Sneak Preview Of New Suzuki Kizashi

Sneak Preview Of New Suzuki Kizashi
Car At Hamilton Street Race Meeting

New Zealanders will get a sneak preview of the long-awaited Suzuki Kizashi saloon car at the ITM V8 Supercars street race meeting in Hamilton on
April 17 and 18.

The completely new medium size sedan which ushers in a fresh era for Suzuki is scheduled to go on sale here in May.

A black, pre production Kizashi - the first to arrive in New Zealand - is being used as a pace car for the three Suzuki Swift Sport races to be run over the testing Hamilton city street circuit.

Not only will a huge crowd be on hand to see the Kizashi in Hamilton, but the meeting and all three Swift one-make races are also being televised live.

Kizashi, which means “something good is coming”, has been launched in Japan and the United States, and is due to go on sale in Australia about the same time as in New Zealand.

“We are delighted to be able to preview this new landmark car for Suzuki to such a big audience at a major sporting occasion,” said Tom Peck, General Manager of Marketing for Suzuki New Zealand.

Built at Suzuki’s new factory at Sagara in Japan, the Kizashi is the largest-ever passenger car from the Suzuki Motor Corporation, and the brand’s first medium size competitor in New Zealand.

Kizashi carries most of the striking design elements of the much acclaimed Kizashi concept vehicle which was displayed at international motor shows in the USA and Europe.

The five-seater, three-box sedan is a rival to models like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord Euro and Mazda6, and has been labelled a driver’s car in North America.

“This is a halo vehicle for the maturing Suzuki line-up and will bring new types of customers into Suzuki dealerships,” said Tom Peck. “The car will broaden the appeal of the brand while also providing a step-up for existing Suzuki owners seeking a larger vehicle.”

Suzuki expects the Kizashi to play a pivotal role in the United States while also increasing the brand’s market share in Australia.

The Kizashi is powered by a 2.4-litre, double overhead camshaft, in-line four-cylinder engine and uses a continuously variable (CVT) automatic transmission. It will be well specified for the New Zealand market.

A petrol/electric hybrid version is under development and due for launching in the United States next year, while a diesel variant may be introduced later.

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