The Kizashi does have its shortcomings, one of which is backseat roominess: As mentioned in the 2010 review, legroom in particular is a couple of inches below the norm. It also has a couple of quirks that showed up both in our 2010 and 2011 test cars, one of which I'm ready to call a defect: In both cars, the windshield washers froze and clogged when it wasn't particularly cold outside — right around freezing or just below. Also, I didn't mention it last time, but the 2011 reminded me how susceptible the Kizashi is to outside odors. I know it's a weird issue, but diesel fumes and even stuff like cigarette smoke from nearby cars readily found their way into the ventilation system. Perhaps this means there's a greater than normal supply of fresh air, which could be good, but sometimes the air isn't very fresh. With me, the Kizashi's recirculation button gets a workout.
Overview
Built at Nissan's manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tenn., the Suzuki Equator
features a fuel efficient 2.5-liter DOHC inline four with 152 horsepower and 171
lb.-ft. of torque or an optional 4.0- ...
Basic Power
This year's four-cylinder engine gains some guts — it makes 150 horsepower,
up from last year's 143 — and it works through either a stick shift or a new
continuously variable automatic transmi ...
Luggage Compartment Light (SX4)
Luggage Compartment Light (SX4)
When you open the tailgate with the luggage
compartment light switch in the “ON”
position (1), the light comes on and
remains on as long as you keep the tailg ...