I'm not coming from anything. The Kizashi is my girlfriends car. I just get to drive it. She traded in her 08 Ford Focus and I still have my 07 Suzuki sx4
07 SX4 Sport. Loved that car!!! With all of the commuting I do for work driving a 5spd was getting old and I wanted a more "grown-up" car. I was looking at a CPO Lexus 250 AWD, got the Kizashi for less than the price of that car used, loaded. I love this car!
Traded in my 09 SX4 Sport for the Kizzy. Just because I really wanted one. Before the SX4 I was driving an e32 735i, fantastic car but a real pig on gas. I just couldn't keep feeding it and getting only 12-14 mpg. But I did really miss that big ol' Bimmer. The Kizashi has a very similar feel, and drives a lot like the BMW did. So far I'm very happy with it, definately a huge step up from the SX and I seem to be getting better mileage than the SX too.
Came from a 1996 Chevy Impala SS. Heard a knock on the door one night, a gentleman on the porch asked if that was my Impala, and was it for sale. I answered "anything is for sale for the right price". He fanned out $4000 in cash, I said "close enough" (it was maybe a tad low, but I was looking at having to do some work to it) and sold it. Between that, my tax return, and being crazy busy at work, I decided to go with a new car. It needed to be rated at 30 MPG or better highway, not see one on every corner, be big enough to take road trips in, and be engaging to drive - so that's how I ended up with the Kizashi.
I also have a 1993 Toyota 4runner with custom suspension, front/rear lockers, custom bumpers, dual transfer cases - all the goodies - and a 1985 4Runner that is basically a street legal rock buggy.