Suzuki is trying to revamp its image from being a small car company to a world leader in automobiles. It has launched Suzuki Kizashi in Japan few weeks back. It had earlier tested the waters by showcasing three variants at different international auto shows. Suzuki developed Kizashi with great rigor and passion using both modern computer aided engineering and design coupled with old fashioned road tests.

It has launched this mid-sized sedan to compete with models ranging from Ford Fusion to Toyota Camry. Suzuki calls the car as “near luxury” and intends to launch the car with a neat price.

Kizashi in Japanese spells to be “Something Great is Coming”. Kizashi’s exterior looks almost exactly like a cross between a Camry-esque midsized model and a Corolla-like subcompact. On the outside, the car features a distinctive mesh grille, 20-spoke alloy wheels, 18-inch sport tires and midsized doors outfitted with heated folding side mirrors. The new 2011 Kizashi is 100 per cent Suzuki and has been designed, engineered and built in Japan.

The new Suzuki Kizashi will come with Suzuki's intelligent all-wheel-drive system as standard equipment. It's a next-generation version of the system that has been proven in its current products and should be an attractive feature for the western markets, given the wide range of driving conditions.