New cars that have completely passed you by?

[cheadle hulme]

I like to think my motoring knowledge is pretty good. the geek in me likes to identify cars at night by their rear lights. I read the internets, I read Autocar when in Tesco. I'm generally clued up.

However, driving down the A55 today I noticed what looked like an R Design Volvo. Nice twin exhausts. Got a bit closer and its got wht looks like a Suzuki badge.

Turns out it was a Suzuki Kizashi. A cheap 2.4 petrol saloon the launch of which had completely passed me by. This is the second one this year, after the Great Wall Steed.

Any other PHers might like to point out?

[F1GTRUeno]

I remembered seeing the Kizashi concept and thinking it looked great, and then seeing the production car in photos but had completely forgotten about it.

Saw one today after going past a Suzuki garage. Quite a smart thing actually.

[JREwing]

Well, just about every car Suzuki has produced since the SJ, for a start.

[Papa Hotel]

Pretty much every new Passat or A4 since forever. Each one extraordinarily similar to the one before and never released with any fanfare.

[dtrump]

I'd assume that because Suzuki are not well known for this type of car, that if they built one they would have a fairly big marketing team planning magazine group tests and adverts etc

I like to think I know about most if not all new cars, but until you mentioned it I had no idea the 'Kizashi' existed

Cool name for a car by the way

[traffman]

The new Nissan Leaf , Micra Tida and nearly all Toyotas bar the gt86.

[Funk]

This surprised me. Normally pretty 'in-the-know' about new supercar launches but this passed me by completely that it was coming.

[okie592]

this thing, saw a 12 plate one in cardiff, thought it was a hyandi, nope turns out its a infiniti m56

[EDLT]

It comes with 4WD too, no diesel option though. But then who buys diesel saloons?

[Fox-]

I am amazed that Suzuki have decided that what the UK needs is a 4 door saloon with 4wd that does only 34mpg combined but takes 9 seconds to get to 60. Oh and a CVT gearbox too!

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased it isnt another diesel but.. who is going to buy this and why?

[sjabrown]

The Suzuki Kizashi is an interesting looking beast. I've only seen one on the roads, overtaking slow traffic at a fair old rate! Looks to be a potential bargain second hand in a couple of years.

[dtrump]

I looks like the kind of obscure body base perfect for next years pikes peak beast mobile

[Mastodon2]

Funk said:

This surprised me. Normally pretty 'in-the-know' about new supercar launches but this passed me by completely that it was coming.

That one totally passed me by too - unfortunately I was not in the least bit annoyed because it's absolutely hideous.

[JREwing]

Papa Hotel said:

Pretty much every new Passat or A4 since forever. Each one extraordinarily similar to the one before and never released with any fanfare.

Pretty much any time a new Audi or VW saloon is launched, I have no idea. The only time I remember was when the good-looking A6 was replaced with the boring one. That's the most descriptive I can be - it's difficult to understand how anyone could care or be impacted.

Funk said:

This surprised me. Normally pretty 'in-the-know' about new supercar launches but this passed me by completely that it was coming.

What is that!?

okie592 said:

this thing, saw a 12 plate one in cardiff, thought it was a hyandi, nope turns out its a infiniti m56

Someone in my building has one of those, but he's Czech and it's Czech-registered. Has any British person actually BOUGHT one!?

[DukeDickson]

JREwing said:

okie592 said:

this thing, saw a 12 plate one in cardiff, thought it was a hyandi, nope turns out its a infiniti m56

Someone in my building has one of those, but he's Czech and it's Czech-registered. Has any British person actually BOUGHT one!?

There can't be many. Looking at the used ones for sale, they all look remarkably 'ex-demo'.
Residuals don't look that bright either.

[ConorE]

I don't know, they've passed by me

[V88Dicky]

sjabrown said:

The Suzuki Kizashi is an interesting looking beast. I've only seen one on the roads, overtaking slow traffic at a fair old rate! Looks to be a potential bargain second hand in a couple of years.

This is what I thought. Looks like it's Toyota's 2.4vvt-i engine from the Avensis, and 4WD too. Perfect for winters in Northern England, and 34mpg combined is not too shabby, mid 40s on the long runs then. Full leather and tons of goodies, 6 month old ones are already down to £16000 on AT.
Couple more years and it'd be a great private buy.

[V8Triumph]

Pretty much every new car since about 2008. I'm no longer remotely interested in ANYTHING made after about 1980 anymore.

[Funk]

JREwing said:

Funk said:

This surprised me. Normally pretty 'in-the-know' about new supercar launches but this passed me by completely that it was coming.

What is that!?

New Ferrari F12 (replacement for the 612 Scaglietti I think - I don't know, I've lost touch/interest clearly).

[russy01]

Anything made by the French or ford.

I can identify pretty much any car on the road from a fair distance, like the op I read the interwebnet, read books and just watch cars go by. But I must fall asleep or automatically flick pages when a French or ford motor crops up.

I don't think I could tell you the difference between a ford picasso or a citroen s-max. Its all boring tosh that doesn't deserve a place in my mind.

Plus I seen the most weird car the other day, some chap had put a 207 grille and badge on his old TT. Looked st.