Recently, Suzuki Motors released official pictures of the all-new Swift (SWIFT, formerly named “Swift” in the domestic version). The new car is built on the HEARTECT platform. The concept version of the car was first unveiled at the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show, and it is expected that the new car will be officially released in April.
In terms of the exterior, the front face of the new car adopts a new fish-mouth-style honeycomb grille design, with new-style headlights on both sides, and daytime running lights integrated inside, with a decent overall fashion sense. On the side of the body, the new car’s body is painted in two colors, and it has a rather streamlined feel. The new car has cancelled the hidden external handle design of the rear door, and the handle of the rear door has been moved to the regular position next to the C-pillar. In addition, the new car is equipped with radar sensors at the interior rearview mirror and the upper part of the front grille, and there are also cameras below the exterior rearview mirrors, indicating that the new car will have an improved auxiliary driving capability. At the rear, the details of the new car’s taillights are complex, providing a more visually rich effect. There is a “Hybrid” emblem on the right side of the tailgate, and the lower part is a black-treated rear bumper.
In terms of dimensions, the length, width, and height of the new car are 3860/1735/1495 (1520) mm, and the wheelbase is 2450mm.
In the interior, the new car has undergone significant changes, with a floating central control screen and a redesigned center console layout. The new car is equipped with a 9-inch floating central control screen, which has a more fashionable overall layout compared to the previous generation model. In addition, the new car is also equipped with a mechanical dial and a liquid crystal display, and elements such as circular air conditioning vents have been replaced by more angular lines, giving a good overall technological feel.
In terms of power, the new car is equipped with a three-cylinder engine and is matched with a 12V mild hybrid system (ISG). The maximum power of the engine is 82 horsepower, and the peak torque is 112 N·m; the ISG mild hybrid system can output a maximum power of 2.3 kilowatts and a peak torque of 60 N·m. In the transmission system, the new car is matched with a 6-speed manual transmission and a CVT automatic transmission, and provides two power layouts of two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
The first-generation SWIFT model was introduced into China by Changan Suzuki and was named “Swift” in Chinese, positioned as a small car. The second-generation SWIFT was introduced into the domestic market by import, and a new Chinese name – Swift – was used. At that time, the Swift introduced in China was the sport version, with a price range of 178,800-188,800 yuan. The currently sold model in overseas markets is the third-generation SWIFT. Starting from the third-generation model, Suzuki no longer introduces the car into the domestic market. The official pictures released this time are the fourth-generation models of the product.
According to the information, Suzuki (SUZUKI) was established in 1920 and is a Japanese automobile manufacturer. So far, its development history has exceeded a hundred years. Unfortunately, its days in the Chinese market were very short. In 1993, Suzuki Motors entered the Chinese market and jointly established Changan Suzuki Automobile Co., Ltd. with Changan Automobile through a joint venture with Suzuki Corporation. In 1995, it jointly established Jiangxi Changhe Suzuki Automobile Co., Ltd. with Changhe Automobile to produce and sell products developed by Suzuki with the help of Changan Automobile and Changhe Automobile.
In April 2005, Changan Suzuki produced and sold the strategic car “SWIFT” in Japan, Hungary, and India at the same time. Since then, it has also launched many small sedans , and is known as the “King of Small Cars”. However, looking at the history of Changan Suzuki, its development is not long. Data shows that in 2011, the sales of Changan Suzuki were 220,000 vehicles, and then it continued to decline. By 2018, the sales of Changan Suzuki were only 35,000 vehicles, and the annual sales were even less than the monthly sales of mainstream independent brands. Also in this year, due to poor sales and continued losses, Suzuki Motors finally transferred its 50% stake in Changan Suzuki to Changan Automobile for a symbolic price of 1 yuan. Changan Suzuki changed from a joint venture company to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Changan Automobile, and thus, Suzuki Motors officially exited the Chinese market.
It is worth mentioning that although Suzuki Motors has exited the Chinese market for many years, in recent years, there have been many reports in the market that Suzuki will return to the Chinese market. At present, the official has not made a clear statement, nor is it clear whether the models released this time will enter the Chinese market by import.
