We had the pleasure of being at the reveal of the fourth generation Suzuki Swift at this years Festival of Motoring at Kyalami. The all-new Suzuki Swift was first shown at a global reveal in March this year, and it has since gone on sale in major markets, including Japan, India and Europe.

The Suzuki Swift introduced South Africans to the Suzuki brand in 2008 and it has since found over 85 000 homes here. Today, the Swift often leads its segment and even the passenger vehicle market in general.

 The new Swift will be available in three specification levels, namely GL, GL+ and the luxury GLX models and as a boon for fans the GL+ and GLX specification levels will be available with the choice of manual or CVT transmission.

Starting with the wheels and tyres, the new Swift has a brand-new rim design that starts at 14” steel wheels on the GL model and grows to 15” alloy wheels on the mid-range GL+ and polished, diamond cut alloys on the top-spec GLX.

The wheels aren’t the only exterior distinction between the three specification levels. The GL and GL+ can also be identified by their halogen headlight cluster, while the GLX models upgrade their front light cluster, DRLs and fog lamps to LEDs that are automatic.

At the rear, all models have LED clusters and a high-level brake lamp.

Beyond these cues, the entire range of new Swift models will offer more than what is expected in this segment. This includes body-coloured door handles and side mirrors, a glossy piano black upper front grille and integrated turn signals in the side mirrors.

The new model has the same wide stance with the darkened side pillars of its predecessors. This reminds the viewer of a motorcycle helmet and Suzuki’s deep racing heritage.

Beyond this nod to the previous models, there is a modern twist to the large front and rear light clusters and a new, sleeker front grille finished in piano black that shows the model’s sporty intentions.

For the fourth generation, Suzuki has created a strong shoulder line that runs around the entire vehicle. The line crosses over the nose in the form of a clamshell bonnet and folds around the rear to form a discreet lip.

Three-cylinder fun

As mentioned earlier, the Suzuki Swift is also brand-new under the skin.

The new model introduces a new 3-cylinder engine, codenamed Z12E, in South Africa. This model uses many of the technologies that Suzuki has refined for its compact vehicles and motorcycles for better thermal management, more low-down torque and better fuel efficiency.

With this new 3-cylinder 1.2 litre engine the Swift delivers 60 kW at 5 700 rpm and 112 Nm at 4 300 rpm. The latter is available across a wider engine range, thanks in part to a new multipoint fuel injection system and four valves per cylinder.

The new engine delivers its power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual or CVT transmission. The former has an Engine Auto Stop/Start system as standard, while the latter offers paddle shifts on the GLX model.

Safety and luxury well taken care off

The Suzuki Swift has always been Suzuki Auto South Africa’s top-selling model and as such the brand has spared no expense to offer the best ownership experience possible.

For instance, all models will have six airbags, hill hold control, ABS with emergency brake support, and electronic stability control as standard, setting a new benchmark for vehicle safety in its class.

Adding to the safety features, Suzuki has fitted three-point seatbelts on all five seats and child seat tether anchorage points on the outside two rear seats. On the subject of creature comforts, all models are equipped with a digital air conditioning system, while the GLX specification level will offer fully automatic climate control.

All models also have electric windows on all doors, electrically adjustable and folding side mirrors, central locking with remote control, and rear parking sensors.

Buyers who opt for the mid-range GL+ will notice a host of additional luxuries, including a 7” infotainment system with reverse camera and steering wheel controls for the audio system.

In the range-topping GLX models the 7” infotainment system is upgraded to a large, high-definition 9” infotainment system. The leather clad steering wheel adds controls for the cruise control system and of course the GLX with CVT transmission also has paddle shifts.

The list of features on the GLX models further extends to automatically folding side mirrors, keyless entry with push-button start and of course the automatic headlights. Can’t wait for the official launch from Suzuki SA in the near future.