Spy shots for the Suzuki Kizashi mid-size car are starting to show up around the web as the vehicle approaches production readiness.  Head over to AutoBlog for the latest photos HERE.

It's not nearly as radical as the Kizashi Concept that's been discussed here at the Suzukiphile blog -- in fact it looks more like a modern Esteem than a bold new vehicle -- but from what can be seen in the spy photos it seems like an attractive replacement for the Suzuki Forenza which has left a big hole in Suzuki USA's sales.

I look forward to seeing the final vehicle, especially in wagon or 5-door form.  Competing with Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mistubishi with just another typical mid-size Japanese sedan would be tough, so I'm hoping Suzuki brings something new to its Kizashi.

Recently it was announced that Suzuki would stop making one of the most modern-looking vehicles in its lineup.  But I'm not shedding any tears here.

American Suzuki has long pushed the image of rugged 4WD vehicles in the US Market.  But they went from small, inexpensively rugged rides like the Samurai, Sidekick and Vitara, and during the "credit boom" of the late 90's and early 2000's management decided that American Suzuki needed to jump onto the SUV gravy train with larger SUVs more like those being made by GM, Ford, Chrylser and Toyota.  Everyone wanted a piece of the SUV Profits Pie, and Suzuki began it's push away from cars like the Swift (also known as the Geo/Chevrolet Metro) and towards ever bigger SUVs.

First came the Grand Vitara-based XL7, which was a stretched platform version of what was already a beefier SUV than Suzuki had offered in years past.  Then came the inevitable move towards making the SUVs less off-road worthy with smoother car-like rides.  This gave birth to the joint venture Suzuki XL7 shared loosely with the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent -- a larger, softer riding faux-by-four that was more like a massive jacked up station wagon than the Jeep Wrangler-like Suzuki SUVs of years past.  But everyone was doing it.  Chevrolet's Trailblazer was a much larger, much "softer" ride than an old 2-door S-10 Blazer, and even Jeep (while maintaining the Wrangler) was offering vehicles like the Compass, Liberty and Patriot.

Somewhere along the way American Suzuki became a very different entity from Suzuki of Japan.  No quirky Kei cars here, not even the modern version of the more rally car-like Swift.  No hope for Suzuki Carry trucks or microvans here in the U.S.  Just larger, beefier, softer-rolling SUVs with fatter profit margins.

American Suzuki began to lose its reason for being.  And with a market share in the U.S. of about 1-2%, Suzuki could not afford to be another also-ran brand of gas-guzzling SUVs. 

The slow selling XL7 may have been axed for logical reasons revolving around gas prices and a general move away from gas guzzlers, but Suzuki just recently introduced the Equator pickup that is also not selling very well.

When will Suzuki return to its Swift-style "roots" and give us cars that more closely resemble the best-selling cars from the Japan market?

This Suzuki fan hopes that the death of the XL7 will mean a much needed minicar introduction.  It's not like Suzuki does not have PLENTY of vehicles it could enhance to meet U.S. crash test safety standards.

And if Suzuki in Japan cares about the U.S. market, maybe they'll start designing some of their cars to be saleable in the U.S. like the Nissan Cube.

Because while on Nissan lots the Cube is an oddity, on Suzuki lots a car like the WagonR would fit the image of Suzuki that the American arm has tried so desparately to change...resulting in a resounding failure.

It's time for Suzuki to embrace its small-car roots and find a way to bring a small car to the U.S. market.  There's a reason Suzuki is king of the small car makers in Japan with top-selling Kei cars.  If they can emulate that success here, it could be a game changer.

But first they need to admit that they were wrong to go "super size", and even to ignore fuel economy to a degree with a car like the SX4 that is more about performance and 4WD -- and I hope that discontinuing the XL7 is the first true sign of a coming change. 

Suzuki is testing diesel SX4's in Canada and allowing Canadian journalists to try them out. 

Could this mean a diesel SX4 hatch for the U.S. market as well?

From  www.canadaeast.com

by Justin Pritchard

Pacenews / Times & Transcript

Suzuki, a Japanese manufacturer of adventuresome vehicles, has a
special diesel-powered variant of their popular SX4 hatchback. A few of
the diesel-powered SX4 models are on Canadian roads, imported by the
automaker to solicit feedback from Canadian automotive media. The
unique model isn't for sale in North America yet, though it has been
considered.

Turn the key and bring the SX4 DDiS's 1.6 litre
turbodiesel engine to life, and there's little sign of anything
different going on. In fact, diesel noises are barely apparent-- albeit
during high-load, low RPM situations like coming quickly out of a
traffic light. The sound is unmistakable- though it's easily lost with
the windows up or the stereo playing.

Under further load at higher revs, the sound is slightly different than a typical gas
engine-- though noise levels and smoothness are in the same ball park.

Notable is the engine's performance. The engine makes over 158 lb.-ft of
torque, which is adequate to haul it up steep hills or past a slower
vehicle without downshifting. Torque output is delivered in a thick
slab between about 1,500 and 4,000 RPM, and it's all sent up front by a
five-speed manual.

Suzuki says their SX4 DDiS will net an average
5.3L / 100km in the consumption department, thus giving potential
owners the miserly efficiency of a diesel engine combined with the
sporty handling and steering of the SX4. These attributes combine with
the SX4's flexible, funky and surprisingly roomy interior.

SOURCE

These publications are now available on the web at www.genuinesuzukimanuals.com.

SOURCE / DETAILS

I hope this is not a sign that American Suzuki is getting desparate to offload their inventory...

American Suzuki Motor Corp. deceived consumers with an ad campaign
promising no or low monthly payments “for life,” Missouri Attorney
General Chris Koster charged Friday.

In a lawsuit filed in Clay County Circuit Court, Koster alleged that the company encouraged Legend
Suzuki in North Kansas City to air the ads. The lawsuit charged that
the ads failed to disclose that the too-good-to-be-true offer covered
only 10 months to a year and that consumers would have to requalify for
new financing arrangements at the end of the period.

“It is outrageous for a company to air advertisements that so purposefully
tricked consumers,” Koster said in a news release. “Suzuki Motors knew
the ads were deceptive. Suzuki knew they were making promises they had
no intention of keeping.”

A Suzuki spokesman did not return a call seeking comment.

The lawsuit comes atop similar actions brought last year by the then
Missouri attorney general, Jay Nixon, and Kansas Attorney General Steve
Six against Chad Franklin’s Suzuki dealerships in North Kansas City and
Kansas City, Kan. About 650 consumers responded to the dealerships’
promotional campaigns promising no payments for life or monthly
payments of $29 to $49 for a new Suzuki.

Both attorneys general contended that the low rates escalated to payments of as much as $700 a month after 10 months.

SOURCE / FULL Article