All-New Maruti Swift: 10 things you NEED to know

The all-new Swift will be unveiled internationally later this year. The hatchback has been a mega success for Suzuki and Maruti, both internationally and in India. There’s a bunch of new details that have emerged about the all-new Swift. Here are 10 things you need to know about the sporty, new Suzuki hatchback.

India accounts for 54 % of the global Swift’s sales. So, the all-new car is likely to be launched here next year, soon after its international debut. Notably, the second generation model was launched in 2011. 2017 will thus be about the right time for the launch.

The new Swift will be built on the lightweight, ‘New Generation Platform’ that underpins the larger Baleno hatch. Like the Baleno, the new Swift is expected to be very light. Expect about 50 kilos of weight reduction at least.

Lower weight means better performance, and also better fuel efficiency. Expect the new car to be a segment leader in terms of fuel efficiency, which is something Maruti is best known for. The current Swift delivers 20.4 Kmpl for the petrol and 25.2 Kmpl for the diesel. These figures could be bettered by about 10 %.

The Swift will share its new platform with two other upcoming cars, the all-new Dzire compact sedan and the all-new Ertiga MPV. But both these cars will be launched after the Swift hits the Indian market. We’re estimating a 2018 launch for these cars.

The India-spec car is expected to retain the 1.2 liter K-Series petrol engine while the 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet diesel could be replaced by an in-house motor from Suzuki. If Suzuki doesn’t add a new diesel engine to the Swift, the same 1.3 liter Multijet motor is likely to continue.

International buyers will be luckier though as they are expected to get 1.0 liter and 1.4 liter BoosterJet turbo petrols on the Swift and Swift Sport models. Maruti for now, has no plans to launch the Swift Sport here as the Baleno RS is expected to play the hot hatch role in India.

That said, the new Swift will retain its fun-to-drive character. Notably, this is one design parameter that Suzuki’s engineers have worked hard on. The Swift line up has always been engaging to drive. The new one promises to be no different.

The new car will continue to occupy a similar price point as the outgoing model. It’ll sit below the Baleno, and will also be smaller in terms of dimensions. The current Swift’s dimensions will more or less be retained on the new car.

It’ll be produced at Maruti’s new Gujarat factory, which will start production early next year. The car is expected to be exported to countries around the world as the Gujarat factory has been established with an eye on boosting Suzuki’s exports.

The new Swift will meet Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms. It’s also expected to have a stable body that doesn’t collapse under load, which is a major deal breaker on the current car.

Renders courtesy AvtoFocus