I see it all as a "damned if you do, damned if you don't". I personally don't want a vehicle to cost too much with a bunch of unnecessary automated technology. I actually believe automated braking and lane assist literally only exist as an industry acknowledgment that drivers no longer pay attention while driving. The engineers are vindicated because I can't drive any given stretch of road and not find someone distracted while driving. While I don't want this stuff in my car thus I'm totally satisfied with my "old and primitive" Kizashi with 3 pedals from 10 years ago, I'd be lying if I said I don't think other people benefit from it. If a car's tech is going to keep a distracted driver's car from plowing into me, I can't see how that's a bad thing.
The other side of the coin to this is the cost of newer vehicles that are ever-rising due to this tech becoming standard and now, a chip shortage. Cars are becoming less as driving machines and more as transportation appliances. While manual transmissions are largely fading into oblivion due to a lack of consumer demand, some companies are actually phasing them out for the sake of automated technology. For example, Subaru will no longer offer a manual transmission in the next gen Impreza and Crosstrek because they want to make EyeSight standard: which is incompatible with a manual transmission. Their pursuit for safer cars to compensate for unsafe drivers will make cars less about driving or driver engagement. It's a trend consumers can't escape easily unless they want to buy older cars, a small niche of performance vehicles, or my point below.
I've come to realize in the last several years that cars are no longer ideal machines for a pure and raw experience on wheels. Too expensive, too automated, and more sedate than ever. The "cool" cars these days, apparently, are the ones that drive themselves or just go fast in a straight line requiring no driver skill. This includes vehicles from a Tesla to a Dodge muscle car. While I'm not here to judge the preferences of other people, I've come to realize a motorcycle is almost a protest on wheels to what is happening to cars. MCs are 99% manual, cheap, demands engagement and attention, and absolutely visceral. No automated bullshit and operator assumes risk.
While you might be right Suzuki Automotive couldn't justify sticking around with low sales meanwhile facing stricter standards to meet on safety and emissions, they absolutely still deliver on the motorcycle front here.
I found a Suzuki rarer than the Kizashi...
I do like the Swifts, probably the second most common Suzuki here in the UK after the Vitara!
These two are for sale not far from me right now, I do prefer the older shape though!
These two are for sale not far from me right now, I do prefer the older shape though!
- Attachments
-
- 2d7c34aeaa8d4e07b8d8bcb5771b7e86.jpg (106.53 KiB) Viewed 5967 times
-
- 6d6f01d7652d42d2b251bf32356b4887.jpg (120.26 KiB) Viewed 5967 times
-
- 36cead4af39a43db95b3c6d58feb30e8.jpg (78.06 KiB) Viewed 5967 times
"If in doubt , flat out" - Colin McRae 1968 -2007
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2022 2:35 pm
That is why I love suzuki. It is the hardest car to see.
Not a Suzuki... but the manufacturer still starts with an 'S' and still extremely rare for the central U.S.:
I never thought I'd see a SEAT ( 'see - ot' -- not "seat") on the highway by my house. Similar to the Swift I saw, this one appears to have come all the way from Mexico.
Can't say I've ever heard of the "Toledo" tho. LoLs
I never thought I'd see a SEAT ( 'see - ot' -- not "seat") on the highway by my house. Similar to the Swift I saw, this one appears to have come all the way from Mexico.
Can't say I've ever heard of the "Toledo" tho. LoLs
My Cars (Their Names)
'93 Ford Escort (Jorge - Prior)
'06 Kia Optima EX (Sakuya - Prior)
'11 Suzuki Kizashi SE AWD (Azumi)
'09 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Base 5MT(Akari - Prior)
'11 Chevy Cruze Eco 6MT (Erika - Prior)
'12 Suzuki Kizashi Sport SLS AWD (Kitsune)
'93 Ford Escort (Jorge - Prior)
'06 Kia Optima EX (Sakuya - Prior)
'11 Suzuki Kizashi SE AWD (Azumi)
'09 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Base 5MT(Akari - Prior)
'11 Chevy Cruze Eco 6MT (Erika - Prior)
'12 Suzuki Kizashi Sport SLS AWD (Kitsune)
-
- Posts: 286
- Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 6:58 am
Wow, nice find! According to Wikipedia, the Toledo is a relative of the VW Jetta (presumably the previous generation of Jetta); SEAT is a VW Group brand (from Spain) after all. That would explain the TSI badge, which turbo gasoline Jettas have, too (excluding the GLI model, I believe). I thought they were only in the Old World. The Toledo model itself was discontinued a few years ago.
My out-of-place rare car was a Chinese BYD (Build Your Dreams) crossover, years ago. At first I thought it was a previous-gen Lexus RX, until I saw the taillights’ odd shape. And yeah, that’s a California plate. Not sure how it was brought here considering the strict American import laws. But it turns out there’s a BYD building in Los Angeles, and they plan on selling cars in North America at some point. They specialize in EV technology, so far selling EV buses and forklifts to some companies in the US. The vehicle in my pic looks to be non-EV given the tailpipes, and also the fact that this was back before EV crossovers were much of a thing. I wonder how the car owner gets their vehicle serviced lol.
Sorry the pic is blurry, I think I took it while walking and had my gym bag looped around my forearm - always a recipe for a messy image![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
My out-of-place rare car was a Chinese BYD (Build Your Dreams) crossover, years ago. At first I thought it was a previous-gen Lexus RX, until I saw the taillights’ odd shape. And yeah, that’s a California plate. Not sure how it was brought here considering the strict American import laws. But it turns out there’s a BYD building in Los Angeles, and they plan on selling cars in North America at some point. They specialize in EV technology, so far selling EV buses and forklifts to some companies in the US. The vehicle in my pic looks to be non-EV given the tailpipes, and also the fact that this was back before EV crossovers were much of a thing. I wonder how the car owner gets their vehicle serviced lol.
Sorry the pic is blurry, I think I took it while walking and had my gym bag looped around my forearm - always a recipe for a messy image
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
- Attachments
-
- F18E9C09-E2AB-44C3-B63E-E8F09136A930.jpeg (189.06 KiB) Viewed 4569 times
Current: Blue 2018 Mazda 3 GT 5-Door
Previous: Blue 2010 Ford Focus SES,
Black 2013 Kizashi Sport GTS-L (CVT; FWD)(RIP)
Previous: Blue 2010 Ford Focus SES,
Black 2013 Kizashi Sport GTS-L (CVT; FWD)(RIP)
I took a work trip yesterday and close to Bakersfield, I saw a Honda City, which is basically a Honda Fit in sedan form. The car was from Mexico. The last time I think I saw a Honda City was in Thailand over ten years ago.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
-
- Posts: 286
- Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 6:58 am
Well, it finally happened - I came across a Mexican market car lol. Specifically a Suzuki Vitara. Thought it was a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in my peripheral. The Vitara is slightly smaller, if I had to guess. Coincidentally, I encountered a US-market Grand Vitara literally a few minutes earlier (pretty uncommon vehicles here in Los Angeles County). I hope I find a Swift one day, but this was pretty cool nonetheless.
Last edited by KlutzNinja on Thu Aug 04, 2022 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Current: Blue 2018 Mazda 3 GT 5-Door
Previous: Blue 2010 Ford Focus SES,
Black 2013 Kizashi Sport GTS-L (CVT; FWD)(RIP)
Previous: Blue 2010 Ford Focus SES,
Black 2013 Kizashi Sport GTS-L (CVT; FWD)(RIP)
Suzuki Swift is very common small car here in Europe. Even though german, french and italian cars are very popular here, Swift was able to fight its place as one of the most reliable city cars out there. Not even that, but the Swift has also one special edition of this car, called Sport. It has a very punchy engine for such a little car, 1.4 litre 4 Cylinder 16 valve turbo with 140 hp and 6MT. Given the small dimension and lack of weight, this small cars rocket to 100 in arround (or less than)8 seconds, is very agile and quick in curves and and looks damn good with some lower bumpers, bigger wheels, sport seats and dual exhaust. Very interesting and fun little car.
"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing". H. Ford