New Suzuki Swift one step closer to Australia

A new generation of Suzuki’s best-selling car in Australia is coming soon.

The 2024 Suzuki Swift has been approved for sale according to a government filing.

Suzuki Australia has confirmed the new-generation hatchback will arrive in local showrooms by June 2024, but it hasn’t confirmed what the local lineup will look like, or whether prices will rise.

Just one engine is listed in the filing: a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine producing 61kW of power, and mated with either a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Filing images

Despite being down a cylinder, the new engine loses just 5kW compared the current model’s naturally aspirated 1.2-litre four. Peak power is also delivered at 5700rpm instead of 6000rpm.

While the filing doesn’t note torque figures, Suzuki in Japan has confirmed it produces 108Nm. In that market, it’s also offered both with and without a 12V mild-hybrid system.

The current Swift in Australia is offered with a choice of not only the 66kW/120Nm 1.2-litre four, but also an 82kW/160Nm turbo 1.0-litre three-pot and, in the flagship Sport, a 1.4-litre turbo four with 103kW and 230Nm.

Suzuki has yet to globally reveal the new-generation Sport.

The new Swift measures 3860mm long, 1735mm wide and 1485mm tall on a 2450mm wheelbase. That makes it 15mm longer, 40mm narrower and 5mm taller on an identical wheelbase to the outgoing model.

It’s understood to use a modified version of the current model’s Heartect platform.

It weighs 890kg in manual guise, or 929kg with the CVT.

The filing also notes there’s a choice of 15- or 16-inch alloy wheels, while the Swift uses disc brakes up front and drums at the rear.

While we don’t have an equipment list for Australia yet, we do know the Swift will feature a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It’s unclear if we’ll get Suzuki Connect like in Japanese-market models. This connected vehicle subscription service allows you to, among other things, remotely check the status of your vehicle.

The front seats have more bolstering, and the Swift is available with unusual textured white appliques across the dash and doors.

The manual handbrake has been dropped in favour of an electric parking brake, and there’s also an auto hold function.

There’s a wider range of active safety and driver assist features, powered by a combination of ultrasonic sensors, a millimetre wave radar and a monocular camera.

These include:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist and motorcyclist detection
• Reverse AEB
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go and lane centring
• Adaptive high-beam
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Driver attention monitoring
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Surround-view camera
• Traffic sign recognition

In addition to the usual black, white and grey shades, Suzuki will offer a selection of more distinctive finishes, at least in Japan. These include Cool Yellow, Frontier Blue Pearl, Caravan Ivory Pearl, Flame Orange Pearl and Burning Red Pearl.

Swift

Some colours are offered with a contrasting black roof.

Suzuki’s designers have been conservative with the new Swift, with the latest model representing another careful evolution of the original 2004 reboot.

There is one key visual change, however: the rear door handles are no longer located in the C-pillar. Instead, the handle sits on the door, just below a new, more prominent side crease.

Otherwise, the vehicle is stylistically very similar to the outgoing model, if with slightly sharper detailing.

The Swift has even greater importance to the Australian market following Suzuki Australia’s axing of the Baleno, which didn’t meet ADR 85/00 side impact standards in its updated guise.

That leaves Suzuki with just one light hatch to do battle with the top-selling MG 3, as well as the likes of the Mazda 2 and Volkswagen Polo.

The Swift was the brand’s best seller in 2023, with 6914 sales. That made it the second best-selling vehicle in its segment, ahead of the Mazda 2 (5181 sales) but well behind the MG 3 (15,430 sales).

The latter is being redesigned this year and will gain a hybrid option.

The outgoing Swift is offered only with mild-hybrid technology, but only in other markets. Such a powertrain has never been offered here, and it’s unclear if we’ll get the mild-hybrid version of the new 1.2-litre three-pot.

MORE: Everything Suzuki Swift