Suzuki Kizashi saloon (2012-2013)

The Kizashi is billed as a halo model by Suzuki, designed to showcase what the brand can do. It comes as standard with four-wheel drive but is only available with one powertrain – a 2.4-litre petrol engine and automatic gearbox. Limited to just 500 units in the UK, the Kizashi wears a surprisingly high price-tag but that includes a lengthy equipment list.

With no diesel option and only a thirsty petrol engine on offer, running costs aren’t a high point for the Kizashi. It manages just 34mpg and emits a hefty 191g/km of CO2, meaning it costs £245 a year to tax. Residual values aren’t likely to be great either.

There’s only one engine available in the Kizashi – a 2.4-litre unit with 176bhp – and it comes with an automatic CVT gearbox and four-wheel drive too. On the move it quickly becomes apparent that it’s not a great combination. Try and accelerate hard and the engine becomes extremely noisy as the revs rise and the car begins to gain speed. It’s best to use the steering wheel-mounted paddles to change gear yourself. Using this method the Kizashi can feel genuinely quick and will sprint from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds. The Suzuki is much more at home in the corners and it has plenty of grip and responsive steering that makes it good fun to drive.

The Kizashi is set up with an emphasis on handling rather than comfort so you’ll notice that the ride is quite firm. On the plus side, it deals with lumps and bumps surprisingly well, so you won’t be uncomfortable on long journeys. The cabin is also spacious enough to seat tall adults in the rear.

For what is quite a small car, the Kizashi is actually surprisingly practical. At 461 litres, the boot is large enough to fit in most everyday items and it can be made even larger by folding down the rear seats. Tall drivers and passengers will notice that there is a slight lack of head-room in the front of the cabin though.

Old Suzuki models haven’t been that reliable but the firm’s reputation is turning. Suzuki finished 29th our of 35 manufacturers in the 2010 Driver Power survey, suggesting their old models don't have a great reliability record. There have been no faults to report on this new model yet though. It comes with plenty of safety systems as standard to ensure it’s as safe as possible too.

As it’s such a limited run car, Suzuki has only elected to offer the most expensive model it can. For that reason, the Kizashi’s asking price includes heated, electrically adjustable leather seats, cruise control, Bluetooth, electric windows all-round and a sunroof. The only extra you can buy is a factory fit sat-nav system. It's still too much money for a car like this, though.