NickL wrote:It is hard to imagine when someone really likes Kizashi and drive it for years to buy a SUV or CUV as a next car. The funniest thing ist that the most important driving attribute on Kizashi is its superb handling and cornering skills which none of these SUVs don't have due to big ground clearence and big swinging on twisty roads.
However when someone really enjoys outdoor activities I do understand why choosing an SUV is a logical choice.
My wife and I want to have 3 kids and if it happens I will most probably buy Mitsubishi Outlander with 2.2 liter diesel engine. Big car with loads of space, 7 seats and with 150hp it is not quick, but has a lot of torque and can run 0-60 in 10 seconds which is really good for a car of its size. I think that the non turbo petrol engine combined with automatic transmition in Outlander is a waste, wih low torque that makes the car lazy and ineffective. But the diesel is much more punchy and has amazing fuel efficiency. But if I end up with an SUV I am pretty sure that its everything but unfortunatelly not as nearly fun to drive as Kizashi.
Yeah, I'll miss the handling and refinement of the Kizashi on smooth roads but I want the next vehicle to handle the rough stuff a bit more. I took my Kizashi on a dirt road this past summer to check out a campsite in Big Bear, CA. The road had ruts formed by snow melting and washing out over time. The ruts pounded the Kizashi and really put a strain on my suspension. After that, the shocks didn't feel the same and I got creaking noises from the bushings. I've since replaced the shocks as it was time anyway, but a sports sedan-esque vehicle really doesn't like the rough. While I love my Kizashi, my first car was another Suzuki of a different character: the Sidekick. That thing drove like a piece of tin on stilts compared to the Kizashi on road but was really competent and a lot of fun offroad. It easily shamed Subarus (I've owned two of those too) with its proper offroad bits like a solid rear axle and 4x4 Low range on offroad trails where things got rough.
I used to like the Outlander but the current one is so dated. Mitsubishi is just a horribly managed car company though their engineering is good if the suits let it be. The US doesn't get the diesel variant of the vehicle; only the gasoline versions that consist of a 2.4 liter with a CVT or an ancient V6 with a 6 speed auto. The PHEV version that sells well in Europe arrived here only about 2 or so years ago. I tried to like the Outlander but it's dated and needs an all new model ASAP (supposedly coming very soon). I tried to rent one this past Sept but it was in rough shape and you could tell the interior was just old, even when new. I actually went back to the rental car counter and asked for the 2020 Toyota Highlander instead (same rental price). That thing was like a luxury car in comparison and for the nearly 1000 miles I then drove it, I can say I'm glad I made the switch.
I wish Mitsubishi would just get their act together. They keep giving America CUVs that aren't great. They don't offer a real SUV anymore despite claiming to be an SUV-focused brand. The new Pajero Sport in other countries looks great but we don't get that despite Americans gobbling up the ancient Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Wranglers. The all-new Ford Bronco is about to go on sale. With low gas prices, the popularity of SUVs, offroading, camping, and overlanding booming due to the pandemic, you'd think a company that once made reputable SUVs would scramble to get back in the scene but nope. Even Subaru now is considered an off-road, overlanding brand soaring in popularity while Mitsu pushes an Eclipse Cross as their latest and greatest.
Nissan is also a slow-moving giant with stagnant products but their new Frontier will be here this year. Hopefully with that, they can bring an all-new Xterra. Their new Rogue (X-Trail) looks great but again, the CVT-only powertrain keeps me away unless it's electrified.
I sometimes toy with the idea of a used Suzuki GV but most on sale are old and trashed here.
sold)
