Swift’s elegant design, reliability and peppy performance have made it a popular choice across domestic and international markets. Now, the 4th-gen version has been launched in Japan. First units have arrived at dealerships.
It’s challenging to introduce visual updates to a product that is already appreciated for its beautiful design. There’s a risk of hurting consumer sentiments associated with the brand. Or the vehicle may end up losing its core character. With these factors in mind, Suzuki has gone ahead with only the most relevant visual tweaks for new-gen Swift.
Some of the key highlights include new headlamps, LED DRLs and fog lamp housing. While the outline of the front grille seems familiar, it gets new design elements for a sportier look and feel. On the same lines, the front bumper has been updated with a metallic element. It renders a profile similar to that of a faux skid plate. Bumper design has also been changed to achieve a muscular stance.
Changes on the sides include a new character line that connects the headlamps and tail lamps. Another key update is the standard rear door handles. On the current model, the rear door handles are mounted on the C-pillar. The shift to an old-school design complements the overall profile of new-gen Swift. There are new alloy wheels on offer with the updated version of Swift. Other features such as blacked out pillars and body coloured door handles are the same as earlier.
At rear, 4th-gen Swift gets refreshed tail lamps and a more prominent bumper design. These updates have also resulted in a change in the design of the boot lid. It is expected that new Swift will be getting some new colour options in both monotone and dual-tone shades.
Interiors have a refreshed look and feel with changes to the dashboard, centre console and AC vents. However, there’s still a lot of clutter that could have been fixed. Globally, an increasing number of cars are embracing the minimalistic look and feel. But that hasn’t been the case with the new 4th-gen Swift. Suzuki could probably work on these aspects in future iterations.
New Swift gets a 9-inch free-standing touchscreen infotainment system. It supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s a new auto climate control panel as well, borrowed from Baleno.
Suzuki is looking to boost performance and fuel efficiency with the new Swift. Making it possible will be a new 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine. It will have a 48V self-charging hybrid (strong hybrid) setup. It will deliver more torque, and fuel efficiency could be about 25 kmpl. India launch is expected to take place in a few months. Test mules have already been spied.
This post was last modified on January 15, 2024 4:50 am