Kizashi) and thats a much cheaper Korean car.

I recently drove a Toyota Corolla auto hire car and that was smoother.

My dealer avised that I should contact Suzuki Australia direct and that's what I'm going to do.

The fact that some of you guys don't seem to be experiencing this problem gives me hope that it's a problem that can be resolved and stop it spoiling my experience of an otherwise lovely car!