Auto News 5

The Suzuki Kizashi, a smallish mid-size sedan from an automaker most Americans are barely aware of, is the very definition of an underdog. We nearly laughed out loud a year and a half ago when Suzuki reps spoke of the Kizashi as an Automobile of the Year contender. It turns out Suzuki had the last laugh. The Kizashi, although it did not earn an award at our annual All-Stars test, was easily the biggest surprise of the group for its impressive refinement and stunningly good driving dynamics. "The Kizashi was by far the best-handling front-wheel-drive car in the test, excepting the Volkswagen GTI," proclaimed West Coast editor Jason Cammisa. We were intrigued enough that we decided to spend an entire year with a Kizashi to see if it really has what it takes to compete day in and day out with the big dogs in its segment.