Another Kizashi Bites the Dust

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alandee83
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Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 4:15 pm

Well, dammit! I was stopped in town behind a truck who was stopped waiting for someone to leave a parking spot then BAM! - rear-ended. No warning - no squealing tires of someone braking trying to avoid me. The driver of an old Jeep Grand Cherokee was obviously distracted (cell phone, I suspect), hit me at 25 - 30 mph. No one was hurt but the Kiz (2010 SLS) was a "total loss". Their insurance company gave me just under $10K plus rental.

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There are only a couple of Kizahis in my area like mine but with trashed interiors (you have to commit to keeping the beige interior clean). Its replacement is a black/beige 2015 Kia Optima EX with the Premium and Technology package. It has all the bells and whistles the Kiz had (except rain-sensing wipers) plus some others, most notably, blind-spot sensors. I like it but I don't think another car will compare to my Kiz.

For what it's worth, the Kia dealer I worked with said he's familiar with Suzuki and the Kizashis (most of the other dealers responded, "a Ki - what?") and it is his understanding that the Kizashi will be back in the US in 2017. It is selling well elsewhere and that Suzuki is regrouping to make another run at the US. I hope that is true.

Good luck with yours, everyone!
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golftango
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Oh too bad! The Kias are pretty nice, I had a 2011 Optima. The steering will take some getting use to.
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DesRado
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Oh no, sorry for the loss : (

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redmed
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golftango wrote:Oh too bad! The Kias are pretty nice, I had a 2011 Optima. The steering will take some getting use to.
How does the Kizashi compare to the Optima?
I was torn between the Sonata, Optima and Kizashi. Got the Kizashi and have wondered how it compared to the Sonata/Optima.
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golftango
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redmed wrote:
golftango wrote:Oh too bad! The Kias are pretty nice, I had a 2011 Optima. The steering will take some getting use to.
How does the Kizashi compare to the Optima?
I was torn between the Sonata, Optima and Kizashi. Got the Kizashi and have wondered how it compared to the Sonata/Optima.
I had a bare bones LX in Snow White pearl. I really liked the overall style and power of the 2.4. I had a constant issue of slight "pinging" regardless of what octane I used. I chalked it up to the direct injection. Never had issues with carbon buildup. The electric power steering required constant attention and corrections to keep it straight. It just wanted to wander. An update to the software somewhat corrected it. Another small issue was a foul smelling AC system which required a kit to clean the condenser. The OE tires were pretty terrible.

Other than that, the transmission was butter smooth, good power delivery, comfortable and somewhat quiet. No rattles or squeaks. Mine was Korean built which the Kia community says are put together better than the American counterparts.

I like my Kiz better :) even though the Optima was more powerful.
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Woodie
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alandee83 wrote:For what it's worth, the Kia dealer I worked with said he's familiar with Suzuki and the Kizashis (most of the other dealers responded, "a Ki - what?") and it is his understanding that the Kizashi will be back in the US in 2017. It is selling well elsewhere and that Suzuki is regrouping to make another run at the US. I hope that is true.!
I don't believe that at all, it costs billions to set up in a new country.

Sorry to hear about your Kizashi, that really sucks.
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KuroNekko
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Woodie wrote:
alandee83 wrote:For what it's worth, the Kia dealer I worked with said he's familiar with Suzuki and the Kizashis (most of the other dealers responded, "a Ki - what?") and it is his understanding that the Kizashi will be back in the US in 2017. It is selling well elsewhere and that Suzuki is regrouping to make another run at the US. I hope that is true.!
I don't believe that at all, it costs billions to set up in a new country.

Sorry to hear about your Kizashi, that really sucks.
I agree with Woodie. Suzuki is likely not coming back anytime soon and the Kizashi will not live to see a second generation. Suzuki pulled out of North America only a few years ago to focus on small cars in Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world. Also, the Kizashi is not selling well anywhere.
A lot of "car people" have said all kinds of nonsense about the Kizashi ranging from it's based on a GM platform to it being a Nissan Altima clone. The car is rare and mysterious to many so there is a lot of false info out there about it.
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ehart814
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My mom has a 2014 Kia Optima hybrid. It's a nice car but It just doesn't have a solid feel to it when driving. It's hard to describe. The kizashi just feels more solid over bumps and rough roads. The Kia is a very nice car though. And the warranty is amazing.


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alandee83
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redmed wrote:
golftango wrote:Oh too bad! The Kias are pretty nice, I had a 2011 Optima. The steering will take some getting use to.
How does the Kizashi compare to the Optima?
I was torn between the Sonata, Optima and Kizashi. Got the Kizashi and have wondered how it compared to the Sonata/Optima.
The Optima rides smoother, is quicker from stopped, has colder A/C, has more interior room without being too big and as I mentioned, more bells and whistles. I'm glad to have the blind-spot sensors back after losing them when going from a Mazda6 to the Kizashi. Its intent seems to lean towards the ride and gizmos than it does sport compared to the Kizashi. The Kizashi is more grounded when taking corners and more power at higher speeds (interstate). I'd take my Kizashi back (before accident) over this car or any other I test drove. This is the first new car I've purchased where I'm not way excited to get into - not because it's not a nice car, it's because I loved my Kizashi. I'll get over the loss of the Kizashi then will appreciate the Optima more. I like the Optima styling inside and out over the Sonata.

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FrankoLaMoya
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The new optima is probably my favorite car in terms of look after the Kizashi, the new IS250 and the new TLX. Good choice !

EDIT: and also after the new Q50 (I really like the look of it)

At the end of the day, it is a really nice looking car for the price (almost in the luxury category, but not there yet)
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