Jimi Beckwith wrote:The 2017 Suzuki Swift has been revealed in Japan, ahead of the European version's forthcoming debut at the Geneva motor show.
There have been several leaked images of the new Swift already, but this is the first time we've officially seen Suzuki's new supermini in full. Suzuki's Japanese website also reveals full tech specs of the engine range.
It confirms that the engine line-up includes a 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbo petrol engine and a 1.2-litre Dualjet mild hybrid petrol. The former claims 56.4mpg and produces 99bhp at 5500rpm, with a maximum of 110lb ft torque, while the hybrid manages 77.4mpg, 88bhp and 87lb ft. The new Swift will be available in both manual and automatic forms, and be offered with two- and four-wheel drive.
Both engines are already offered in the Baleno, so it’s very likely the engine range will remain unchanged on the UK-spec car.
At 3840mm long, the 2017 Swift is 10mm shorter than the outgoing model, although this could change slightly with the European version. The new car is exactly the same height as the current Swift, and has a wheelbase of 2450mm – 20mm longer than the current car. A width of 1695mm is retained.
The Japanese version of the new Swift has 60/40 split-folding rear seats, with a boot capacity of 265 litres with the rear seats in place, and 579 litres with the seats folded down.
Suzuki claims the 2017 Swift weighs 910kg in two-wheel drive form and 970kg in four-wheel drive (likely to be called Allgrip) form. This is a considerable reduction compared with the outgoing model, although the UK version is expected to be slighty heavier than the Japanese car.
Whereas the current Swift is available in both three- and five-door forms, the new 2017 model will be five-door only. It will, however, have the sleeker appearance of a three-door thanks to rear door handle concealed in the black C-pillar.
The Japanese 2017 Suzuki Swift is available with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, accessible through the centrally mounted touchscreen infotainment display. In addition to this, a colour display between the instrument dials can display a multitude of functions, including power and torque reserves and fuel economy driving scores.
Other standard equipment includes LED headlights and automatic emergency braking, while adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and lane departure warning are available on some versions. The spec on UK versions may differ slightly.
The Swift is due to go on sale in the summer of 2017, and prices are expected to be only slightly higher than those of the outgoing car. The Japan-spec car starts at roughly £9100, for example - only £149 more than the entry price of the current UK model.
