Subtly facelifted Suzuki Swift revealed in Japan

Suzuki has pulled the covers off of the facelift Swift in Japan just over three years after the current generation made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

In terms of aesthetics, the changes consists of a redesigned grille with a chrome central strip, lightly revised headlights, new 16-inch alloy wheels, a restyled bumper and a choice of two new two-tone colours; Rush Yellow Metallic with a silver roof and Frame Orange Metallic with a black roof. No changes to the rear has taken place. Inside, the revisions are similarly minor and comprises of a new 4.2-inch instrument cluster display, new fabrics and upgraded materials. Reserved for flagship models is a new surround view camera system.

Up front, the Swift is powered by a single 1.2-litre petrol engine, albeit with or without electrical assistance. Providing 67kW/118Nm on its own, the engine can be supplemented by a choice of two hybrid systems; a mild-hybrid whose lithium-ion pack produces two kilowatts and 50 Nm and a full hybrid whose bigger battery delivers 10kW/30Nm. Gone however is the turbocharged 1.0 Boosterjet engine that developed 82kW/170Nm.

Spec-wise, the Japanese Swift is offered in five trim levels; XG and RS using the petrol engine on its own, the MG and RS equipped with the mild-hybrid powerunit and the SZ that uses the complete hybrid system. Transmissions include a five-speed manual or a CVT, but while the former is reserved for non-hybrid models, the latter is standard on the mild-hybrid as the full-hybrid is fitted with a five-speed automated (AMT) dubbed AGS. In addition, this model, together with all manual derivatives, are not offered with four-wheel-drive as the system can only paired to the CVT as an option.

In Japan, the facelift Swift is priced from ¥1 535 600 (R266 550 for the XG manual to ¥2 088 900 (R362 592) for the Hybrid SZ AGS, but seeing as South African models are sourced from India where sales are only expected to commence at the end of this year, chances are that Suzuki Auto South Africa might only bring the updated model to market next year with the carryover 61kW/113Nm 1.2-litre engine paired to the five-speed manual or five-speed AMT.

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