If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This, we imagine, has been Suzuki’s guiding thought in developing the latest version of its Swift supermini. Although, says Suzuki, the car is all-new, is closely resembles the current car.
The newcomer, which will begin sale in the UK during the autumn, has grown slightly. It’s 90mm longer while the wheelbase (the distance between front and rear wheels) increases by 50mm suggesting that the cabin will benefit from added space.
At launch, a new 1.2 petrol engine will be available, mated to manual or automatic gearboxes. The manually geared version will produce 93bhp – a slight power increase over the 1.3 in the current Swift. But its CO2 emissions will be 24g/km lower at 116, while its overall fuel consumption is 56.5mpg, an improvement of almost 8mpg.
A 1.3 diesel will also feature, which will emit 109g/km (down from 119) and enable the car to cover up to 67.3mpg, which is 4.5mpg better than at present. But Swifts with this power unit won’t be available until next spring.
The new car will be lighter than the old, but will also be stiffer thanks to increased use of high-strength steel. Suzuki also promises that the car offers improved accident protection for occupants and for pedestrians. The company says that the all-new interior will have a more ‘dynamic’appearance, using the black and silver colour-way that follows current fashion for car interiors. The current Swift, built in Hungary, has been on sale in the UK since 2005. Suzuki says it will give prices and model details nearer the on-sale date.
