Motoring review: Suzuki Kizashi saloon

Deliveries of the mid-size Kizashi saloon begin this month and supply may be restricted to 500 a year. It is a 4/5-seater with some punchy body styling, fully tricked out with a sunroof, big alloys, a 2.4 petrol engine with CVT automatic gears, a full set of airbags, climate control, power front seats with heaters, stability control, leather upholstery and selectable front/rear-wheel drive.

This is Suzuki’s first medium-sized saloon: at 183in long it is a size match for a VW Jetta or Audi A4. It went on sale in North America two years ago, where you can get one for around $19,000 (£12,000). In Britain the fully specced Kizashi Sport, with lowered suspension, is expected to cost less than £23,000. The only extra will be a dealer-fitted integrated navigation system (mooted at £1,000). Other normal extra-cost items, such as metallic paint, are standard – a choice from black, white, grey and silver, but its hot styling suits racer red.

The all-in pricing may win a few buyers rattled by the price of, say, an Audi Quattro, where a similar specification and cost of additional kit would cost an extra £10,000. Kizashi is a genuine “Made in Japan” quality product. The doors have a solid, precision closure. The interior feels well built and the instruments are cleanly styled and are accompanied by a restrained, smart set of switches down the central binnacle. There is a commodious “gloves” box with a lock. Other storage areas include a two-tier box between the seats. The back seats can fold flat to extend the boot, which unlocks and lifts open remotely from the key.

The driving is no letdown. The 175bhp four-cylinder engine has balancer shafts for smooth running, and is developed from the engine in the Grand Vitara. It pulls well and will handle deftly at speed. The top speed is 127mph, and 0-62mph is a brisk 8.8 seconds. The 4x4 system is fully automatic, selected by a switch. When cruising, it runs virtually in front-wheel drive, so there is little fuel penalty in those conditions.

The white-winter advantage of a 4x4 is obvious, and may be enough to shift the majority of the stock (Suzuki and other dealers have noted a sales splurge lately for second-hand budget 4x4s such as the Jimny).

Suzuki quotes a tax-rich 191g/km of CO2, which means £245 a year road tax and high benefit in kind payments as a company car.

The official fuel consumption average is 34mpg, but on test north of Glasgow on moderately level terrain around Loch Lomond the car computer showed 27mpg on separate routes in different cars.

Kizashi, by the by, means a precursor of good things to come. Like snow? «

Verdict: Few rivals have 4x4 traction and this car would be ideal for someone anxious to be mobile in winter weather and not too concerned about fuel economy or pollution.