PM included the Kizashi in its recent "Good Riddance: 9 Cars That Deservedly Got the Ax in 2013" slide show (it's #9): http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/ne ... 28#slide-9.
They quote 1,602 new Kizashis sold in 2013. I think the first sentence is a little off base in making is sound like there are new Kizashis sitting on lots around the country. The same could be said of any car! I searched AutoTrader and found 36 including a few 2012s and most are located at the same dealer. Cars.com doesn't list Suzuki as an option for new.
Popular Mechanics Pisses on Kizashi's Grave
Typical snarky, reaction-instigating web article that screams 'look at me! I have no readers so I'm just going to make you mad in order to create buzz!'
No wonder PM has never been 'popular' with me.
No wonder PM has never been 'popular' with me.
It wasn't really a bad review, but more critical of Suzuki overall.
PM didn't really write anything bad about the car, but needed something to state the obvious about Suzuki; it wasn't going to survive.
Most actual auto publications praised the Kizashi including popular sites like jalopnik.com. However, the car did not get much recognition in the general public and did not sell well. It was the last nail in Suzuki's coffin in the North American market. After seeing the Kizashi flop, Suzuki pulled out.
Personally, if I was a Suzuki executive, I would have played it differently. I would not have even had the Kizashi developed until the brand had a better chance in the markets it was mainly intended for: North America. I would have first imported the Swift and Swift Sport and then the Kizashi. Compacts like the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Ford Fiesta, etc. are selling well and the Swift is known in Japan and Europe to be very competitive. Had Suzuki imported the Swift sometime around 2008, it could have probably enjoyed success much like Mini saw back then. With the brand name back in recognition, then they should have brought/developed the Kizashi.
Suzuki took an ill-fated gamble with the Kizashi. It's really all bad management, not bad engineering. The car itself is rather good.
PM didn't really write anything bad about the car, but needed something to state the obvious about Suzuki; it wasn't going to survive.
Most actual auto publications praised the Kizashi including popular sites like jalopnik.com. However, the car did not get much recognition in the general public and did not sell well. It was the last nail in Suzuki's coffin in the North American market. After seeing the Kizashi flop, Suzuki pulled out.
Personally, if I was a Suzuki executive, I would have played it differently. I would not have even had the Kizashi developed until the brand had a better chance in the markets it was mainly intended for: North America. I would have first imported the Swift and Swift Sport and then the Kizashi. Compacts like the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Ford Fiesta, etc. are selling well and the Swift is known in Japan and Europe to be very competitive. Had Suzuki imported the Swift sometime around 2008, it could have probably enjoyed success much like Mini saw back then. With the brand name back in recognition, then they should have brought/developed the Kizashi.
Suzuki took an ill-fated gamble with the Kizashi. It's really all bad management, not bad engineering. The car itself is rather good.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
KuroNekko wrote:It wasn't really a bad review, but more critical of Suzuki overall.
PM didn't really write anything bad about the car, but needed something to state the obvious about Suzuki; it wasn't going to survive.
Most actual auto publications praised the Kizashi including popular sites like jalopnik.com. However, the car did not get much recognition in the general public and did not sell well. It was the last nail in Suzuki's coffin in the North American market. After seeing the Kizashi flop, Suzuki pulled out.
Personally, if I was a Suzuki executive, I would have played it differently. I would not have even had the Kizashi developed until the brand had a better chance in the markets it was mainly intended for: North America. I would have first imported the Swift and Swift Sport and then the Kizashi. Compacts like the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Ford Fiesta, etc. are selling well and the Swift is known in Japan and Europe to be very competitive. Had Suzuki imported the Swift sometime around 2008, it could have probably enjoyed success much like Mini saw back then. With the brand name back in recognition, then they should have brought/developed the Kizashi.
Suzuki took an ill-fated gamble with the Kizashi. It's really all bad management, not bad engineering. The car itself is rather good.
I believe if Suzuki released a proper performance version of the Kizashi, the would have sold like hot cakes. Look at WRX's; they were and still are the ugliest cars on the road (maybe with the exception of the '06 model) and yet they sold so many (at least here in Australia), they sold because of their performance, price, AWD and fun factor. The same goes for 'cereal box' Mitsubishi EVO's; they look like a typical "b***h-box" and yet they sold so many.
Suzuki should have released a proper Kizashi turbocharged performance car for around the same price (preferably under) as WRX and EVOs, had they done that, things would have worked out very differently in terms of sales in my belief. They should have also advertised the hell out of it and show people how good their product really is. The reputation of WRX/EVO killer would have helped to boos sales of non-performance Kizashi's as well as improved brand awareness hence the overall sales would have dramatically increased.
Most people are criticising Kizashi for the 'lack' of power, but yet the Kizashi pumps out pretty much the same power as Mazda 6 and other competitors in the same class, accelerates at the same time or better (7.4sec manual isn't too bad for manual), and not to mention, handles better than most competition. This all indicates that people expect the Kizashi to be a performace/fast car; and that's why Suzuki should have stepped up and given the people what they wanted and expected, a performance Kizashi.
BMW E46 330i SMG
Suzuki Kizashi 6MT
Suzuki Kizashi 6MT
While folks like us would have liked a high performance Kizashi, I doubt it would have sold well enough to save Suzuki. In fact, it would have just rivaled cars like the Optima 2.0T, Ford Fusion EcoBoost 2.0, and the like.
In fact, the original plan was for the Kizashi to have a higher output engine sourced from VW. It was probably supposed to be their 2.0 turbo or even a 6 cylinder. However, the VW deal fell apart early and Suzuki was left with their own base engine which became the only engine ever offered.
The WRX and Evo are different for a number of reasons. The cars and their rivalry goes back from the mid 90's and both are huge names in the JDM and sports compact scene worldwide. They are the Asian equivalents to the classic American Mustang vs. Camaro rivalry. The Kizashi is a new comer in the global market and simply does not have the reputation the WRX and the Evo earned from decades ago.
A high-spec Kizashi would have had to prove itself for people to buy it and Suzuki would not have spent the money needed to market the car. It probably would have done worse than the Hyundai Genesis R-Spec (a high performance Genesis most people probably don't know exists since it does not seem to sell well).
The Kizashi was not really intended to be a high performance car, but a sporty midsize. They wanted to make a car closer to something like the Acura TSX instead of being another Cam-Cord. This is why the car has good handling to make it stand out from most other midsizes.
Despite the efforts, I really think it was a mistake on Suzuki's part to introduce a brand new midsize when most consumers forgot they even made cars. The midsize segment is among the most competitive and everyone makes one. Had Suzuki shipped their Swift swiftly following the economic crisis of 2008 (when many Americans opted for smaller, cheaper cars) then they could have seen success. Small cars took off around then and companies like Mini and Subaru made profit while others were in the red. Compacts like the Fit and Yaris became popular at the time. This was the chance Suzuki blew. Instead, they released the Kizashi in 2009 and many people who paid attention to its existence saw as another midsize in a very crowded segment.
I'm not hating on the car as I obviously love it. However, I can understand how it was not compelling enough for people to break their preconceived notions on what cars to get. Most press reviews on the Kizashi are positive and most testers like the car, but there is an underlining theme that most reviews end with: The Kizashi is good, but not good enough to change minds and save Suzuki.
In fact, the original plan was for the Kizashi to have a higher output engine sourced from VW. It was probably supposed to be their 2.0 turbo or even a 6 cylinder. However, the VW deal fell apart early and Suzuki was left with their own base engine which became the only engine ever offered.
The WRX and Evo are different for a number of reasons. The cars and their rivalry goes back from the mid 90's and both are huge names in the JDM and sports compact scene worldwide. They are the Asian equivalents to the classic American Mustang vs. Camaro rivalry. The Kizashi is a new comer in the global market and simply does not have the reputation the WRX and the Evo earned from decades ago.
A high-spec Kizashi would have had to prove itself for people to buy it and Suzuki would not have spent the money needed to market the car. It probably would have done worse than the Hyundai Genesis R-Spec (a high performance Genesis most people probably don't know exists since it does not seem to sell well).
The Kizashi was not really intended to be a high performance car, but a sporty midsize. They wanted to make a car closer to something like the Acura TSX instead of being another Cam-Cord. This is why the car has good handling to make it stand out from most other midsizes.
Despite the efforts, I really think it was a mistake on Suzuki's part to introduce a brand new midsize when most consumers forgot they even made cars. The midsize segment is among the most competitive and everyone makes one. Had Suzuki shipped their Swift swiftly following the economic crisis of 2008 (when many Americans opted for smaller, cheaper cars) then they could have seen success. Small cars took off around then and companies like Mini and Subaru made profit while others were in the red. Compacts like the Fit and Yaris became popular at the time. This was the chance Suzuki blew. Instead, they released the Kizashi in 2009 and many people who paid attention to its existence saw as another midsize in a very crowded segment.
I'm not hating on the car as I obviously love it. However, I can understand how it was not compelling enough for people to break their preconceived notions on what cars to get. Most press reviews on the Kizashi are positive and most testers like the car, but there is an underlining theme that most reviews end with: The Kizashi is good, but not good enough to change minds and save Suzuki.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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sx4rocious
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Nekko is exactly right. Introducing a new midsize reguardless of it's perofrmance capabilities was the wrong move for Suzuki at the time. Look at the customer base that NORMALLY drives these cars. The demographic is normally made up of slightly younger than middle aged professionals with younger children and a 700+ credit score. Most of these people want safety, MPG's, features, and style, with meh..... it's OK performance. The Kizashi fits this perfectly, however, most of us in this category are semi-stuck in our ways and rely highly on the oppinions of our parents, freinds, pastors, ex-girlfriends hairdressers uncle's mechanic, ets... which, in turn, usually means they stick to the classics. Chevy Malibu, Buick Regal, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, Dodge whatever-they-make-that-doesn't-suck-now.... you get the idea. This is pretty much the reason the Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant, Subaru Legacy, and several other great new midsized cars aren't selling well.
The Swift would have saved Suzuki USA. I'm convinced of that. Both Suzuki forums I am an active member of have been BEGGING for the new swift for years. Our cries have fallen on deaf ears and now those ears are paying for it. I would have EAGERLY bought a new swift as my first ever new car in a year of two when my SX4 needs replaced. It's exactly what I need wrapped in an awesome looking package at an extremely affordable price. I know I'm not the only one sharing this sentiment. As far as a performance oriented car from Suzuki selling like an EVO or WRX, as much as I would love to own one, I would never shell out the extra $$$ above buying a Lance (wouldn't buy a Lancer anyway.... BLECH!!!) or Impreza. This leaves me shopping for an Impreza to replace my SX4, and probably a Legacy to replace the Kizzy as I refused to buy a boring camry\accord\insert-anything-american-made-here....
I agree that a performace edition Kiz and\or SX$ would have rocked, but in the end, I don't go faster than 60 mph anyway, so would I risk tarnishing my 700+ credit score on shelling out an extra $4000-$10,000+ for a performance edition to gain MAYBE a second on 0-60 times? nope... I'm good.
The Swift would have saved Suzuki USA. I'm convinced of that. Both Suzuki forums I am an active member of have been BEGGING for the new swift for years. Our cries have fallen on deaf ears and now those ears are paying for it. I would have EAGERLY bought a new swift as my first ever new car in a year of two when my SX4 needs replaced. It's exactly what I need wrapped in an awesome looking package at an extremely affordable price. I know I'm not the only one sharing this sentiment. As far as a performance oriented car from Suzuki selling like an EVO or WRX, as much as I would love to own one, I would never shell out the extra $$$ above buying a Lance (wouldn't buy a Lancer anyway.... BLECH!!!) or Impreza. This leaves me shopping for an Impreza to replace my SX4, and probably a Legacy to replace the Kizzy as I refused to buy a boring camry\accord\insert-anything-american-made-here....
I agree that a performace edition Kiz and\or SX$ would have rocked, but in the end, I don't go faster than 60 mph anyway, so would I risk tarnishing my 700+ credit score on shelling out an extra $4000-$10,000+ for a performance edition to gain MAYBE a second on 0-60 times? nope... I'm good.
WESHOOT2 wrote:I suggest marketing is where Suzuki failed; the Kizashi was improperly marketed.
Logic has little to do with actually taking out the wallet............
Agreed. Impulse has much to do w/ pulling out the bill-fold.
If they would have just had a few sophisticated and intelligent commercials touting the features that makes the car what it is standout against the crowd (much like the printed material I'd pick up at the dealership), instead of those ridiculously childish couch and snowman travesties, it would have probably gone a long way. They would have been better off not airing those adverts in the end, it made the brand look ridiculous IMHO.
Ron
2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded
)
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top (
sold)
2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded
) 1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top (
sold)The first time I heard of Suzuki was with the Aerio SX. This thing sold like crazy! And then they stopped making it for some reason--just in time for Honda to release the fit and capitalize on the market Suzuki created. 
The swift would have been the perfect replacement for the Aerio. It was slightly larger, and well established in other markets (aka no major bugs). It would have really launched them as a brand for sure.
Of course, if they would have done this, the Kizashi may never have been born or this cheap for me to pick up, so I guess with every bad comes some good.
The swift would have been the perfect replacement for the Aerio. It was slightly larger, and well established in other markets (aka no major bugs). It would have really launched them as a brand for sure.
Of course, if they would have done this, the Kizashi may never have been born or this cheap for me to pick up, so I guess with every bad comes some good.
The Aerio was replaced by the SX4. The Swift is actually a car under that class.SamirD wrote:The first time I heard of Suzuki was with the Aerio SX. This thing sold like crazy! And then they stopped making it for some reason--just in time for Honda to release the fit and capitalize on the market Suzuki created.
The swift would have been the perfect replacement for the Aerio. It was slightly larger, and well established in other markets (aka no major bugs). It would have really launched them as a brand for sure.
Of course, if they would have done this, the Kizashi may never have been born or this cheap for me to pick up, so I guess with every bad comes some good.
Think of the models like this:
Honda Fit = Suzuki Swift
Honda Civic = Suzuki SX4
Honda Accord = Suzuki Kizashi
The mistake Suzuki made was pushing the unpopular SX4 on North Americans while not importing the Swift that more people would have wanted. I have read in many automotive sites that people wanted the Swift, but it never came. It's critically acclaimed in the markets it's sold in and I would argue it's Suzuki's best product.
They really blew their chance as it's a better car than most of the subcompact competition, especially years ago.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)