Treading new waters

Say Maruti Suzuki and the first thing which comes to your mind is surely a hatchback. But all that is all set to change considering the manufacturer’s next launch, the Kizashi! Enthusiasts will remember seeing a Kizashi at the 2010 Auto Expo, but this is not the same car. Post Auto Expo a few more concepts were seen and the production version is based on the third version.

Getting back to the present, while the Kizashi is similar in size to the Laura, Civic and Corolla Altis, Maruti wants to target the Accord with it, especially because it has a similar 2.4-litre engine that produces about 18bhp more than even the 1.8 TSI of the Laura. The car is being touted as a sports sedan and its looks complement that. The large two-slat grille and sharp headlamps, gives the car a bold front. Thanks to a rather high roofline, ingress and egress is quite comfortable. The Kizashi has also been tweaked for India and has a higher ground clearance than its European counterpart and it gets 17-inch alloys.

Inside, the Kizashi is loaded to the brim. To begin with, the dash looks smart and there’s soft touch plastic all around. The instrument panel is a two-pod affair, backlit in white. The steering wheel meanwhile gets toggle buttons for audio, cruise control and trip computer. The Kizashi also gets climate control and an iPod and USB compatible audio system. The seats are large units and comfortable to be in. To add to the package the driver gets a ten-way adjustable electric seat with memory function.

We must mention here that the quality of materials inside and the finish on the Kizashi, which is a CBU, is much better than has been seen in other Maruti cars.

Start up the Kizashi and the 2.4-litre petrol motor purrs into life. Barely audible, it is a smooth operator. The clutch feels light and the six-speed manual slots in with minimal effort but feels positive. While we are yet to test the car, the Kizashi does accelerate rapidly when the right foot is buried into the carpet.

It's also great for cruising on highways. Indeed it can cruise at 140kph all day long without tiring the driver out. Moreover there is little noise creeping into the cabin to bother occupants, except when the engine is revved till the redline on the tacho.

The steering feels weighed and is quick, but at the same time feels a bit vague. The Kizashis’s suspension too has been retuned for India and as a result it has become softer. At slow speeds, bump absorption is top notch and very little is transferred into the cabin. However this has taken a bit of a toll on the handling capabilities of the car as it has acquired considerable body roll and gets twitchy when braked hard from a high speed. Not such a good vibe in a ‘Sports sedan.’

Auto option

We also drove the Kizashi with a CVT hooked to the same 2.4-litre petrol engine. Externally there's nothing to distinguish the auto version but look at the steering wheel and you will see the paddleshifters. These are cleverly placed and fall into hand easily and take little time to get used to. At normal speed the shifts are smooth and you will be hard pressed to tell that it is shifting. However cluck the gearshifter into the manual mode and the difference can be felt. It revs all the way to the redline and holds it there until you actually shift up. This gives it the feel of a proper manual. The engine, a free revving unit, complements this. However it is not so effective whilst downshifting as the CVT takes time to shift.

Verdict

The Kizashi is an impressive Suzuki to begin with. It’s got a super smooth engine, options of both manual transmission and a CVT and is loaded to the gills. It is also built well and looks sporty from the exterior. However one mustn’t forget the other options already available, all of which are very good machines. So can the Kizashi beat them? That will surely depend on how competitively Maruti can price its latest offering.

Maruti Suzuki Kizashi Specification and Pricing