Well, where the bird is a thing of grace, the new Swift, like its predecessor, continues to try to have a slightly sporty appeal in its design. That said, you would be hard pressed to spot any changes at the front, but at the rear it has a new backside with new lights that give it more of a Toyota Yaris or old Renault Megane look.
In all honesty I think I preferred the previous design ; it was just a little more fashionable. I could understand if the rear provided more boot space, but it is still cramped and I barely squeezed in a couple of laptop backpacks, although of course you can expand the space for larger items.
The most welcome change, though, is in the interior , where the Swift has suddenly grown up, as though it is one of those very bright kids that was pulled out of high school and put into university at the age of 16. The instrument cluster has gone upmarket with a trip computer and sporty gauges and the centre console is like being in the Radisson rather than the Road Lodge of the old model.
The GLS versions we drove on the launch had a very well laid out audio system, (bizarrely optional on the GL) with the requisite remote buttons on the steering wheel and even a full climate control system, not to mention inputs for the trusty MP3 player or USB, although it failed to recognise the latest generation iPod Nano .
The dashboard itself has received a makeover, with accents of aluminium and sweeping lines that give it a much more trendy and pseudo-executive look. Here the designers have done an excellent job and it will be up to the likes of Toyota and Daihatsu to try to catch up, although I might stop short of saying it is better than a Volkswagen Polo.
The new model has a great deal to live up to, with the previous generation, which debuted in 2004, taking 5% of global market share. Suzuki is clearly optimistic though, with Andre Venter, the company’s divisional manager for sales and marketing, predicting that the share will rise to 7%.
It is not just new in the styling department though, with 40mm being added to the interior for more space, while the front track has widened by 20mm and the rear by as much as 15mm. This is supposed to translate into more dynamic handling but as we cruised through the hills of Natal, it was clear that while the level of traction remains good, the Swift has gone a little softer in the interests of improved ride comfort. This will suit the majority of buyers, so it is no bad thing and for those who want something a little sportier, a Sport model is in the pipeline although Suzuki SA could not confirm when it will arrive.
More changes also took place under the curvy bonnet, where the engineers have tossed the old 1.5l engine in the bin and replaced it with a 1.4l lump instead. This has resulted in a 5% drop in power to 70kW and a 2% decline in torque to 130Nm, but there is good news in that the company now claims a 13% improvement in fuel economy to an average of 5.5l /100km and a drop in emissions to 132g/km.
To all but the more enthusiastic owner that will seem like a fair trade-off, especially as fuel prices continue to soar higher than a Swift.
Travelling over hill and down dale, the car proved to be a great little cruiser, but we quickly learned that overtaking while going uphill might require something of a run-up, which in Natal was quite easy . If you have the five- speed manual then you can play around with the gearbox a little to make more use of the power available, but the four-speed auto had a tendency to change up while in the middle of an overtaking manoeuvre, leaving you feeling a little like Wile E Coyote who realises the ground has disappeared as he chases Roadrunner off a cliff.
This brings me swiftly onto the subject of safety and fortunately the new generation has ventilated front disc brakes, ABS, electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and brake assist. You also have front driver and passenger airbags on the entry level GL while the GLS gets additional side and curtain airbags too.
The Swift already has a loyal following in SA, but the new version arrives in a more hotly contested market with the likes of the Ford Fiesta, VW Polo, Hyundai i20 and even the little Fiat 500 vying for your attention.
With pricing starting at R152900 for the GL and rising to R183900 for the GLS, it is still one of the picks of the bunch in terms of value and specification. It has massive appeal for private and fleet buyers and with its 4-year/ 60000km service plan it is also budget friendly as we face the probability of interest hikes later this year and other rising costs. It may not be as swift as it used to be, but the new Swift is still something of an inspiration.
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