The all-new Suzuki Kizashi won’t be arriving at the firm’s US dealerships before early December, but the Japanese automaker has already prepared four specially tricked-out versions of its mid-size sedan that will be displayed at the SEMA Show in Sin City next week. The list of tuners includes names such as Road Race Motorsport, Delta Tech, Westside Auto and even Import Tuner magazine (though the later has yet to release any photos). As far as appearance goes, we’ll give our vote to Road Race Motorsport’s kitted out Platinum Edition Kizashi. You can check out all the modded Kizashi sedans after the break.

Road Race Motorsport’s Platinum Edition Kizashi

As one of the first custom builders to recognize the potential of Suzuki’s vehicles, the presence of Road Race at SEMA comes as no surprise. Given the Kizashi platform’s promise – and the fluid, almost organic sheet metal clothing it – Road Race supplies its own very unique take on Kizashi.

SEMA visitors can enjoy Road Race’s Sport Body kit exterior which employs Carbontrix custom bumpers, rear spats and diffuser. Road Race has crafted a custom grill, vented hood and made the Kizashi its own ‘Platinum Edition’ graphics and a blackened roof. These visual modifications are supported by a platform perfectly suited to Las Vegas Motor Speedway or a high-speed drive on I-15 (what happens in Vegas doesn’t have to stay in Vegas…).

Progress Technology provided the sport springs and front and rear sway bars. Road Race installed its own chassis stiffeners, and Rotora brings the custom Kizashi to a stop with 330mm slotted rotors up front, supplemented by Road Race’s own 260mm slotted rotors in the rear.

Under the vented hood, the sweetness continues with a proprietary custom intake system, Zeitronix ZT-2 data logging system and Road Race engine management. The modifications are concealed – until ignition – by a painted-to-match engine cover, and announced by Road Race’s own ‘Integrated Sport’ dual exhaust system. The Road Race Kizashi can be seen at the Zeitronix Booth #21212.

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Suzuki exhibited its latest ‘green’ concept studies for the future including a Swift with Plug-in Hybrid and an SX4 Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV). The hybrid version of the Swift is a supermini aimed at city dwellers that travel around 20 km (about 13 miles) a day and has been designed to be driven primarily on electric power.

It is equipped with 600cc engine that is used to charge a lithium-ion battery that powers an electric motor if capacity level drops. The batter can also be charged through any domestic plug socket.

Suzuki did not release any performance or fuel economy figures nor did it say if it intends to produce the Swift Plug-in Hybrid in the future.

The other ‘green’ study on display at Suzuki’s Tokyo Motor Show booth is the is the SX4 FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) which combines a General Motors-sourced high performance fuel cell with a Suzuki developed high pressure hydrogen tank and a compact capacitor that is used to recover energy during braking and using it to reduce fuel cell loading under acceleration.

The SX4 FCV is currently under test on public roads in Japan as Suzuki plans to to commercialize the car in the near future.

As we’re getting closer to the launch date of Suzuki’s new flagship sedan, the company decided to release technical specs and preliminary pricing on the Kizashi that will start under $20,000 when it goes on sale across the U.S. this December. Instead of positioning the Kizashi against mainstream offerings like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, Suzuki said that it aims to capture the attention of those buyers that would like to own but cannot afford more driver-orientated and sportier looking mid-size sedans such as the Acura TSX, VW Passat CC and BMW 3-Series.

Built at Suzuki’s brand-new manufacturing facility in Sagara, Japan, the 2010 Kizashi will offer buyers only one engine option at launch, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 185 HP at 6,500 rpm and 170 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm with the six-speed manual transmission. When mated to the CVT, the 2.4 liter unit produces 178 HP at 6,000 rpm.

When coupled to a manual transmission, the front-wheel drive Kizashi sprints from standstill to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 7.5 seconds.

The sedan also offers buyers the option of all-wheel drive, which can be deactivated with a switch. Depending on the transmission and drive configuration, the Kizashi 2.4L can return a fuel economy of up to 23mpg in city driving and 31mpg on the highway.

A more powerful V6 petrol engine as well as a hybrid version are expected to join the Kizashi’s lineup within the next two years.

The current range will consist of four trim levels (S, SE, GTS and SLS) with prices starting from below $20,000 for the entry-level S model and topping at around $24,000 for the SLS complete with all-wheel drive.

The Kizashi’s base level ‘S’ comes with standard push button start, sport front seats, steering wheel audio controls, automatic dual-zone climate control with passenger rear vents, stability control, 8 airbags and integrated-chromed dual exhaust tips.

The SE adds a standard CVT transmission, 215/55-17 tires mounted on alloy wheels, a 10-way power driver seat with 3-position memory, cruise control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift lever and parking brake lever.

Those that opt for the better equipped GTS have the choice of 6-speed manual or CVT transmissions with paddle shifters, while standard equipment includes 235/45-18 tires on alloy wheels, one-touch moonroof, fog lights, a 425 watt Rockford Fosgate audio system and integrated Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming.

Finally, the top-spec SLS adds leather appointments to the interior, three-stage heated front seats, a four-way power passenger seat, “Home Link” universal garage door opener, windshield wiper rain sensor and rear parking sensors.

“They make cars?” used to be the common response when asking people about Suzuki’s automobile offerings. That’s about to change, though, because the runt of the Japanese litter has decided to go head to head against the first-stringers. With its Kizashi mid-size sedan, Suzuki thinks it knows what mid-size car buyers want, but the big question is: how can this stubby mid-sizer hope to compete?

For the time being Suzuki is playing it smart and starting out simple, offering a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with either a 6-speed stick or a CVT. The controllable all-wheel drive system is a nice option in the segment, and with a V6 and hybrid rumored to be in the works, this mid-size saloon should be more than ready to take on the world (putting a few more nails into the Mitsubishi Galant’s coffin…).

In the cockpit is where the Kizashi scores some serious points. Compared to its contemporaries, it’s easy to tell time was invested in designing it for driver/passenger comfort, ease of use, and a sport-luxury ambiance – apparently I’ll hold off quality opinions until I feel the polymers with my own bare hands.

The Kizashi’s center stack doesn’t choke you with switches, but it doesn’t bore you to death, either (take a look at those metallic fangs).

For comparison, the Toyota Camry’s dash is to the point, but oh so boring. There’s nothing there that stands out. Add to that the top-heavy, anorexic-Dolly Parton gated shifter and you have an interior that’s as charismatic as a corpse. In fact, I feel like I’m aging just looking at it.

The Honda Accord’s dash layout is a step up from the Camry, but not by much. At least Honda’s “robot designers” threw in some bisecting lines, making it more stylish than the Camry but drowning drivers in buttons and knobs.

Also, to let everyone know that the Kizashi isn’t messing around in the entertainment department, there’s an available Rockford Fosgate sound system to go up against Toyota’s optional JBL stereo setup and Honda’s “premium” one.

From the outside, the Kizashi is possibly the most youthful in the segment. I like its tough, chunky form and stubby up-ticked rear, but that doesn’t blind me to the fact that it’s lines are far from original.

Easily identifiable on the production model is a blend of the Kizashi concepts’ facial features with those of VW’s Jetta (the proportions seem much better than the Jetta, though). Now follow the sculpted line along either side of the hood, up the A-pillar, over the flared fenders and back towards the trunk. While admiring the rear three-quarter view you’ll see hints of Toyota’s Mark X sedan.

Below the rear bumper, you’ll either like those geometric tailpipe surrounds or you won’t. They’re not the best part of the car, but at least the exhaust pipes can be seen inside them (unlike the superfluous faux exhaust tips found on the . . . ahem . . . nigh-$60,000 Lexus IS-F). Up above, I would have liked that third brake light mounted flush in the trunk lid, but that’s a minor deal that shouldn’t deter anyone from taking a look at this car.

More and more it seems like Suzuki has a potential winner on its hands, one that could draw plenty of people out of the competition’s showrooms. The runt has put out a cute and butch car that, if there isn’t a whole lot of brand loyalty in one’s diet, may get some serious attention over the next few years. Now if only they would release the rest of the specs. After all, those mid-size sedan buyers are a finicky lot.

By Phil Alex

If anything else, you must admit that the folks over at DAMD have a vivid imagination when it comes to styling up small city cars like the Suzuki Wagon R. The aftermarket tuning house treats the Japanese mini -literally- van Wagon R with a new bodykit that comprises of a gaudy grille matched to a new front bumper that comes with an integrated lip spoiler and aluminium accents, side skirts, roof spoiler and a new rear bumper with an aluminium center piece that houses the new dual exhaust tips.

The vehicle’s exterior appearance is rounded off by a set of Crimson alloy wheels in a black finish with orange colored rims that are wrapped in 165/40R 17 tires.

Other available options include a sport suspension that lowers the Wagon R’s ride height, specific floor mats and black leather seats with contrasting orange stitching.