Suzuki cancels hybrid and V6 versions of the Kizashi sedan

But they do build diesel engines.

Figures...having been intimately involved with this company I can assure you this move continues the SLLLOOOOWWWW death of Suzuki in this country. Why? Because despite the best intentions of intelligent and hardworking Americans in the U.S., Suzuki in Japan continues to send over the worst of the worst to run the company in the U.S. These Japanese "executives" are idiots at best who do not understand the U.S., do not care to understand the U.S. and who frankly do not even like Americans. What a waste..with the huge green movement in the U.S. this should be a slam dunk for Suzuki..but I guess not. I guess Rick Suzuki can continue to fall asleep in meetings, and Koichi Suzuki can continue to try to figure out how to get 10 cents out of a penny.

I totally forgot that Suzuki is under the VAG umbrella these days. It would be interesting if Suzuki would drop one of VW's diesel engines in the Kizashi. Taking the current or next gen Swift back to the US (with a similar diesel option) would be a brilliant idea. The time is ripe for the curent Swift (which in Sport guise is quite a performer....ask the guys at Top Gear) to make an entrance.

Actually VW is working on a hybrid and green technologies. Volkswagen hybrid golf, dubbed the "Prius Killer" is expected to arrive in the UK by late next year next year (Auto-Express), it sports a 74hp TDI mated to a 27-horsepower electric motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission. It includes a trunk mounted Nickle hydride battery and a regenerative breaking system. At low speeds it's capable of operating soley on electric mode. It will get an estimated 70 mpg, and emit only 90 g/km of carbon dioxide as compared to the Prius 104 g/km of carbon dioxide emissions.
It's based off the NCC concept that just won the top award at the 2010 NAIAS.
If the higher power version of the NCC is produced (150 hp gasoline engine) even with this configuration it will still return a combined fuel economy of 45 mpg.

I don't think Suzuki actually needs a hybrid Kizashi for atleast the next 3 years. Maybe once an updated version of Kizashi comes along it would be a good idea by that point. But for now, the current 4-cylinder engine is fine. If anything they can continue to tweak that engine for better output by including enhancements of the current set up, such as direct injection, continously variable cam on both intake and exhaust cams, variable runner intake manifold, all of those would yield better torque across the board and make it possible to offer a taller final gear, which would yield a substantial gain in hwy mpg's.
In addition to that, the 2.4 litre engine is already of stout design. With some modifications it should be able to handle a turbo set up no problem. I think a realistic output for that engine with a turbo application would be around 260 HP. They can do all of that in-house since no one knows that engine better than they do.
That would give Suzuki plenty of time to work with VW to integrate the VW NCC hybrid system into Kizashi for the next edition which would be around 2014.