Japanese cars are the wave of the future in the car hobby because next-gen car guys grew up with them.
They’ve built a culture around these cars because they perform and drive like rockets after a few modifications.
In many cases, they come from the factory with built-in performance—this 2012 Suzuki Kasashi is a great example.
Jerry Sutherland
Gary James is the proud owner of this rare car and he’s also a historian on its biography. Gary explained how Suzuki typically built economy cars, but they were trying to enter the performance Euro-sedan market at exactly the wrong time.
He said the Kasashi was supposed to get a 3.1 GM engine, but the recession had most car makers on life support, so Suzuki used their 2.4 liter instead. This engine pumped out a respectable 235-horsepower, so Gary said the Kasashi does really well on the road at highway speeds.
Gary is a huge fan of these cars, so he was determined to find one because he liked its “Alfa Romeo Euro look” in the taillight region. Suzuki quit building them after a short run, so they disappeared from the market and very few Kasashis were sold.
Gary found this car on a Dodge dealer’s lot. It was brand new, but the Kasashi had been sitting there for a year, so Gary made a low-ball offer, and they took it. He paid 18,000 for the car—half the list price because Suzuki was dumping these cars at a loss.
He knew he’d like the car, but Gary was amazed at how well it performed. He said the AWD (all-wheel drive) “handles like it’s on rails”. The car also pulls down 34 miles per gallon, so it was the perfect platform for long-haul road trips.
Gary has driven it to Las Vegas and many other destinations, so the Suzuki has nearly 40,000 miles on it—and they’ve all been reliable miles. The handling is what really stood out over that time, because this Suzuki has been an incredible road trip machine.
The Kasashi is thirteen years old now, so Gary is discovering how popular this car is within the Japanese car culture. He won Judge’s Choice at a Japanese car show in 2023 because they realized how rare the Kasashi was with its low production numbers.
Gary said he “couldn’t believe it” when he won the award because when he bought it, Gary was simply looking for a unique driver with a Euro-touring flair and Japanese reliability. This car did that and more, so the recognition from the Japanese car cult is a welcome bonus.
The name of the car is a story in itself. Gary watched a Japanese woman touch the Kasashi badge on the car, so he asked why. She told him Kasashi means “Great things are coming” in Japanese, so when she touched it, that meant good luck for her.
Gary couldn’t disagree because every day he’s owned this car has been a great day behind the wheel.
They call it truth in advertising.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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