When a company advertises their car as a luxury auto while aiming for a wider audience, it's is a tall order to be filled. It comes as a welcome surprise that the Suzuki Kizashi actually delivers on what it promises. Suzuki has been flying relatively low on the radar due to less than stellar sales; they need a car that will keep them in the competition. The Suzuki Kizashi SLS, a five-passenger mid-size luxury sedan, just might be that vehicle. The look of the Kizashi is somewhat unique. From head-on the Kizashi looks like a VW with a bubbly front end and three-segmented grill. From the side and rear view Kizashi is luxurious and stylish with dual exhaust, 18-inch wheels, and an overall sleek appearance. This car isn’t going to turn any heads, but it still fits in nicely with the rest of the pack. The interior of the Kizashi comes standard with keyless entry and ignition, 7-Speaker Audio System with USB port, power windows/locks, and optional navigation display. Some of the features are impressive for such a small price on the standard model, like the keyless ignition and remote audio controls. The SLS model comes standard with leather interior, heated power front seats, 10-speaker Rockford-Fosgate premium speaker system, integrated Bluetooth, and HomeLink®. The most impressive aspect of the Kizashi though is how much room there is inside, although you can technically seat five, there's sufficient room to fit two large adults in the driver and driver-rear passenger seat. It comes as a surprise that passengers are comfortable inside because it is a little shy of the average for a mid-size. Performance and safety from Suzuki is top notch with standard front wheel drive, optional all wheel drive and dual front advanced and front and rear side and curtain airbags. The Kizashi also comes with a 2.4L 185 hp engine, standard ABS brakes, and a six speed manual transmission, or an optional continuous variable transmission (CVS). The Kizashi’s four-cylinder engine is in all models. The real differences in driving are coming from the transmission. The CVS transmission makes the car a little more sluggish but not to a fault, and with the CVS transmission the driver also gets F1 style paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Meanwhile the standard six-speed transmission is better, but feels loose. The handling on the car is great at average driving speeds too, which is what most buyers are in need of anyways. Although the Kizashi SLS doesn’t offer all the amenities and style that come with a luxury midsize, they hit the right spots for a solid ride. Suzuki focused on giving a nice presentation with a smooth look both exterior and interior. They built a solid framework with unremarkable but solid driving capability, and a decent engine with enough appeal to a broader spectrum of consumers. Overall, the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi is a solid bargain.  MSRP for the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi SLS is $24, 399. For more information on the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, please visit www.NADAguides.com .  

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2010 Suzuki Kizashi SLS FWD