Odyssey 500

Millions of Car Accidents occur worldwide every year, and the fatalities due to these accidents are also in the millions. Most of the time, it is somehow the driver who is responsible for the accident.

According to a Traffic Report by the WHO, road accidents kill more than 1.2 million people annually, and around fifty million people get injured or disabled. These numbers are increasing with the passage of years. Out of over 1.2 million worldwide, 90% of the deaths are caused in the countries that have low or middle level incomes. Globally, more than half of the total accidents that occur are with drivers between the age of 15 and 44 years, and the drivers in more than 73% of cases are males.

In the UK, the number of accidents has considerably decreased in percentage over the past four or five years. Recent reports show that the road accidents have decreased by one to two percent since the year 2006.

According to an estimate, the number of accidents every year in the US is more than six million. These accidents injure millions, while thousands of people are killed. The number of people killed in car accidents in the US is thirteen times that killed in the UK. However, this difference is not very dramatic as the US is 40 times the size of UK.

In the EU, the country with the highest number of Car accidents and fatalities is Italy followed by Poland. The UK also has a relatively high rate as compared to other EU countries. Around ten thousand car accidents occur in the UK each day, and most of these are the result of a mistake on the driver’s part. Car accidents comprise more than 52% of the total accidents in the EU.

Out of the total accidents in the EU, 67% are in the urban areas and in 75% of the total accidents, the driver is male. Young drivers between age 18 and 25 are involved in more than 21% of the total accidents and fatalities. Research shows that most of the accidents occur due to reckless driving and intoxication. Other than this, there are large numbers of rollover accidents involving young adults and teenage drivers. The number of accidents due to intoxication is also increasing continuously. In the US, about 70 to 80 people die every day due to accidents related to alcohol.

In accidents in the EU and US, most the cars are insured, and Car Accident Compensation Claims can be made along with any Car Accident Injury claims. However, there are many countries where there is no insurance, and hence Car accident claims cannot be made. This is especially true for the low and medium income countries of Africa and Asia where accidents are in large percentages, and Car Accident Compensation Claims and Car Accident Injury Claims are not usually made.

Aggressively styled and pleasingly proportioned, it previewed a semi-upscale “D-segment” sport sedan. In the global auto business, the C-segment is compact cars, and the size-up D class is what we know as midsize-the incredibly competitive field of both family and sporty sedans. And, with a powerful, aero-slick design theme characterized as “a dynamic athlete in motion,” this concept clearly showed that Suzuki’s coming flagship sedan would be aimed at the emotional end of the scale. Japanese automaker Suzuki chose the mid-2007 Frankfurt (Germany) Motor Show to unveil a most interesting new concept car called Kizashi. They said its name was Japanese for “prelude” or “foretaste” and that it foretold of something coming from a company known better here for its motorcycles, ATVs and outboard motors than for its small cars and SUVs.

An even more aggressive Concept Kizashi 2 followed at the October Tokyo Motor Show then a third variation debuted at the March, 2008 New York Auto Show. This one, Concept Kizashi 3, was much tamer and more production-realistic. It looked, in fact, a lot like the real thing is now hitting the market and demonstrated Suzuki was serious about taking on the well-established entries in the U.S. market’s most competitive car class. Inside, the fits and materials are generally good, though not up to typical Euro-sedan standards, and the seats are handsome and nicely supportive with available leather trim. The instrument panel’s major gauges have a precision look: Its faux brushed-aluminum-rimmed center stack echoes the front grille’s rounded-V shape, and its controls are intuitively easy to see, reach and operate. We appreciated the nicely cushioned three-spoke steering wheel with handy spoke-mounted audio and other controls.

The only engine residing beneath that power-dome hood for now is a willing 2.4-liter aluminum four good for 185 horses with a standard 6-speed manual transaxle, or five ponies fewer with the available continuously variable transmission (CVT). Rare in this size and price class, the option of Suzuki’s latest “intelligent” all-wheel drive (i-AWD) can improve both bad-weather traction and cornering capability. The systems constantly variable front-to-rear torque split is a function of a number of factors, including wheel slippage, throttle and steering input.

Standard on the sub-$20K base Kizashi S are push-button start, steering wheel audio controls, dual-zone climate control and a split-folding rear seat with a pass-through for long objects such as skis. Standard safety features include Electronic Stability Program (ESP), anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and a class-leading set of eight airbags.

The next-level SE adds the CVT automatic transmission, 17-inch tires on alloy wheels, a 10-way power driver?s seat with three-position memory, cruise control and leather wrapping on the steering wheel, shifter and parking brake lever. The sport-oriented GTS offers 18-inch wheels and tires, power moonroof, fog lamps, a 425-watt Rockford-Fosgate audio system with integrated Bluetooth hands-free phone capability and a choice of manual or CVT transmission, the latter with paddle shifters for manual gear selection. The top-of-the-line SLS features leather seating, three-stage heated seats, a four-way power passenger seat, heated mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors and automatic on/off headlamps.

We spent 7 days driving a 6-speed manual AWD Kizashi GTS locally and beyond and came away impressed. We have found Suzuki’s small cars and SUVs lively in spirit, especially the sporty AWD SX4s, and good in most ways-but we had no idea what to expect from their first foray into midsize sedan territory.

We found it less than plush yet surprisingly comfy and quiet, well put together and fun to drive. The manual gearbox shifted surely and crisply, and the 4-cylinder engine performed well at lower RPMs but tended to run out of breath at higher engine speeds. On-road handling was good, steering precise, and braking strong and stable as needed. A bit smaller inside and out than typical midsize sedans, it?s no limo but sufficient in back for full-size adults.

We later enjoyed an opportunity to put a group of Kizashis (manual and CVT, FWD and AWD) and key competitors through a series of handling tests and a handful of laps at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), near Danville, VA. They performed impressively and (not surprisingly, since the tests were designed by enthusiastic Suzuki engineers) better overall than the selected high-volume competitors on hand. The highlight was a couple of fast track laps in a prototype V-6 powered Kizashi that likely foretells of future availability.