2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport

Midsize sedan gets a retuned suspension and appearance enhancements

By Nina Russin

2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport

Last year, Suzuki rolled out the Kizashi: its first foray into the midsize sedan segment. While the Kizashi is a large car compared to the compact SX4, the sedan‘s agile platform reflects its creators’ years of experience producing motorcycles. For 2011, Suzuki adds a Sport variant, consisting of lighter wheels, a lowered chassis with retuned suspension, body and  interior enhancements.

The Sport grade begins under $23,000 for the GTS model with a six-speed manual transmission. The upscale SLS with the manual gearbox starts under $25,000. Both models come standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 185 horsepower.

Buyers can upgrade to a continuously variable automatic transmission for $1100 more, and add all-wheel drive for enhanced four-season performance ($1350). The all-wheel drive system automatically transfers up to fifty percent of engine power to the rear wheels as driving conditions dictate. Read the rest of this entry »