The new Swift was first shown back in October at an exhibition in Tokyo, but then it had a pre-production status, allowing it not to disclose technical details. Now there are no secrets: the hatchback has entered the assembly line and will enter the Japanese market in December. What can he boast of?
Swift has become visually fatter — it has become more rounded, but has gained an accentuated “waist”. At the same time, he retained the family “cap” of the roof, and the overall dimensions in fact have hardly changed: the length has increased by a modest 15 mm (to 3860 mm), and the width (1695 mm) and height (1500 mm) are completely the same. All optics are now LED, the base wheels are 15-inch (there are also 16-inch ones for an additional fee), and the aerodynamic drag coefficient has been reduced by 4.6% (the final value is not given).
The Heartect platform is the same, the wheelbase is the same (2450 mm), and the chassis changes are minimal: the McPherson front suspension has acquired a different stabilizer, the rear “beam” has increased wheel travel, plus reinforced compression buffers are installed in a circle. The developers claim that Swift has retained its perky driving character. The ground clearance is purely asphalt 120 mm.
But the engine is new — now with three cylinders instead of four. The atmospheric Z12E has a working volume of 1.2 liters, a high compression ratio of 13:1 and a VVT phase change system at the inlet and outlet, which allows you to simulate an economical Atkinson cycle. The recoil is 82 hp and 108 Nm. The V-belt variator is also new, it is 1.9 kg lighter than the previous one.
The basic Swift is devoid of an electric appendage, but starting from the second version, a 12-volt starter generator (3.1 hp, 60 Nm) is installed, which helps in the first seconds of acceleration. It is powered by a 3 Ah lithium-ion battery, which is located under the driver’s seat. Such “soft” hybrids are offered with both a variator and a five-stage “mechanics”. In Japan, any Swift can be ordered with both front and all-wheel drive (a clutch is installed at the rear).
The new interior is woven from traditional solutions: there are analog devices, a fixed transmission selector and an abundance of hardware keys. The center console is turned eight degrees towards the driver, but the nine—inch screen of the media system is an option (at least in the Japanese market). For the first time, Swift acquired an electromechanical handbrake with a key instead of a lever. The new complex of electronic assistants has a millimeter radar in the bumper and a camera under the windshield.
And it is also stated that Swift has become noticeably quieter. The number of adhesive joints in the body structure has been increased, the floor covering has become much thicker, and noise insulation has been strengthened. Coupled with the rest of the changes and expanded equipment, the hatchback has become noticeably heavier: even the basic version in curb condition now pulls 910 kg instead of 840 kg for the previous model. And the top version is 1020 kg versus 970 kg.
In Japan, the new Suzuki Swift costs from $11700 to $15,800. The same machines will be delivered to Europe, but sales there are scheduled to start only in the spring of 2024.