The new, 2024 Suzuki Swift has revealed itself to the world in production guise, although it doesn’t hold too many surprises.
Looking virtually identical to the concept car that was displayed at the recent Tokyo Mobility Show, the new Suzuki Swift is now listed as a model for purchase on the company’s Japanese web page.
The exterior design is largely evolutionary, with the headlights taking on a more vertical orientation and intersected at the top by a smaller clamshell bonnet. At the side, the blacked out A-pillars remain, while the rear door handles have moved back from the B-pillars to their traditional position on the doors.
The Maruti Suzuki version of the new Swift, which South Africa will almost certainly continue to import, should look almost identical to the Japanese model we see here, but it’s likely to be simplified beneath the skin.
The JDM spec Suzuki Swift debuts a new 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with mild hybrid technology, codenamed Z12E and replacing the four-cylinder unit in the current model.
Autocar India says its sources have confirmed that the Indian-built Swift will have a regular, non-hybridised version of the new three-cylinder powerplant, with similar outputs to the current 1.2, and a bit more torque.
Inside the 2024 Suzuki Swift we see a cockpit design emulating the latest Baleno and Fronx models, with a new 9.0-inch (22.8cm) infotainment system jutting out from the dashboard.
On the tech front the Japanese website shows a new electronic parking brake and hill-hold system, along with a whole array of advanced driver-assistance features powered by radar, cameras and ultrasonic sensors. These include auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and auto high beam, among others.
Although it’s not impossible that these new features might find their way into the flagship models in India and South Africa, our version of the Swift will almost certainly be simplified in order to keep pricing in check.
This will no doubt be the secret to the Suzuki Swift’s ongoing success on the South African market. It’s currently one of the country’s top-selling hatchbacks, regularly fighting for second place alongside the Toyota Starlet.
South African launch timing for the new Suzuki Swift has yet to be confirmed, but with the Maruti version expected to launch in India during the second half of 2024, we could see it in local showrooms by the end of next year, if not by early 2025.