Suzuki Kizashi

Suzuki Kizashi

Average. An enjoyable drive, but a 2.4 litre petrol engine significantly narrows the appeal of this obscure Mondeo alternative.

Suzuki is better known for small four-wheel drives, baby hatchbacks and the occasional sportscar than it is family saloons and indeed, the Kizashi is the company's first attempt at a car in the same class as the Ford Mondeo.

The Kizashi is mainly intended for the US and Japan, which is why it's only available with a larger-than-average 2.4 litre petrol engine, although the car itself is more compact than most in this class. Suzuki says it was aiming at cars of the calibre of the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4 when it developed the Kizashi, placing emphasis both on the quality of its interior finish and its handling.

Being smaller than most in this class means cabin and boot space that's less generous than you'll find aboard a Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia, but it's adequate and front seat occupants certainly won't feel short-changed. They'll also enjoy an interior where the materials are mostly of a far higher standard than offered in any other Suzuki, much of the dash moulded to standards that are the equal of the best mainstream rivals in this class. That said, there are areas that are looking a bit cheap by today's standards, this car having been launched two years before its UK arrival.

It certainly doesn't drive like an old model, however. From the moment it moves off the Kizashi's slightly sporting bias is apparent, the ride firm if rarely uncomfortable. Flat-cornering is the result, and your enthusiasm for launching the Suzuki at bends will be heightened by steering that's accurate and reassuringly weighty, even it doesn't provide much feel.

The business of doing the launching is eased by an engine that delivers a solid 178bhp, though you must rev it to enjoy the best of the 170lbs ft of torque. The 2.4 litre engine sounds quite sporty, only turning buzzy at the end of the rev range.

The result is a car that feels well-rounded, subtly sporty, well-made and convenient too, even if the sat nav - the only option on the single model that Suzuki will offer here - is not immediately intelligible. The single model policy is Suzuki's acknowledgement that this car will have limited appeal here, the lack of a diesel and the 188g/km of CO2 effectively ruling it out for business users. Private buyers may find that it has just enough character - and the merit, for some, of being a rare sight - to justify opening the wallet, even if there are more rational buys out there.