The big news in the last week of 2016 has been the all-new Suzuki Swift. Here’s what we can expect in 2017.
The new Suzuki Swift, revealed in Japan, has taken the world by storm of late. The new car brings substantial revisions to the design and proportions and packs a slew of new equipment and engines. Of course, we will be receiving familiar engines and, unlike overseas, there won’t be a four-wheel-drive variant either. The engine department is where the buzz is, so let’s take a look.
The front end has been redesigned to look more smooth and flowing, more dynamic even. The size of the new car has grown too: 3,840 mm long with a 2,450-mm wheelbase.
The interior also gets a thorough revamp. A flat-bottomed steering wheel arrives as well. A touchscreen interface on the centre console will make life easier on the move, integrating phone connectivity, navigation as well as several choices of entertainment options.
Engine options now. The 91-PS DualJet 1.25-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is the one that will go on sale in Europe and Japan but, thanks to our “small car” regulations, it won’t be the engine coming here. We will get the latest tune of the familiar K-series 1.2-litre petrol engine, perhaps with 85 PS and 115 Nm, paired to a five-speed manual transmission. There should also be a CVT automatic option offered here, if not a five-speed automated manual transmission option, if the Ignis is anything to go by.
The second petrol engine offering is the 1.0-litre BoosterJet. Should they choose to launch it, the K10C-spec 996-cc three-cylinder 12-valve DOHC motor will deliver a wholesome 102 PS at 5,500 rpm and 150 Nm of torque between 1,700 and 4,500 rpm. This engine is paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission, in Japan, at least.
The weight ranges between 870 kg, for the manual 1.2, to 970 kg, for the 4WD CVT version. Fuel efficiency figures are between 22.6, again for the manual 1.2, to 27.4 for the CVT front-wheel-drive version.
For India, the 1.3-litre DDIS turbo-diesel four is a given. We hope to see both 75-PS and 90-PS versions on offer, which should allow them to better attack the competition.
The fourth option is the hybrid version which uses an electric motor with a two-speed reduction. It only has a peak 3.1 PS at 1,000 rpm, but can deliver 50 Nm of torque from just 100 rpm. No confirmation yet about this version coming to India, but given the demand and the competition, we’re out ruling anything out at this point.
Pricing? Well, expect the new Swift to be priced only slightly higher than the present best-seller. With more competition from within the stable rather than other brands, we trust Maruti Suzuki India will price it competitively.
You can watch the Japanese television commercial right here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xH5fcJqX_4
Story: Jim Gorde
