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The first new Suzuki Swift in six years has been revealed – and it looks just like the “concept” shown two weeks ago. It is due in Australia next year.
The 2024 Suzuki Swift city hatch has been unveiled – with available hybrid power and new technology – ahead of its Australian arrival in the first half of next year.
It is believed to be a ‘reskin’ of the previous model, with revised underpinnings, and a similar footprint – but a new body, more advanced interior, and a new three-cylinder engine available with mild-hybrid technology.
The new Swift is due in Australian showrooms in the first half of next year, pending any delays.
In Japan there will initially be one engine, a new 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol matched as standard with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
It replaces the outgoing model’s 1.2-litre petrol four-cylinder – mated to a five-speed manual or CVT auto – and promises improved fuel efficiency and around-town performance. Power and torque outputs have not been published.
It is available with mild-hybrid technology – which provides a small boost to the engine under acceleration, but cannot drive the wheels on electric power alone, as per a Toyota hybrid – to trim fuel consumption, as before.
There is no mention of the 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder from the outgoing model in Australia – though this engine has not been offered in the current model in Japan for some time. The future of the 1.4-litre turbo Swift Sport hot hatch is also unclear.
Japanese models are available with front- or all-wheel drive. It is expected Australian models will be front-wheel drive only, as before.
Specifications displayed at the Tokyo motor show list the new Swift as measuring 3860mm long overall, 1695mm wide, 1500mm tall and 2450mm long in wheelbase – 20mm longer overall, 40mm narrower, 5mm taller and unchanged in wheelbase compared to today’s model.
The exterior design is an evolution of the past three generations of Swifts since 2005 that came before, with sharper lines and conventional rear door handles, instead of high-mounted ‘hidden’ handles similar to the current Swift.
Top-of-the-range models are fitted with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, LED tail-lights, and chrome exterior highlights.
Rear disc brakes appear to be fitted to more model grades – to accomodate an electric parking brake across the range – rather than being exclusive to the GLX Turbo and Sport variants today.
Inside, there is a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen from the S-Cross SUV with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation – up from 7.0 inches today – as well as a small digital display between the two analogue instrument dials.
Available features include heated front seats, automatic climate-control air conditioning, two USB ports, front and rear parking sensors, paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, and in what may be a first for the city-car class, a 360-degree camera.
New cameras and sensors enable a longer list of safety technology, including a more advanced autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system which can detect cyclists, pedestrians and motorcycles, and brake to prevent turning across the path of another car in an intersection.
These functions are included in the latest ANCAP crash-test criteria, as well as driver monitoring technology also fitted to the new Swift, which watches the driver’s eyes and sounds a warning if they are looking away from the road for too long.
There is no mention of a centre airbag between the front seats, which has been used by other similarly-sized cars to achieve five-star safety ratings under the latest criteria.
However it may simply be absent from Japanese models – and planned to come to versions sold in Australia and Europe.
Other advanced safety features include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane centring assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, low-speed rear AEB, automatic high beams, and speed sign recognition (which sounds a beep when entering a new speed-limit zone).
The 2024 Suzuki Swift is due to go on sale in Japan soon, with “preliminary business negotiations underway” to finalise prices.
Australian showroom arrivals are expected to commence in the first half of next year, pending any delays.
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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