Suzuki has finally unveiled the Kizashi after teasing us with quite a few concepts of the much awaited luxury saloon. The car will initially be powered by a 2.4-litre DOHC inline four-cylinder engine linked to a six speed manual transmission or a CVT with paddle shifts. The car will be available in 2 wheel as well as 4 wheel drive versions. Hybrid and V6 versions will come at a later stage. Suzuki’s current focus is on the US market but we can expect the Kizashi to hit Indian shores by the end of next year.
The Kizashi is aimed to be sporty as well as comfortable. The car has a multi-link suspension at the rear, constructed of aluminium, and runs on 18 inch wheels shod on 20 spoke alloys. The front of the Kizashi is a cut copy paste job of the Volkswagen Jetta/Golf. The interiors are sporty yet cool with standard sports seats and high level of equipment including 8 airbags, ESP, ABS, projector headlamps and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
The Kizashi saloon goes on sale in the U.S in Decemeber this year and will be joined by a crossover and estate. The Kizashi when launched in India will be priced between Rs. 15-20 lakhs and will compete against the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Skoda Laura. Maruti might launch the Kizashi in the Indian market with a 1.9 DDIS diesel powerplant which will give the Kizashi an edge over its competitors.
