After the announcement of Kizashi Sports for the UK market, Suzuki launches the luxury car for the Malaysian market. Suzuki Malaysia Automobile has launched the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi in the trims – the standard SDLX at RM 143,942.70 and the Kizashi Sports at RM 153,982.70 (prices do not include insurance).
Being a luxury sedan, Suzuki has loaded the Kizashi with top-notch features, including full leather upholstery, four-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat and automatic air conditioner, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with three memory positions.
For the driver’s comfort, Push Start button, 8-speaker audio system with steering wheel audio control, Kizashi features paddle shifters, front/rear parking sensors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry, auto cruise, and auto-leveling HID headlights.
On the safety end, Traction Control System (TCS), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Kizashi is featured with six SRS airbags, Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Hill Assist Control. On the front, the seats are equipped with 3-point seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters.
For the Sports version, Kizashi features 18-inch alloy wheels, boot-lid spoiler, revised front grille, sporty front bumper, sport side-sill covers, fog-lamp bezels, door garnishes and sport steering wheel. Moreover, on the Kizashi Sports receives sports package suspension that stiffens the spring for better handling and reduces the ride height by 10mm.
Under the hood is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that churns out 178 hp at 6,500 rpm and 230 Nm at 4,000 rpm. Driving the power to the front wheels is a CVT with six ratio channel. The Suzuki Kizashi is claimed to have a dead to 100 kmph of 8.8 seconds, together with a top speed of 205 kmph.
Offering a wheelbase of 2700mm, the Kizashi is more of a C-Segment car. However, the Japanese automaker has positioned the car to compete against Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima and other D-Sement sedans. The production is expected to begin by end of the year at the DRB-Hicom’s Pekan plant. In India, the Kizashi did not perform so well against the German premium sedans and there is very little hope of the new version to come to shores.
