Suzuki Kizashi slices air in superb comfort

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

In addition to fuel, one needs to also top up on roadway in order to really test the Kizashi, Suzuki's latest offering, since it's a vehicle that demands to be driven. Like a thoroughbred, Automotives found it chomping at the bit during a recent test drive and was surprised to find that only 185 horses were at the heart of its 2.4 litre, four-cylinder power plant mated to the six-speed transmission.

Available on the Australian, North American and European market for the past three years, this luxury sedan, which is available in executive and sports models, was introduced to the Caribbean only this year. Of course, the sports model was the one Chris Callen, sales and marketing manager, opted to share with Automotives and something was clear even before he pointed it out: the concept and development process was ahead of any design effort Suzuki had hitherto brought to the table.

The mitigating impact of the electronic suspension programme (ESP) was clear as we traversed the Jamaican roadways, prompting a question from me, and this response from Callen: "It's a sports suspension but gives you a luxury ride, smooth, very soft," he said.

computer-automated suspension

Callen, sitting in the back seat, could not see my puzzled expression, but somehow recognised that this answer begged further explanation. He obliged: "Some sports suspension tend to be a little tough because of the rigidity and the fact that with sports suspension, for better road handling, you need a much stiffer suspension. However, with the ESP, the computer automatically adjusts the suspension to whatever road conditions you are driving on."

Given Kizashi's propensity to gallop without much urging, Automotives was heartened to hear that its brake was built by Akebeno Engineering, the firm which designed the brake system for the Japanese bullet train.

The Japanese word 'kizashi' means blade, Callen said, and the design came out of a competition within Suzuki's corporate group centred on a vehicle that would embody of the fluidity, form and flow of a blade slicing through the air.

This explained the very low drag co-efficient, which will entice drivers to take this one out on the highway - and, of course, experiment with the standard transmission mode.

After driving the Kizashi, Automotives gave more credibility to Callen's claim that in the areas of dexterity, stopping power, acceleration and overall handling the Suzuki had, in fact, outperformed some of world's top car brands in tests conducted by independent surveyors.

So, if you are really serious about having fun while driving, go for a test drive and, like Automotives, you could just find yourself shouting, "Give me road, I need more road!"