V6-powered Suzuki Kizashi to bow at NY show?

V6-powered Suzuki Kizashi to bow at NY show?
By Drew Johnson - Posted March 11th 2010

When we first tested the Suzuki Kizashi, we came away quite impressed. The four-door proved quite competent in the twisties and featured stylish good looks. The Kiazashi’s powertrain was the only thing that left us wanting more, but it appears as though Suzuki will remedy that complaint at this month’s New York Auto Show.
Although we have little in the way of details, Suzuki has informed us it will have “more exciting Kizashi product news to share” at the 2010 New York Auto Show. Suzuki unveiled the Concept Kizashi3 at the 2008 New York Auto Show.
Suzuki has yet to reveal the Kizashi news it has to share — although it did provide a teaser shot — but we are fully expect to see a V6-powered version of the sports sedan at the New York show. When we first tested the Kizashi back in October, Suzuki also had a V6-powered “chassis verification prototype” on hand. At the time, Suzuki fell short of calling the prototype production-intent, but did give us a wink and a nod when talking about the production possibility of a V6-powered Kizashi.
That prototype featured a 3.6L V6 developing 260 horsepower – a full 75-80 horsepower more than the standard car. That extra grunt gave the Kizashi far more power coming out of the corners, but did tend to upset the car’s overall balance on entry. The prototype also featured a more aggressive body kit.
Despite the inherent problem of adding weight, a V6-powered Kizashi should serve Suzuki well. Americans tend to love more power, and that’s just what the V6 provides. Check back later this month to see if our hunch is spot on.
16 COMMENTS
1. A4140 days ago
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  I wish it read 260hp turbo-4 from Solstice GXP to debut in Suzuki Kizashi. Sigh.
  
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2. johnnycanuck140 days ago
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  Great news for the 5 or 6 people a month who will sign on the dotted line for this.
  
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3. Trevor York140 days ago
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  ^^^my sentiments exactly jc…
  
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4. Whiskey140 days ago
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  I agree, they should have just used a turbo 4, it would have kept the wieght off and helped with balance, paired with all wheel drive, it should still be a good car
  
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5. leftwingagenda140 days ago
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  one revision away from being pretty good, sounds like…still a bit raw around the edges, from what reviewers say…
  
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6. moparsalesman1140 days ago
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  @ johnny…we are a suzuki dealer as well and i have driven pretty much every make and model car out there. you have not an idea of what you are talking about. the fit and finish in this car is amazing. smooth ride very quiet excellent sound system and this car is packed for the price. take a drive in one and you will take back the comment. i thought this website was for car lovers but all anyone seems to do on here is bash cars. im confused
  
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7. JakeK66140 days ago
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  Johnny – you’re such an optimist! I was thinking more like 3 or 4 people a month, maybe none at all. I just don’t see many people going out and spending $30,000 on a Suzuki unless it was made from pure gold or had a crotch rocket built into the trunk.
  
  Then again, they’ll end up discounting it so much it might be the sleeper deal of the midsize class…
  
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8. johnnycanuck140 days ago
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  mopar… where the hell are you getting the impression that I’m bashing the car? I have never once done anything other than defend Suzuki on this site. I’ve owned 2 of them and seriously wish they would bring back the 2 door Sidekick/Vitara.
  
  My comment was meant to reflect on the fact that currently Suzuki is moving less than 1,500 units a month in the US… that’s it… there’s nobody buying them. Sorry for the confusion, and while it’s often the case you can read something else into my comments this isn’t one of those times.
  
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9. savedsol140 days ago
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  Make a wagon
  
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10. elantra_touring140 days ago
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  Yes make a wagon please!!!
  
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11. Toby Michael140 days ago
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  I stopped by my local dealer last Sunday afternoon while they were closed to look at it. I found one that not only was unlocked, the key was laying in the cup holder! No, I didn’t help myself to a test drive but I was pleasantly surprised by the interior and fit/finish. A v6 option would move that 5 or 6 people to 7.
  
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12. zoomzoomer140 days ago
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  The extreme angle of that photo led me to believe that a new Grand Vitara was coming out with a taller, blunter version of the Kizashi’s hood.. but I think that’s just a red Kizashi.
  
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13. rarson140 days ago
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  It needs a turbo, not a V6.
  
  Suzuki needs to bring back the Swift already.
  
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14. nastacio140 days ago
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  Great effort by Suzuki, but the market opportunity is minimal. There is the razor-thing tradition in the segment (please don’t bring up the Verona) , the sparse dealer network, and stiff competition in a segment where people tend to buy the brand over content.
  
  For the MSRP you can land on a similarly equipped Jetta, which is widely recognized for its handling and interior quality. In the exact same price point, you can get a Sonata SE 2011, which is roomier, more powerful, and has better dealer network coverage.
  
  Deep discounts and small volume are an impossible mix to manage…
  
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15. jdasch1140 days ago
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  Saw a truckload going down the road today…I like the dual exhaust treatment…very progressive
  
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16. jimmyblaze140 days ago
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  @ moparsalesman1 _ I agree with you that we do a lot of car, manufacturer, country of origin bashing on this site. It’s unfortunate because I believe most of the people posting here are car lovers some are just overly or blindly biased. I just commented about this on the “Corvette redesigned for global appeal post”. I know I love and have driven and owned all kinds of cars and trucks.
  
  That being said, I have to agree with the comment by nastacio. I don’t even know where a Suzuki dealer is. I’m always rooting for Suzuki to succeed because they are the underdog.
  
  One thing I’d be curious to know from you moparsalesman1. What is your take on the merger do you think Chrysler is going to come out of this stronger than they did with the tie up with Daimler or are they just going to become a distribution network for Fiat cars?
  
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