Considering the Kizashi

[jute2003]

Hey Fusion,

I have 2 suzuki's sitting in my driveway right now. There's an sx4 and a Kizashi. Neither of these vehicles is the quickest in their class off the line. I will say however that they offer one of the best driving experiences. Both handle incredibly well and offer a level of connection to the road that makes the slightly slower start seem far less important. They are relatively unique and have proven to be very reliable. It sucks that your dealer is such a turd. Don't let that discourage you though. I think if you give the Kizashi a chance and accept it for what it is, you'd be very happy with your purchase. Dealer's are only good for warranty work anyways.

[fusion66]

The Kizashi M6 has been tested and averages around 7.5 seconds 0-60
The CVT is about a second slower, so figure 8.5. Not a screamer but not a slug either.
Plus, as tc said, it does get better as the engine breaks in.
I traded in a car i bought new and owned for 6 months on my Kizzy

May I ask what you traded in and how the transaction went? I will probably end up doing the same thing if I decide to pull the trigger.

[Firefly]

Onto the next dealership which couldn't possibly be worse than Bronx Suzuki.

If you are in the NYC area, Bergenfield Suzuki (NJ) might be worth the trip. Eager to offer me a test drive and worked out good deal.

[Blackbelt]

The Kizashi M6 has been tested and averages around 7.5 seconds 0-60
The CVT is about a second slower, so figure 8.5. Not a screamer but not a slug either.
Plus, as tc said, it does get better as the engine breaks in.
I traded in a car i bought new and owned for 6 months on my Kizzy

May I ask what you traded in and how the transaction went? I will probably end up doing the same thing if I decide to pull the trigger.

Believe it or not, i traded in a 2009 smart cabriolet. In hindsight, i should have traded in my 2007 Caliber RT AWD and kept the smart for top down summer fun. I ended up selling the caliber anyway, a few days ago, since after driving the Kizzy i didn't want to drive the caliber any more. It has been sitting in my driveway for the last 8 months, mostly unused.
My dealer was awesome to deal with, and i bought both my SX4 and my Kizashi from them. They gave me a great trade in number and a super deal on my Kizashi.

[fusion66]

Onto the next dealership which couldn't possibly be worse than Bronx Suzuki.

If you are in the NYC area, Bergenfield Suzuki (NJ) might be worth the trip. Eager to offer me a test drive and worked out good deal.

Thank you for the information and I will certainly be headed for Bergenfield in the future. Did you have a trade in firefly?

[~tc~]

You have to understand the CVT is a VERY different driving experience. Instead of forcing the engine to operate at the RPM that corresponds to the speed you are going, it allows the engine to operate where it wants to be for best power or economy. It is very different, and I don't think many people get over it and allow it to work like it should, but IMHO you should.

CVT was banned from F1 for a reason - it's a better way to operate a vehicle from an internal combustion engine.

[fusion66]

You have to understand the CVT is a VERY different driving experience. Instead of forcing the engine to operate at the RPM that corresponds to the speed you are going, it allows the engine to operate where it wants to be for best power or economy. It is very different, and I don't think many people get over it and allow it to work like it should, but IMHO you should.

CVT was banned from F1 for a reason - it's a better way to operate a vehicle from an internal combustion engine.

You're obviously a fan of this technology but the car magazine writers can't seem to think of enough ways to pan it. My main source of dissatisfaction with the Impala I own is the interface of the engine and transmission-
I'm always aware that the engine would be alot happier if it had two, or even one, more gear(s) to work with.
I've read that Jatco supplies CVT's to both Suzuki and Nissan but calibrates the units differently for Nissan with the emphasis being on performance rather than economy, garnering praise from pundits for the "feel" of the Altima in real world driving situations. My lasting impression of a test drive of a 4 cyl. Altima in early 2010 largely confirms this: the cvt seemed to work seamlessly with the engine and never called attention to itself as it enabled the 4 banger to propel the car rapidly even from a stop. My Saturn L300 operated in a very similar manner but quite different is the demeanor of my Impala where I reflexively
reduce pressure on the gas pedal to minimize shift shock during gear changes. I don't recall how the Kizashi operated in straight auto mode because I operated the paddles throughout the test drive but I really didn't know what I was doing and probably shifted at precisely the wrong times but despite my clumsiness I really enjoyed the drive and didn't think the car was underpowered. On my next test drive I will take my time
(and not feel pressured to buy) and do more driving on the highway to see if I can live with the cvt's noise and operating characteristics. A deal breaker would be excessive engine drone at speed or any indication that the engine is laboring at speed, a problem that the Altima does not seem to have.

[Cocoabisq]

I stopped by the only Suzuki dealership in my area and enquired at the receptionist desk about scheduling a test drive of a Kizashi, she replied that "we don't allow test drives unless you're going to buy the car." "Isn't
that the purpose of a test drive?" I asked. She didn't reply and mindlessly referred me to a salesperson who appeared to have no interest in helping me. I have been in bad dealerships but the apathy on display at this
place was disgraceful. Maybe I didn't look like a good prospect but I don't think Suzuki can afford to turn anyone away these days. It saddens me that such a good product is allowed to languish in places like this. Onto the next dealership which couldn't possibly be worse than Bronx Suzuki.

I would call Suzuki and tell them about this, or at least email them, and then cc the dealership.
My Dealership is the best. The nicest, kindest, most helpful people in the car industry. This doesn't sound right.

[fusion66]

I stopped by the only Suzuki dealership in my area and enquired at the receptionist desk about scheduling a test drive of a Kizashi, she replied that "we don't allow test drives unless you're going to buy the car." "Isn't
that the purpose of a test drive?" I asked. She didn't reply and mindlessly referred me to a salesperson who appeared to have no interest in helping me. I have been in bad dealerships but the apathy on display at this
place was disgraceful. Maybe I didn't look like a good prospect but I don't think Suzuki can afford to turn anyone away these days. It saddens me that such a good product is allowed to languish in places like this. Onto the next dealership which couldn't possibly be worse than Bronx Suzuki.

I would call Suzuki and tell them about this, or at least email them, and then cc the dealership.
My Dealership is the best. The nicest, kindest, most helpful people in the car industry. This doesn't sound right.

I think I will call Suzuki of America to complain about Bronx Suzuki. On reflection I can excuse the missteps of a receptionist who is probably underpaid and under appreciated by her employers but it was the apathy of the sales staff that I found so galling, I was the only customer in the dealership on that day yet not one salesperson approached or even acknowledged me and the manager(I assume) was very curt and dismissive when I requested a brochure (which they didn't have). One of my worst experiences at a dealership.

[PlatinumGTS]

I've read that Jatco supplies CVT's to both Suzuki and Nissan but calibrates the units differently for Nissan with the emphasis being on performance rather than economy, garnering praise from pundits for the "feel" of the Altima in real world driving situations. My lasting impression of a test drive of a 4 cyl. Altima in early 2010 largely confirms this: the cvt seemed to work seamlessly with the engine and never called attention to itself as it enabled the 4 banger to propel the car rapidly even from a stop.

Couldn't agree more. I just had a 2011 Nissan Sentra rental and it took me a while to realize it was a cvt. Big difference over the Kizashi. Very smooth and good power. Rest of the car couldn't compare though.