Suzuki will be unveiling the Kizashi concept car at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show which runs from 13th-23rd September. The concept is an all-new proposal for Suzuki’s first contender in the D-segment and a significant step for the world’s twelfth largest automobile producer as it moves from a manufacturer specializing in compact cars and four-wheel drives to one offering a much broader product portfolio.

Full of energy, flexible and emotionally appealing, it represents the first example of the third phase in Suzuki’s new world strategy which will have status as its major theme. With this mid-range model the Japanese automobile producer will complete its ‘upward breakthrough’ enabling it to offer a much wider choice of product in the market.

There is also likely to be considerable interest in the World Rally Championship version of the SX4, which will make an appearance in Frankfurt before facing its first competitive test in mid October at the Rallye de France in Corsica. And alongside the rest of Suzuki’s current best selling models on the stand will be some leading edge products from Suzuki’s motorcycle and marine ranges.

With the Swift, Suzuki began the first phase of its world strategy and gave undiluted form to the attribute that was the theme of the first phase: sportiness.

The Swift won awards around the world by virtue of its superior dynamics and design. Suzuki subsequently pursued sportiness in the Grand Vitara and SX4, and both cars enjoy enormous success.

The Splash is making its world debut at the 2007 Frankfurt show and will become the first model in the second phase of Suzuki's world strategy. In this phase, the theme is families. Having focused on sportiness in the first phase, enhancing Suzuki's image in the process, Suzuki is now building upon what they have already achieved while refocusing on its main traditional strength: family-oriented user-friendliness. The next model coming after the Splash is the next-generation Alto, which combines environmental compatibility with agility.

The D-segment initiative which is now being revealed represents the beginning of the third phase of the world strategy. The main objective of this phase is status. The brand has developed to such an extent that it's able to communicate status, and Suzuki has overcome the great challenge of　making cars that give their owners a feeling of status.

1. Why is Suzuki Entering the D-Segment?

Suzuki has made a name for itself in the compact car and sport utility vehicle segments. Its customers spread in 168 countries and regions around the world. The annual sales have shown steady growth, rising from about 1,654 thousand units in fiscal 1997 to an estimated 2,405 thousand units in fiscal 2007.

Under the mid-term five-year plan, Suzuki is targeting sales of 3 million units in fiscal 2009 (the last year of the plan). The Japanese carmaker achieved consolidated sales of 3 trillion yen in fiscal 2007, meaning that the company is close to a mid-ranking position in the worldwide motor industry.


But despite the progress, Suzuki has not been able to accommodate many of the customers who have expressed a desire to stay with the automaker when purchasing subsequent, larger cars. Suzuki has entirely owed its customers for the growth since its founding in 1909. The carmaker feels obliged to respond to increasing expectations and is convinced that it's essential to offer a wider product range in order to accommodate customers' diverse lifestyles. Consequently, Suzuki has decided to expand its lineup to cover all segments from A to D in the next few years. Suzuki's first-ever D-segment car will stand at the top of the range.

Another major factor behind the D-segment entry is to more fully exploit the high level of Suzuki's technological competence and thus enhance its brand image.

2. Suzuki's D-Segment Entry

Suzuki realizes that there's no point in entering the D-segment unless it can offer new value that can't be given by any of the existing brands.

Suzuki paid close attention to the fact that the D-segment is broadly divided into two parts. In one part, there are family-oriented cars that are relatively large and reflect an emphasis on cabin roominess. In the other part, there are “entry luxury” cars that reflect an emphasis on performance, are relatively compact, and offer relatively high levels of quality and prestige. The new value that Suzuki intends to provide will not belong to either group.

Suzuki's “Way of Life!” brand slogan is based on five elements: “straightforward”, “value”, “sporty”, “spirit”, and “excitement”. The words “straightforward” and “value” reflect Suzuki's ability to offer products that are sensible and worthwhile. The words “sporty” and “spirit” reflect the emotional appeal of its products. And the word “excitement” expresses the core factor that Suzuki delivers to customers through all products. Among these factors, “value” (in other words, a level of customer satisfaction higher than the expected from products' prices), is an inherent virtue of Suzuki cars.

It might be argued that all existing D-segment cars whose affordability is a selling point are chosen by customers because they offer a good balance of pricing on one hand and the rational factors of equipment, driving performance, and cabin roominess on the other. But the Suzuki D-segment car will be different.

With the D-segment entry, Suzuki is targeting emotional appeal as a way to deliver a level of customer satisfaction far higher than what might be expected from the car's price point. In other words, Suzuki is the first carmaker to target an uncompromised combination of affordability and emotional appeal in the D-segment.

For sportiness, the car's dimensions need to reflect a priority on performance. So while ensuring the cabin roominess that is essential in the D-segment, the car is as lean as possible. And with regard to design, Suzuki has thoroughly studied the nature of sporty, exciting styling in the D-segment and has concluded that the design of the new car should have two themes: grace and dynamism.

Since the overall theme of the third phase of Suzuki's world strategy is status, the expressions of dynamism should not be brash expressions of power. Rather, they aim for styling that's rich in character and conveys a passionate spirit.

The sportiness that Suzuki wants to deliver in the D-segment will perhaps be most directly expressed by the car's dynamics. The kind of dynamics creates a sense of refinement. Suzuki's engineers are striving to devise ways to maximize the quality of the dynamics not only in performance but also in terms of motion that stirs people's emotions. This effort is vital because the kind of sportiness is measured not in terms of times and performance figures but in terms of how it makes people feel. Suzuki has already given form to this thinking in the Swift Sport. Now, they plan to carry it forward and further develop it for the D-segment.

3. The Engineering Approach Supporting Suzuki's New Initiative

In order to achieve its goals, Suzuki is taking a typically Suzuki-like technological approach. The methodology is to combine and apply proven technologies, thoroughly refining them in user-centred ways rather than pursuing features using spectacular new techniques.

This approach is actually one of the greatest benefits Suzuki has gained from its company's motorcycle business (Suzuki is one of only a handful of companies that produce both cars and motorcycles). With a motorcycle – where the man-machine interface is even more crucial than it is with a car – establishing the dynamics based on data alone is impossible. Rather, it's essential to conduct numerous road tests, verifying and interpreting each and every comment from testers and feeding the results back into the design. This method may appear outdated in an industry where virtual-reality technology has become mainstream. Since Suzuki's engineers worked on the Swift, they have been convinced that it's the best way to dramatically heighten the dynamic performance of Suzuki's cars and stir the emotions of users. These factors are behind our focus on delivering a D-segment car that's spirited.

At the same time, Suzuki is conscious of the great demand for environmental compatibility in the D-segment. The main response to this demand is the development of a hybrid car. Its goal is to use a hybrid arrangement (an internal combustion engine provides the main propulsion, and an electric motor provides assistance whenever extra power is needed) to achieve environmental compatibility without sacrificing an emotionally appealing engine feel.

Suzuki is planning to use all-wheel drive (AWD; a technology that Suzuki has refined over many years) to further heighten the car's refined dynamics. For an even better combination of environmental compatibility and dynamic performance, the AWD development targets include the lowest CO2 emissions of any D-segment AWD passenger car.

4. Suzuki D-Segment Preview: The Concept Kizashi

Suzuki unveils the progress of the new project, a concept car called the Concept Kizashi, at the 2007 IAA Frankfurt show.

Kizashi is a Japanese word meaning “prelude” or “foretaste”. The name symbolizes the change within Suzuki.

The Concept Kizashi represents Suzuki's passion for challenges (this is a major aspect of Suzuki's corporate culture), its future direction, and the competitive strengths that are unique to Suzuki.

To fulfill this mission, the design theme for the Concept Kizashi is “a dynamic athlete in motion”. This is because its D-segment ideals are summed up by the attributes of a great athlete: dedication to sporting challenges, physical strength that comes from hard daily training, a honed physique with no superfluous weight, and the presence and dignity of a champion.

Suzuki made a particular effort to express the car's credentials as a highway athlete:

1. Overwhelming presence that breaks the D-segment mould

The body brings to mind the lean, muscular physique of a top-class athlete, and a strongly protrusive front end communicates a dignified character.

2. An energetic look that immediately gives an idea of the car's dynamic performance

Large wheels and wide treads express a capacity for high performance. The bonnet shape hints at abundant engine power. And the body hints at aerodynamics that enable the car to punch through the air while firmly gripping the road.

3. A sense of character and status befitting Suzuki's flagship car

The detailing of individual parts gives a sense of exquisiteness and quality.
The Concept Kizashi is a clear sign of the great things to come from Suzuki as the D-segment initiative continues to take shape.

Brea, Calif., (March 6, 2008) – The New York International Auto Show welcomes American Suzuki Motor Corp. on Thursday, March 20, as the company debuts its sleek and athletic Concept Kizashi 3, the final addition to its acclaimed Kizashi concept series. The Concept Kizashi 3, which suggests both Suzuki’s future design direction and stated intent to offer a larger, more upscale sport sedan, will be joined in New York by the North American debuts of the Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2.

The Kizashi concept series was developed by Suzuki’s Advanced Design Group to reflect a dynamic athlete in motion, taking its design cues from a strong, honed physique while displaying the performance, strength and style befitting a flagship vehicle. The design theme began with the Concept Kizashi, which made its debut at the 2007 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and the Concept Kizashi 2, unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show last October, which further pushed Suzuki’s new design language. The Concept Kizashi 3 will represent the completion of the Kizashi concept series as well as providing a closer-to-production vision of a future Suzuki sport sedan offering. The complete Kizashi concept series will be revealed at the Suzuki press conference on Thursday, March 20, at 12:10 p.m. in booth 1215 at the Javits center.

• Suzuki “Way of Life!” brand spirit illustrated by world debut of athletic Concept Kizashi 3
• Suzuki broadcasts plan to produce global sport sedan based on Concept Kizashi 3 design
• Series premiere of complete Concept Kizashi family

NEW YORK (March 20, 2008) – Performing onstage at this year’s New York International Auto Show in front of a packed house, American Suzuki Motor Corp. hosts the world debut of its sleek and athletic Concept Kizashi 3, which completes the company’s star-studded cast of media-acclaimed Kizashi concepts. In addition to the North American reveals of Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2, the global introduction of Concept Kizashi 3 coincides with Suzuki’s announcement that it will produce a sport sedan derived from the Concept Kizashi 3 design.

The Concept Kizashi series was developed by Suzuki’s Advanced Design Group to reflect a dynamic athlete in motion, taking design cues from a strong, honed physique while displaying the performance, strength and style befitting a flagship vehicle. The design theme began with Concept Kizashi, which made its debut at the 2007 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and the Concept Kizashi 2, unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, which further revealed Suzuki’s new design language.

“Kizashi means ‘prelude’ in Japanese, and that’s exactly what this design represents for Suzuki from both a business and a product standpoint,” said Mark Harano, president, American Suzuki Automotive Operations. “Concept Kizashi 3 illustrates our brand character and personifies our heritage, design strength and engineering prowess. With customers in 192 countries and regions, Suzuki is truly a global brand, and the coming model carries on our mission to build the image of our automotive products in North America and eventually match our bikes’ reputation.”

Known primarily as a maker of small vehicles, Suzuki intends for the production derivative of the Kizashi series to serve as the company’s flagship vehicle, strengthening its current product line of small cars, trucks and SUVs with a sporting, more accommodating sedan. The future production model will be built at Suzuki’s brand-new Sagara plant in Japan, currently under construction, and provide an accessible alternative to the near-luxury segment. While a firm timetable has not been announced, Suzuki will deliver the Kizashi-influenced sport sedan to North American dealers by 2010.

The Concept Kizashi Series

Evoking the physical superiority and dignity of a world-class athlete, the Concept Kizashi series was developed to create a substantial presence that redefines the traditional performance vehicle and moves the Suzuki brand upscale. The overall design theme suggests physical strength from intense daily training, with the strong will, commitment and presence of a champion.

Each of the Concept Kizashi vehicles strikes a balance between driver comfort and sportiness, with roomy cabins melded to lean, dynamic exteriors. The hood and body style of all three Concept Kizashis hint at abundant engine power and wind-splitting aerodynamics, while the long wheelbase, aggressive wheel/tire combinations and abbreviated overhangs communicate a performance-oriented, energetic image. A powerful-looking body profile is incorporated throughout the series to convey underlying strength, with large wheels and a wide tread expressing a capacity for superior performance. Beyond its exterior architecture, the Concept Kizashi series constitutes a four-wheeled continuation of Suzuki’s exciting, performance-oriented motorcycle heritage, represented best by its dynamic, world-renowned line of GSX-R sportbikes. Those bikes, some two decades after their introduction, continue to dominate the sportbike segment and have achieved iconic status.

Concept Kizashi

Concept Kizashi made its world debut at the 2007 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, demonstrating Suzuki’s progress toward the development of a vehicle that combines sportiness, style and substance. As the first concept in the Kizashi series, the vehicle’s dynamic exterior was specifically developed to push the envelope and establish the overall design theme of the series. Reflecting the spirit of a highway athlete, the exaggerated dimensions of Concept Kizashi and its strong fascia communicate a dignified character and the overall presence of a dynamic flagship vehicle.

Concept Kizashi 2

Debuted at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the Concept Kizashi 2 crossover sport wagon aims at drivers with dynamic lifestyles and can accommodate a wide range of activities. Continuing the series’ athletic theme, Concept Kizashi 2 reflects the body of a triathlete, with the five-door vehicle’s all-road capability enhanced by its raised height and all-wheel-drive configuration. In addition to the sport crossover’s versatility, its 3.6 liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission promise a rewarding and engaging driving experience for daily drivers and enthusiasts alike.

Concept Kizashi 3

The closest-to-production variation of the Concept Kizashi series, Concept Kizashi 3 embodies Suzuki’s interpretation of the sport sedan segment in the North American market. The Kizashi’s “super sport” identity, a core component of the Suzuki brand DNA, is tempered by the vehicle’s overall mission to provide strong, refined urban performance.

As with Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2, the front end of the Concept Kizashi 3 expresses strength and style, with sharply fashioned headlights that emphasize the sensation of forward motion. The vehicle’s exquisitely engineered body reflects Suzuki’s distinctive combination of capability and refinement, with power flowing from a 3.6-liter DOHC V6 engine with plated cylinders – a weight-and space-saving technology that evolved from the lessons learned by Suzuki’s motorcycle and WRC development teams. The body’s monochrome finish, Kizashi Silver, gives the vehicle a sense of composure and depth of character, with metallic paint sparkling to emphasize the dynamism of the body’s cross-section.

Concept Kizashi 3 Specifications

• Powertrain layout Front engine, four-wheel drive with Advanced i-AWD system
• Seating capacity (persons) Five
• Tires 255/30ZR21 9.5J
• Wheels 21-inch, nine-spoke, aluminum
• Engine 3,564cm3 V6, DOHC, 24-valve
• Transmission Six-speed automatic (with paddle shifters)
• Maximum power 300 hp
• Overall length 4,650mm/183.1 in.
• Overall width 1,900mm/74.8 in.
• Overall height 1,450mm/57.1 in.
• Wheelbase 2,800mm/110.2 in.
• Minimum ground clearance 120mm
• Body color Kizashi Silver

Date posted: 09-12-2008


TOKYO — Suzuki's 2010 Kizashi sedan won't be officially unveiled until late next year, but sketches have leaked to the Internet already. The Japanese automaker has previously shown concept versions of the future midsize sedan, with the most recent being the near-production Kizashi 3 at the 2008 New York Auto Show this past spring.

The concept had been an edgy-looking and muscular design notable for a sharp V-shaped grille and fitted with a 3.6-liter V6 making 300 horsepower, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The sketches, which the U.K.'s Autocar says were intended for the European patent process, show that some of the design features of the concept remain, especially the front end.

Suzuki is expected to produce the Kizashi in varieties from four-cylinder to V6 models with four-wheel drive. Autocar suggests the car will be priced in the U.K. starting at the equivalent of $30,200 in early 2010.

What this means to you: The sketches show some of that inevitable slide from invigorating concept car to rather ordinary production model. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent

Suzuki Finally Gets Serious
By Erin Riches, Senior Editor
Date posted: 10-15-2009


Word doesn't travel fast when you're a small-time player, but the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi has been a labor of love some four years in the making. It is by far the most important car Suzuki has ever launched in the United States.

Although compact cars rule most parts of the world, midsize sedans will make or break you in the U.S. market. So when the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi goes on sale in December, the American outpost of Suzuki has an opportunity to reinvent itself from scratch. The company has never had a presence in the midsize sedan class. That is, unless you count the short-lived Verona, a rebadged sedan from the Korean market.

Maybe you don't want to take the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi seriously, either. (Oh, that name.) So you'll just have to go for a drive in one. And make sure it's a back road with some tight corners. Do this for an hour and you get the feeling that Suzuki's chassis development engineers get real joy out of driving and they've tuned a midsize sedan for those of us who feel the same.

It's Homegrown
Concept versions of the Suzuki Kizashi were said to have a General Motors-sourced 3.6-liter V6. This gave some of us the impression that the whole car would borrow GM platform architecture, much like the current Suzuki XL7. But this is not the case.

Instead, the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi is an entirely homegrown design. Its basic architecture is front-wheel drive, although an all-wheel-drive version with a clutch-pack-type center differential is optional. And while the Kizashi is coming to the United States first, it will eventually be a world car. So Suzuki has had to make it a little smaller than a biggie-size Accord or Camry.

The Kizashi stretches 183.1 inches nose to tail and rides on a 106.3-inch wheelbase with a track of 61.6 inches. It's close in size to the Acura TSX and the 2005-'09 Subaru Legacy.

Like the TSX, the Kizashi uses a 2.4-liter inline-4 engine. This engine has twin balance shafts and features variable intake valve timing. It's rated at 185 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 170 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm with the standard six-speed manual gearbox. With the optional continuously variable transmission (CVT), power maxes out at 180 hp at 6,000 rpm. You can only get AWD with the CVT, which also has shift paddles for its simulated manual mode.

Obviously, the Acura TSX and Subaru Legacy 2.5GT offer more horsepower, but the Kizashi easily tops the non-turbocharged Legacy's 170-hp rating. And among all four-cylinder midsize sedans, only the Accord EX (190 hp), and Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg and Passat (200 hp) beat it in the power department.

Suzuki plans to undercut the prices of most potential rivals anyway. The base 2010 Suzuki Kizashi S should come in below $20,000, and our high-line SLS with a six-speed manual transmission should cost about $25,500 (there are SE and GTS trim levels between these two). Expect to spend $27,500 on an AWD Kizashi with the CVT.

Doesn't Drive Like a $25K Car
Why mention the TSX and Legacy GT if the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi is so cheap? Well, it just so happens the Kizashi feels a lot like those cars, specifically the smaller 2004-'08 TSX and 2005-'09 Legacy that we liked so much.

In developing the 2010 Kizashi, says Gene Brown, vice president of marketing and public relations for American Suzuki, "we wanted to build world-class sport sedan at a price the average person can afford."

Of course, you'll never find a true sport sedan in the form of a front-wheel-drive midsize car with a $25K price tag, but the Kizashi offers a level of entertainment that has been refined out of most other midsize sedans. Like the older TSXs and Legacys, it feels relatively lightweight, agile and honest in communicating its intentions.

You're not supposed to be put off by the body roll through tight turns. Rather, this is your cue to push harder, because it's then that the Kizashi really digs in. Grip, not understeer, is the prevailing sensation here, thanks to some inspired suspension tuning and an above-average set of all-season tires — P235/45R18 94V Dunlop SP Sport 7000s. The electric-assisted steering is a little shy on feedback, but it weights up so usefully off-center that you scarcely notice it's electric. Stability control can be fully disengaged, and our Kizashi SLS test car slaloms at 64.8 mph and manages 0.88g on the skid pad.

Brake pedal feel is a tad abrupt at tip-in, but the brakes have ample power and resist fade well — exactly what you want if you're going to play around back roads. Our test car's best 60-mph-to-0 stop is 122 feet.

What really makes all of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi's cornering capability a neat trick, though, is the midsize sedan's composure on the highway. Even with 18s, our Kizashi SLS never rides harshly. Road noise isn't a problem, either.

Engine's Just OK
We can't muster quite the same enthusiasm for the Kizashi's 2.4-liter engine, but it's perfectly adequate for everyday driving. Low and midrange torque take priority here, and the upshot is that it's easy to get going in low-speed traffic and take full advantage of passing zones on back roads.

What we don't love is the engine's demeanor at high rpm. Power begins to drop off before the 6,600-rpm redline, and the 2.4-liter is not the smoothest or the freest-revving engine in this class. Rather, it's just average, and this stands out because the rest of the drive is far above average.

As today's manual gearboxes go, though, the Kizashi's six-speed is pretty good. Clutch engagement is a bit vague, but the long-throw shifter moves through the gates with precision. Heel-and-toe downshifts come easily if you want them.

This combination is good for an 8.3-second 0-60-mph time (8.0 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) at our testing facility. The quarter-mile goes by in 16.0 seconds at 86.6 mph. For comparison, a current-generation Acura TSX with an inline-4 (201 hp, 172 lb-ft) and equipped with a six-speed manual runs the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds at 89.8 mph. Most other non-premium four-cylinder sedans are a second slower than the Kizashi, save for the 2.0T-equipped VWs and the Accord EX.

There's more in store for the Suzuki Kizashi in the engine department. We're not holding our breath on a turbocharged version of the 2.4-liter, but Suzuki is already a testing a V6 AWD version, which does, in fact, have the GM-sourced 3.6-liter V6 from the XL7 along with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Snug but Well-Trimmed Cabin
Cost considerations evidently didn't allow for serious sport seats in the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, but the cabin is otherwise driver-friendly. The seating position is neither too high nor too low, and the three-spoke steering wheel offers both telescope adjustment and a comfortable grip.

Most controls are easy to find, and though the audio display in our pre-production Kizashi SLS isn't the most state-of-the-art, Suzuki is working to source an upgraded head unit for production models that will allow more characters to be displayed. Keyless start and a USB port are standard on all Kizashis, and GTS and SLS models get a Rockford Fosgate audio system and streaming Bluetooth capability.

Suzuki will offer an upgradeable Garmin navigation system for the Kizashi, but this time the screen will be built into the dash and have a larger screen. The $1,300 price tag for navigation includes a back-up camera and real-time traffic updates.

The only thing that gives us pause is the somewhat snug rear-seat headroom and legroom, but that's merely a consequence of this being a world car. If you're way over 6 feet, don't get in the back of a Suzuki Kizashi.

Save Your Jokes
On the whole, it's pretty amazing how much Suzuki gets right with the Kizashi. This midsize sedan handles well, rides well and accelerates respectably. It's also attractive in an unconventional way and has all the features you'd expect in a mainstream car.

The only obstacles standing in the way of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi's success are its funny name and Suzuki's scant dealership network in the U.S. (Actually the latter really isn't funny at all, as dealers are few and far between even in import-friendly Southern California.)

But for those willing to track down a 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, this is a chance to own a right-size sedan that drives like the TSX and Legacy once did. If the Kizashi can find some buyers, it could change the fortunes of a small-time Japanese player that until now hasn't had the right kind of four-wheeled product for America.