New Suzuki Swift is bigger, wider and more stylish

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Friday, September 24, 2010

The Suzuki Swift has been one of our favourite superminis for some time and the second generation of this fantastic little car has been launched on the Irish market.

With global sales of 1.65 million units since the previous car was introduced back in 2005, that is a fair indication of how good the Swift was, so it will be interesting to see if the new car can keep up the good work.

Although the last Swift was a giant leap forward for the company, both in terms of styling and accomplishment on the road, the new car is very definitely ‘evolutionary’ rather than ‘revolutionary,’ but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Suzuki tell us that the new machine is 90mm longer, has a 50mm longer wheelbase and is 5mm wider than the previous car, but it has not really tricked with the look of the car.

The company does maintain, however, that it has improved the styling impact safety driving performance handling fuel consumption and reduced emissions as well.

On the engine front, Suzuki is introducing a new 1.2 litre petrol for the new Swift and this is a Euro 5 compliant unit incorporating Dual VVT.

It produces 94 PS at 6,000 rpm — slightly more than the outgoing 1.3 litre unit — and torque has been improved as well to 118 Nm at 4,800 rpm.

Fuel consumption for the combined cycle is now 5.0l/100 km and emissions are lower too with the engine producing some 116g/km.

A revised 1.3 litre diesel will be available from spring 2011 and this engine emits 109 g/km and has an impressive fuel consumption of 4.2 l/100 km.

The new Swift will be available in three and five door body styles and come in two specification guises — GX and GLX.

All models will have ESP and seven airbags as standard, including a driver’s knee airbag.

The GLX version will add air conditioning and alloy wheels to the standard package.

The new range will be priced from 14,650 for the three door GL to 17,550 for the five door GLX with auto transmission.

We will be testing the new car in the not too distant, so it will be interesting to see if Suzuki has improved an already good car.