Los Angeles Auto Show debut pegged for new Kizashi sedan

Posted Mon Apr 13 2009 4:19 AM by Jeremy Weber

Last year’s Kizashi 3 is the closest of Suzuki’s trio of Kizashi concepts to the upcoming production version

In January reports emerged that the global financial downturn was forcing Suzuki to postpone its plans to launch its new Kizashi sedan, as well as to delay construction on new overseas factories in Thailand and Russia. Suzuki officially denied the claims, stating that the company was still planning on unveiling the car at this year's New York Auto Show.

Those plans ultimately changed as the car missed out on last week’s New York event but the actual launch will still go ahead as scheduled this November. Automotive News reports that the production version of the Kizashi Concept (no name has been announced yet) will make its debut at November’s Los Angeles Auto Show and this about the same time it will be appear in dealerships across the country.

The Kizashi is expected to be manufactured in a brand new plant in Japan. Development of the car is already well underway, with prototypes spotted testing in the U.S. and Germany wearing very light camouflage.

Suzuki previously described the Kizashi as being a sporty sedan designed to compete with other mid-sized cars such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The car, when it is eventually built, will sit on a 4,650mm platform that is 165mm shorter than a Camry, but its wheelbase will be longer to accommodate more interior space.

The engine lineup will supposedly include two petrol engines displacing 2.3L and 3.6L respectively, as well as a 2.0L turbodiesel unit for European markets. FWD is expected to be standard although an AWD option will be available for some models as well as a paddle-shift six-speed automatic.

Gallery: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi spy shots

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Gallery: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi patent designs

Gallery: Suzuki Kizashi 3 Concept

Reader Comments

Tue Jan 6 2009 5:25 PM
NoNameDenton says

Is this actually good news? Lets face it, the midsize sedan market is very crowded, maybe if they came with a turbo 4 cylinder diesel with 40+ mpg..........
Tue Jan 6 2009 5:26 PM
NoNameDenton says

I know it is mentioned, but lets face it, Americans get screwed out of fuel efficient diesels.
Tue Jan 6 2009 7:48 PM
HECTOR says

*Suzuki: Kizashi sedan not delayed, on schedule for New York debut*

News flash Suzuki: no one would have noticed anyway.
Sun Apr 5 2009 11:01 PM
Rice1 says

Yeah, what HECTOR said... What place did it finish in terms of reliability according to consumer reports? one of, if not, the last place
Mon Apr 6 2009 3:39 AM
Chris says

stunning concept, boring production model. that is plain to see from the spy pictures. very dumbed down translation.

launch in this december or next december.. no one will buy it.

its a japanese malibu.
Mon Apr 6 2009 10:17 AM
mitzo says

I guess they have to take a run at selling something bigger and not a rebadged Daewoo, which their N. American lineup consists of now, and which is likely the cause of their grim reliability and quality ratings in the past few years. Would be nice if they made their Japanese-built Swifts and other small ones available worldwide... instead in N. America we get rebadged Daewoos and a rebadged Nissan pickup truck, for god's sake.
Mon Apr 6 2009 9:05 PM
NoNameDenton says

And the mid size sedan market is about to become even more crowded then it already is

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