VIDEO: Suzuki Pits Kizashi Against Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Volvo S40 in New Ads

Even though Suzuki had high hopes for the new Kizashi, sales of the sedan model haven't exactly blown the socks out of anyone this year. In fact, in the U.S., Suzuki has only managed to deliver a mere 5,269 units of the four-door saloon through November. Do the math and that comes to under 500 cars a month.

But the Japanese automaker isn't about to throw in the towel, not just yet. Marking one of its largest advertising campaigns in years, Suzuki has launched an ambition set of edgy ads pitting the Kizashi against similar sized models in the luxury segment such as the Mercedes-Benz C350, Audi A4 and the Volvo S40.

In each case, the Kizashi is shown in a side-by-side test with one of the aforementioned models plus an outsider, and by that we mean a motorized sofa, a man covered in a bubble-wrap suit and a stretch limousine. Well, you can't blame Suzuki for not having a sense of humor. Scroll down to watch all three ads in the videos below.

Source: Suzuki & Autonews

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http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/12/video-suzuki-pits-kizashi-against_23.html

Report: Suzuki's US Sales Nosediving into Oblivion

Remember yesterday when we said Suzuki got smacked by an average 68% sales drop compared to last August (and -52% from the beginning of the year) in the US? Well, we decided to take a deeper look at the company's sales figures and discovered some interesting facts.

All in all, Suzuki sold a mere 1,878 cars and SUVs in August, down from 5,751 units the same month a year ago. The Japanese automaker says it has around 300 dealers in the U.S. If you do the math, that comes to a little over 6 vehicles sold per dealer in August... Here are some more details on the company's sales broken down model by model:

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Suzuki's "best"-selling models, the Grand Vitara and Equator, took a 73% sales dive. Not far off that, the SX4's sales fell by 75% while the XL7 and and Forenza/Reno took 99% and 100% drops (granted, the Forenza/Reno was discontinued and only moved a laughable 12 units in 2010).

The all-new and much promising Kizashi, which hasn't officially dropped in sales because it wasn't available last August, has barely managed to bring in 478 buyers in August. For all the other scary Suzuki sales figures, scroll on down.

Looking at these depressing stats, it's no wonder they're holding off on debuting the Swift here.

By Phil Alex

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/09/report-suzuki-us-sales-nosediving-into.html

New Suzuki Swift and Kizashi Sport to make European debut at Paris Motor Show

Suzuki today announced it is brining the not-so-new looking but mostly-new underneath, 2011 Swift supermini and the sport grade of the Kizashi sedan to Paris for their European premieres.

Scheduled to go on sale throughout Europe this autumn, Suzuki's lighter, longer and roomier new Swift will be offered at launch with a new 94-horsepower 1.2-liter petrol and an upgraded 75-horsepower 1.3-liter turbo diesel.

Already launched in the States (read more here), the Kizashi Sport grade tries to justify its moniker with a lower ride height and newly styled 18-inch alloys plus some discreet aero parts such as the side skirts and interior trim upgrades.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-suzuki-swift-and-kizashi-sport-to.html

More than 5,000 Suzuki Kizashi Sedans Recalled Over Glove Box Glitch

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Suzuki's U.S. division is recalling a total of 5,701 Kizashi sedans manufactured from October 13, 2009 through May 31, 2010. The reason? The safety agency said that the center-lower glove box on the dashboard may open during a crash and possibly cause injury if it comes in contact with the front passengers.

Suzuki said that it will replace the part on the affected cars free of charge. The company plans to notify owners with the safety recall expected to begin in mid-July. For more information, Kizashi owners can contact Suzuki directly at 1-714-996-7040.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/06/more-than-5000-suzuki-kizashi-sedans.html

Suzuki Kizashi Sedan Heading to Germany this Fall

Already on sale in Japan and the USA, the new Suzuki Kizashi saloon has now been confirmed for sale in Germany. The completely new medium size sedan which ushers in a fresh era for Suzuki is scheduled to arrive at dealerships across the country in October this year.

In Germany, the five-seater, four-door saloon will be a challenger to models like the Volkswagen Passat, Opel Insignia, Citroen C5, Seat Exeo (previous Audi A4) and the Toyota Avensis.

Unlike its chief rivals, the 4.65-meter-long Suzuki Kizashi won't be offered with a diesel option as the only available powertrain during launch will be a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 178HP and 230Nm of peak torque, and matted to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a CVT.

However, a petrol/electric hybrid version is planned to be introduced next year, while a diesel variant (quite possibly with the help of Suzuki's new partner, the VW Group) may be introduced later.

German pricing for the Kizashi is to be announced closer to car's launch date.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/04/suzuki-kizashi-sedan-heading-to-germany.html

2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport Unveiled Ahead of New York Show

Suzuki is adding a pinch of sportiness to its Kizashi mid-size sedan for the 2011 model year. If you're expecting a more powerful engine than the standard 178HP 2.4-liter four-cylinder that's offered across the range, then you'll be disappointed as the 'Sport' grade is mostly about looks.

Offered exclusively on the Kizashi GTS and SLS trim levels, Suzuki's definition of 'Sport' (talk about a word losing its meaning...) translates to custom light weight 18-inch alloy wheels and a 10mm lower ride plus a honeycomb lower grille, chrome accents on the front bumper and doors, discreet side skirts and a boot lid spoiler.

Inside, the Kizasi Sport gets aluminum accents and perforated leather on the steering wheel and, when equipped with black leather interior, contrasting stitching on the leather seats, shifter boot and emergency brake boot.

The new Kizashi Sport is scheduled to go on sale in the United States this August, with pricing to be announced closer to the vehicle's arrival in showrooms.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/03/2011-suzuki-kizashi-sport-unveiled.html