Used Suzuki Kizashi Buying Guide: 2010-13 AWD Sedan Checkpoints

The used Suzuki Kizashi is a 2010-13 midsize sedan with a 2.4-liter four, front- or all-wheel drive, and either a six-speed manual or a CVT. Consumer Guide liked available AWD and ride comfort, then dinged acceleration, engine noise and rearward visibility. Suzuki left the U.S. car market after 2013, so you buy on independent shops and aftermarket parts, not a Suzuki sedan dealer down the street.

Sources were Consumer Guide's 2010-13 Suzuki Kizashi review, Car and Driver's Suzuki exits U.S. market report, and NHTSA recall queries run Nov. 5, 2026. CG's good-condition price band sat about $4,200 to $16,500 when I pulled the page. Treat that band as a Nov. 5, 2026 snapshot, not a live appraisal.

What the Kizashi was

Suzuki pitched the Kizashi as a sport-leaning midsize sedan with sharper styling than the old Verona. The 2.4-liter four made about 185 horsepower with the manual and about 180 with the CVT, per CG. AWD was the differentiator versus many front-drive midsize rivals. Cabin materials aimed higher than Suzuki's earlier U.S. sedans, though CG still listed engine noise as a con.

Production for the U.S. ended when Suzuki stopped selling cars here. Warranty desks closed years ago, and recall completion depends on VIN lookups plus shops willing to order campaign parts. Sport and SE trims show up most often in private ads; low-mileage AWD manuals draw enthusiast money.

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Field guides, red flags, and the occasional discount.

What to inspect

CVT cars need a careful road test for flare, shudder and delayed engagement when warm. Manual cars need a clutch that still takes up smoothly on a hill. Listen for top-end tick on cold start and watch for oil consumption between changes. CG's trouble notes include check-engine issues tied to transmission programming on some early cars, so a full scan matters before you negotiate.

Check AWD engagement if equipped, and look under the car for transfer-case seepage. Rear visibility is a CG con, so set mirrors carefully on the test drive. Rust on salt-belt cars shows at rocker panels and rear wheel arches first. Southern cars more often show cracked dash pads and faded headlights.

Look, a Kizashi with a thick binder of dealer and indie stamps is a different buy than a one-owner story with zero receipts. Price them that way.

Recalls and VIN checks

A 2011 Kizashi returned multiple NHTSA campaigns when queried Nov. 5, 2026, including 19V187000, 18V769000, 19V343000, 14V464000 and 14V811000. Clear those by VIN, not by model year alone. Our Suzuki recall check by VIN and Suzuki VIN decoder cover the badge-vs-build check. Related reading: the used Suzuki SX4 buying guide and open recalls on CARFAX.

Before you buy

Run the VIN on NMVTIS and buy your own history report. We're a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or Suzuki. As of early November 2026, guest reports are about $5.50, member reports about $4.50, and the bundle about $6.75, versus retail near $39.99 to $44.99. Confirm at checkout.

Plan a pre-purchase inspection that includes a CVT or clutch evaluation, an AWD check if equipped, and a compression test.

Title brands, odometer gaps and salvage rebuilds show up on a report you buy yourself, even when the paint looks straight. Cross-check the VIN plate, door sticker and dashboard stamp so the car matches the paper before you wire a deposit.

Ask the seller for a cold start, a highway pull and a stop on a steep driveway so you can feel clutch or transmission behavior under load. Bring a flashlight for the undercarriage and an OBD reader for pending codes the dash has not lit yet.