Meet the 4th-generation Maruti Suzuki Swift, which was revealed in India in May 2024. While an SA arrival date has yet to be confirmed, we’re confident it will be landing this year. Here’s all you need to know.
You’re probably thinking you’ve seen this car before and you’d be correct. First seen in October 2023 as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, the 4th-generation Suzuki Swift has already gone on sale in its home market as well as a few European countries.
Why the fuss now? The Maruti Suzuki Swift is the South African-spec model and that’s assembled in India. Why India? See, if Suzuki SA had to source its vehicles from Japan, they’d come with all the European compulsory kit like semi-autonomous safety tech, hybrid powertrains and while these are nice-to-haves, they’d push the price of the Swift up considerably and it would no longer be the affordable superstar.
So, what’s new in the 4th-generation Maruti Suzuki Swift?
Visually, the design has not changed too radically and it feels more like an enhanced version of the outgoing model. There’s a new-look front bumper with radiator grille, revised headlights, tail lamps as well as new alloy wheel designs.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift hasn’t changed much under the skin. The Heartect platform and wheelbase hasn’t been changed, but the new model is 15 mm longer, 40 mm narrower, and 30 mm taller.
The biggest change is the engine, with the Swift adopting an even more efficient 1.2-litre 3-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine. Codenamed Z12E, this engine makes 60 kW and 111.7 Nm. Customers will have the choice of either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). Our past experiences with the latter transmission have not been pleasant, and we hope Suzuki SA sticks to its tried-and-tested 4-speed automatic. Maruti Suzuki claims this new powertrain is a little cleaner and more efficient.
For the Indian market, Maruti is offering 9 exterior colours with dual-tone paint options and some sporty-looking accessories. Inside, the cabin is similarly styled to the Baleno and Fronx with a central 9-inch touchscreen infotainment screen. The flagship model for the Sub-Continent gets an impressive level of standard specification like wireless phone charger, LED fog lights, automatic climate control, steering-wheel controls and button start/stop.
When it comes to safety, the new-gen Suzuki Swift comes with six airbags, ISOFIX seat mounting points, rear parking sensors, anti-lock brakes and stability control.
When will the Maruti Suzuki Swift launch in South Africa?
We’re yet to hear from Suzuki South Africa as to when the new Swift will be launched locally. As soon as we do, we will update this article.
Further Reading
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