My mother from Japan is currently visiting. She knows I'm a fan of the car and a mod here. While in Japan, she was kind enough to reach out to Suzuki corporate in Japan to see if she could get me some Kizashi-related promo stuff. She used to work in Public Relations for a corporation and knew that marketing/PR people often sent gifts and product-related goods to their fans.
My mother sent a letter by snail mail to Suzuki corporate in Japan asking them if they sold Kizashi-related goods like apparel and stuff like a toy Kizashi similar to what Masch was looking for. She wrote that it was for her son who proudly drove a manual Kizashi in the United States despite Suzuki's departure from the US market. She also told them about this international fan club forum.
About a day after the letter must have got to them, she got a phone call from a Suzuki PR rep from HQ and he apologized profusely that Suzuki did not have any goods related to the Kizashi to offer. He then expressed thanks on behalf of Suzuki for the forum and international fans like us who drive and love the Kizashi.
So the bad news is you'll not find official fan goods related to the Kizashi.
The good news is that Suzuki corporate in Japan bows their heads to Kizashi fans like us.
Kizashi related goods... or lack thereof. Word from Suzuki.
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amarlondis
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:01 pm
Thats love right there and also being proud to know that their work is being appreciated. They should have continue with the brand here in the US, because the Kizashi would've made it..
Sadly, I think the Kizashi would have never made it as a successful car. It simply debuted at the worst possible timing. Both the global economy and Suzuki's brand status in the US were in the dump. Basically, Suzuki released the most prestigious car they ever made when everyone was scrambling to drive cheap small cars... like the Swift.
The timing was also unfortunate in that the drive for better fuel efficiency (spurred by the poor economy and consumers looking to save $ at the pump) put pressure on automakers to develop and release new engine technologies that made cars more efficient. We then saw a plethora of Direct Injection and/or forced induction engines which made cars more fuel efficient. The Kizashi had neither and was essentially running on dated engine technology. I believe this was the main reason why a CVT was chosen as the automatic transmission.
Suzuki is simply an automaker that does not R&D too much on engine technology for cars like the Kizashi given their specialty is small compacts.
Suzuki's partnership with GM and proposed partnership with VW also fell apart so the Kizashi was stuck with the base engine.
The horrible Daewoo-designed-and-built Suzuki Verona, Forenza, and Reno that were offered before the Kizashi also tarnished the brand reputation. By the time those were gone and the Kizashi debuted, most people simply ignored or ridiculed Suzuki cars. You can see this when people call Suzukis like the Kizashi "horrible" and have no idea that the Kizashi is not even slightly related to a Verona or Forenza. Ironically, the Chevy Cruze, Sonic, Spark, and Captiva are. They are new versions of those designed by GM Korea, formerly known as Daewoo.
The Suzuki dealership strategy was also misguided. Many reviewers who liked the Kizashi remarked that finding dealerships to get one would be a challenge.
In many ways, the Kizashi was doomed from the start. Even its name is somewhat fitting. Despite the odd translation that Suzuki marketing folks claim "Kizashi" means, it means omen in Japanese. The term "omen" usually has a sinister connotation in English.
I honestly think that the Swift should have come to the US when the Kizashi did. Following the likely success of the Swift, then the Kizashi should have been developed. However, Suzuki executives chose to do the opposite and probably lost a lot of money on the Kizashi gamble.
Heck, the Japanese government is even paying pity on Suzuki and buying up their globally unpopular Kizashi as police fleet vehicles for discounted prices.
The timing was also unfortunate in that the drive for better fuel efficiency (spurred by the poor economy and consumers looking to save $ at the pump) put pressure on automakers to develop and release new engine technologies that made cars more efficient. We then saw a plethora of Direct Injection and/or forced induction engines which made cars more fuel efficient. The Kizashi had neither and was essentially running on dated engine technology. I believe this was the main reason why a CVT was chosen as the automatic transmission.
Suzuki is simply an automaker that does not R&D too much on engine technology for cars like the Kizashi given their specialty is small compacts.
Suzuki's partnership with GM and proposed partnership with VW also fell apart so the Kizashi was stuck with the base engine.
The horrible Daewoo-designed-and-built Suzuki Verona, Forenza, and Reno that were offered before the Kizashi also tarnished the brand reputation. By the time those were gone and the Kizashi debuted, most people simply ignored or ridiculed Suzuki cars. You can see this when people call Suzukis like the Kizashi "horrible" and have no idea that the Kizashi is not even slightly related to a Verona or Forenza. Ironically, the Chevy Cruze, Sonic, Spark, and Captiva are. They are new versions of those designed by GM Korea, formerly known as Daewoo.
The Suzuki dealership strategy was also misguided. Many reviewers who liked the Kizashi remarked that finding dealerships to get one would be a challenge.
In many ways, the Kizashi was doomed from the start. Even its name is somewhat fitting. Despite the odd translation that Suzuki marketing folks claim "Kizashi" means, it means omen in Japanese. The term "omen" usually has a sinister connotation in English.
I honestly think that the Swift should have come to the US when the Kizashi did. Following the likely success of the Swift, then the Kizashi should have been developed. However, Suzuki executives chose to do the opposite and probably lost a lot of money on the Kizashi gamble.
Heck, the Japanese government is even paying pity on Suzuki and buying up their globally unpopular Kizashi as police fleet vehicles for discounted prices.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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Speed_Racer
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:58 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City
Two additional reasons it didn't have/wouldn't have had success:
1) Advertising. There wasn't much and it wasn't effective. They should have pushed the SX4 AWD more in Subaru states - I see already see so many of them here in SLC and back home in New Hampshire. They undercut the Impreza in cost and cheap AWD is incredibly popular in winter states. My parents purchased one after owning 3x Subarus in a row. Kizashi shouldn't have been compared to the TSX/A4.
2) It was in between class sizes. Despite how silly it is, Americans love to maximize their value which is why midsizer sedans grow every generation, why F150s replaced the Ranger, and why we'll supersize our value meals for only 50 cents more!
Even if they don't need the size, Americans can't stand paying more for less. The Kizashi cost as much as the midsizers but was sized more like a large compact. When comparing cars, I tested the midsizers and found them too large, but the compacts had crummy interiors. I appreciated the taut size of the Kizashi plus the quality interior. But sadly most Americans equate size with value.
1) Advertising. There wasn't much and it wasn't effective. They should have pushed the SX4 AWD more in Subaru states - I see already see so many of them here in SLC and back home in New Hampshire. They undercut the Impreza in cost and cheap AWD is incredibly popular in winter states. My parents purchased one after owning 3x Subarus in a row. Kizashi shouldn't have been compared to the TSX/A4.
2) It was in between class sizes. Despite how silly it is, Americans love to maximize their value which is why midsizer sedans grow every generation, why F150s replaced the Ranger, and why we'll supersize our value meals for only 50 cents more!
Even if they don't need the size, Americans can't stand paying more for less. The Kizashi cost as much as the midsizers but was sized more like a large compact. When comparing cars, I tested the midsizers and found them too large, but the compacts had crummy interiors. I appreciated the taut size of the Kizashi plus the quality interior. But sadly most Americans equate size with value.
'12 Kizashi,'03 SV650,'04 DL1000
I agree with marketing, but that was Suzuki being the cheapos that they are. They always try to do business on the cheap and that doesn't quite work in the US unless you have people buying your cars without question like Toyota. You need marketing to sell cars in the US and Suzuki had dismal marketing.Speed_Racer wrote:Two additional reasons it didn't have/wouldn't have had success:
1) Advertising. There wasn't much and it wasn't effective. They should have pushed the SX4 AWD more in Subaru states - I see already see so many of them here in SLC and back home in New Hampshire. They undercut the Impreza in cost and cheap AWD is incredibly popular in winter states. My parents purchased one after owning 3x Subarus in a row. Kizashi shouldn't have been compared to the TSX/A4.
2) It was in between class sizes. Despite how silly it is, Americans love to maximize their value which is why midsizer sedans grow every generation, why F150s replaced the Ranger, and why we'll supersize our value meals for only 50 cents more!
Even if they don't need the size, Americans can't stand paying more for less. The Kizashi cost as much as the midsizers but was sized more like a large compact. When comparing cars, I tested the midsizers and found them too large, but the compacts had crummy interiors. I appreciated the taut size of the Kizashi plus the quality interior. But sadly most Americans equate size with value.
I agree that they should have pushed the SX4 as a cheaper Impreza. Some car enthusiasts called the SX4 a "cheap WRX" due to the AWD and good handling.
I agree that the bizarre ads comparing the Kizashi to the TSX, A4, C Class, etc. were off. They should have compared themselves to other midsize cars, especially since most are boring.
The size is a different matter. The Kizashi was intended to be a global car so the size had to not only be suitable for the US, but also Asia. While I agree it's a bit small for a midsize in America these days, it's not cramped. I don't have to move my driver's seat at all for my rear passengers and I couldn't say that for my Impreza, Eclipse, or Mazda3. It's not that the Kizashi is small; it's just not bloated like most of the midsize competition nowadays. It's about what the Mazda6 was when it debuted and closer to many midsizes about a decade ago in size.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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sx4rocious
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:31 pm
I can see why Suzuki would think the Swift would infringe upon the SX4. I own one and love everything about the car, but I have to admit, I would have bought a Swift if given the choice. AWD wasn't a concern for me at the time I bought the car, but the 5MT, rarity, and top-notch-for-the-segement-handling were. Later, I grew to love having the AWD system and now definately make it a priority to own at least one AWD car in the family fleet, however, The Swift is lighter with the same amount of power, making it a bit quicker. I have read stories about it's superb handling characteristics and safety features. All for less than a new Sonic. I would have jumped on the Swift bandwagon and probably not looked back if I were given the option.
Suzuki would have definately lost SX$ sales if the y introduced the Swift to the states, but, given the already dismal SX4 sales figures, I don't think it would have mattered much. The SX4 is a very tired vehicle in the US (seven years without a redesign is a Geezer by US standards). The completely new S-cross that replaced it in EU and Japan is a much larger, more SUV looking vehicle that would have filled the gap nicely between the Swift and Kizashi. Add in the Equator, Gran Vitara, bring back a refreshed XL7 and possibly an Alto and and larger Wagon R and Suzuki would have virtually the same offereings as Ford and Chevy (without having anything in the Full-size category). Proper marketing (perhapse on par with the Dodge Neon when it was introduced, remember the "HI" billboards?) and a better dealership network, and I think Suzuki would have given Toyota and Honda a run for their money inside 5 years...
Suzuki would have definately lost SX$ sales if the y introduced the Swift to the states, but, given the already dismal SX4 sales figures, I don't think it would have mattered much. The SX4 is a very tired vehicle in the US (seven years without a redesign is a Geezer by US standards). The completely new S-cross that replaced it in EU and Japan is a much larger, more SUV looking vehicle that would have filled the gap nicely between the Swift and Kizashi. Add in the Equator, Gran Vitara, bring back a refreshed XL7 and possibly an Alto and and larger Wagon R and Suzuki would have virtually the same offereings as Ford and Chevy (without having anything in the Full-size category). Proper marketing (perhapse on par with the Dodge Neon when it was introduced, remember the "HI" billboards?) and a better dealership network, and I think Suzuki would have given Toyota and Honda a run for their money inside 5 years...
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Speed_Racer
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:58 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City
I know this would have been fragmenting their small car models, but perhaps if they had offered the Swift as the sole FWD hatch/hot hatch and the SX4 in AWD form only to serve as the Subaru-fighting compact crossover?
'12 Kizashi,'03 SV650,'04 DL1000
That's what I had in mind as well. After all, some markets offer both such as in Japan, UK, and Australia.Speed_Racer wrote:I know this would have been fragmenting their small car models, but perhaps if they had offered the Swift as the sole FWD hatch/hot hatch and the SX4 in AWD form only to serve as the Subaru-fighting compact crossover?
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)