Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train8
- Air bags8
- Fuel/propulsion system4
- Steering4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Engine3
- Seats2
- Wheels2
- Suspension2
- Exterior lighting1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi failed the safety check 3.95% of the time — 57% more often than the average 2012 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 116,972 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2012
862 new Suzuki Kizashi cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were Germany (455), the United Kingdom (206), the Netherlands (35).
- Average mass
- 1,572 kg
- Average power
- 131 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the Netherlands
57 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 53% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €34,542.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde19
- Band onvoldoende profiel17
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht15
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt12
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm12
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)12
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage11
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld11
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
154 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 19 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 175 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 72% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 8.0% | 7.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 8.0% | 14.3% |
| Suspension | 8.0% | 12.2% |
| Visibility | 4.0% | 5.0% |
| Tyres | 3.4% | 7.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 2.9% | 3.8% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
210 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 4% arrived as used imports, 95% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Suzuki Kizashi 4 DR AWD | — | 10.9 % |
| 2012 Suzuki Kizashi 4 DR FWD | — | 10.9 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.5 L/100 km (about 25 mpg US), CO₂ 219 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kizashi S AWD · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.6 | 8.1 | 9.5 |
| Kizashi SX/Sport AWD · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.6 | 8.1 | 9.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi.
| 2019217 9 May 2019 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain cars, due to the seating posture/position of the occupant, the occupant classification system (OCS) may not work properly. This could cause … |
| 2019129 11 Mar 2019 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) may not work properly. This could cause the airbag system not to turn off the airbag when… |
| 2014578 18 Dec 2014 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the detent pin within the shift lock structure may have been incorrectly positioned. An incorrectly positioned detent pin in combination w… |
| 2014320 1 Aug 2014 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, a particular type of spider may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent line which may cause a restriction in the line. If this occur… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling 2010-2013 Kizashi vehicles. The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) may misclassify an adult occupant as child and deactivate the front air bag.
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kizashi and 2006-2013 Grand Vitara vehicles. The front passenger leather seat may shrink due to high humidity and high temperature. As a result, the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor mat may not accurately detect if an adult or child is occupying the seat.
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Suzuki Kizashi vehicles. Dust can enter the vent line that provides fresh air to the carbon canister, restricting its air flow and possibly creating excessive negative pressure in the fuel tank which may result in the fuel tank cracking.
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 SX4 vehicles manufactured July 16, 2009, to November 1, 2012, and 2010-2013 Kizashi vehicles manufactured October 13, 2009, to October 31, 2012. The shift selector can be moved out of the "Park" position without depressing the brake pedal.
Suzuki Motor Of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kizashi vehicles manufactured October 2009 through July 2012. In the affected vehicles, spiders may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent hose, blocking it and causing the fuel tank to have an excessive amount of negative pressure.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Suzuki told its dealers about the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10216558 | Reminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension and related parts that could be caused by road salt or other chemicals applied to the roadway. |
| 10152052 | This Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki automobile distributors in the U.S., explaining the importance of proper inspection and maintenance of suspension lower arm ball joints to prevent the ball stud from becoming separated from the suspension lower arm. |
| 10115290 | This bulletin describes corrective action needed to address complaints of reduction in engine power output due to activation of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) temperature protection control system due to deterioration of the CVT fluid or malfunction of the transmission control module. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)