Range Rover

Suzuki wanted me to drive the Kizashi so badly they flew me to North Carolina and fed me salt-and-pepper shrimp fried with the shells on and provided me with 1 GB of files on an 8 GB Sony Walkman.


On paper, the new Kizashi isn't overwhelmingly impressive, offering a 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine putting out 185 HP and 170 lb-ft of torque, good for a 0-60 MPH time of just 7.5 seconds, on par with the Accord EX and faster by 0.7 seconds than the Mazda6. Mileage ranges from, at best, 23/31 MPG with the CVT in FWD configuration and just 20/29 in manual FWD mode with the 17-inch or greater-sized wheels.


In a strange twist, the newest Kizashi attempts to be the best value by mimicking the formula abandoned by most automakers. As sedans like the Camry, Altima and Accord have gained in popularity they've increased in terms of size and decreased in terms of enjoyable driving. Even the Mazda6, once nimble and small, has swollen to giant proportions and shed some of its original appeal. The Kizashi is much smaller, 183.1 inches in length, or about ten inches shorter than a Mazda6.


Features and Equipment

Four grades of interior package treatment are available, with even the base S offering a fair complement of standard equipment, including push button start, sport front seats, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, automatic dual-zone climate control, stability control and eight airbags. The SE adds a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT), larger tires on 17-inch alloy wheels, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat with 3-position memory, cruise control and leather surfaces on the steering wheel, shift lever and parking brake lever.
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