Suzuki Swift News

The European crash test body named five top cars, with the Kia Sportage judged best small off-roader, the BMW 5 Series sedan deemed best executive, the Honda CR-Z the best supermini and the Toyota Verso best small MPV. The Suzuki Swift, Kia Venga, BMW X1, VW Sharan and Citroen C4 were also classified top performers.  Last year, Euro NCAP crash tested twenty nine vehicles, with 65 per cent earning a five-star rating, compared to 90 per cent in 2009. Euro NCAP says the decrease in top marks clearly shows the criteria to reach a five-star score is now tougher. To earn top Euro NCAP ratings, vehicles are now required to have electronic stability control systems as standard. ESC is meant to reduce the number of deaths resulting from crashes in which the driver loses directional control of the vehicle, including those resulting in vehicle rollover. To be named a top achiever means the car achieved a high combined score based on the scores in each of the four areas of Euro NCAPs assessment, while notably exceeding the thresholds for a five-star overall rating. All of the top performers achieved an 80 per cent mark in the overall score. The Landwind CV9's two-star racing and three stars for the Citroen Nemo made them the worst-performing vehicles in the 2010 Euro NCAP tests.

Carsguide has sorted the genuinely new from the merely tarted up, the noteworthy from the non-entities and the relevant from the rest so families car buyers can chart the year ahead with certainty. A sizeable proportion of 2011's new car action comes in the comely shape of things like Suzuki's Swift. Due in February, the new Swift is slightly bigger and heavier, but runs leaner and cleaner  it's also likely to be slightly more expensive from around $16,500. If the work Kia's put in on its recent product is any guide, their new Rio will give the class leaders something to think about when it lobs mid-year with its six-speed transmissions and transformed fit and finish. Hyundai's Accent-replacing i25 is here shortly after.  Hyundai's on a roll with the i35 sedan, i40 wagon and possibility of a hybrid i45 sedan. The Daewoo Aveo (as the new Holden Barina is elsewhere known) gets here in five door form late in the piece, a much-needed replacement for the thoroughly outclassed current car. The new version of the car that once made the Barina badge worth buying, Opel's Corsa, lobs in the third quarter as the German company roll outs locally.  Holden's Cruze sedan starts local production shortly, with the five door joining it later in the year.  General Motors has two more shots in its locker with the new version of Opel's much-loved Astra making a welcome return alongside the bigger Insignia sedan and possibly wagon.   Ford's riposte, the handsome and crucial new Focus, arrives some time later.  The Mazda6 will gain the Sky-D direct injection turbo diesel that will challnge the Camry Hybrid for fuel economy, married to a new six-speed automatic transmission.  Be still our beating hearts - an "all-new" Toyota Camry is along later in the year.  And if not new per se, the market leading Toyota Yaris comes in for upgrades in the second half of the year. 

He is - or was - Hirotaka Ono - a visionary who re-invented the Japanese brand and changed everything, from boosting the quality of its cars to creating the can-do attitude among senior managers that's essential for the success of any car company. Ono had a giant advantage because he was married to the daughter of company founder, Osama Suzuki.He was able to use his family connection to ramrod a range of changes which would have been impossible for anyone else, especially a 40-something revolutionary in a country which usually puts age and experience ahead of youth and enthusiasm. Even so, he still had to walk the walk on everything from design and driving enjoyment to bottom-line financial deals.The award winning Suzuki Swift is an Ono car, so too is the current Grand Vitara, as well as the Kizashi. His track record also includes the less-successful second-generation XL7, thankfully only sold in the USA, but everyone makes an occasional mistake. Ono died too early at the end of 2007, but not before he inspired the cars coming through Suzuki today and forecast the global financial crisis - as well as planning the way his company would react to the challenge."Thanks to Mr Ono we have learned what we can do. He inspired us," says Tak Hayasaki, managing director of Suzuki Australia. Hayasaki has his own challenges in trying to lift Suzuki's share of Australia's annual car sales from its current 2.4 per cent to around six per cent, but he knows he has the strongest lineup in the company's history.The Alto is too small for a lot of people, but a $12,990 driveway bottom line makes plenty of sense with six airbags, ABS and ESP, as well as alloy wheels. The Swift is getting very old but is still a good car, the Grand Vitara is a safe choice and the SX4 does a good enough job.Kizashi is the game-changer for Suzuki, the same as the first Mazda6 and Accord Euro were for Mazda and Honda, combining Euro-type driving enjoyment with Japanese quality.This week the company is adding an all-wheel drive car to the Kizashi line, the Sports, and believes it can boost its sales by 100 cars a month. That's 50 per cent of the current volume. It's a big call for a car which already goes head-to-head with Mazda6 and Euro and now faces up to the might of the Subaru Liberty, the car that convinced Australians about all-wheel drive.As he looks forward, with a new Swift before the end of the year - not   that you would pick it as all-new from pictures - Hayasaki knows where the credit goes. "I have to thankyou to Mr Ono for what he has given us. He proved that we can do it."

But size is not everything in the small-car conflict and the next Swift, revealed for the first time in official pictures from Hungary, looks much like the current car. It will also have similar suspension and engines, although Australia will not get the three-door Swift sold in Australia and local supplies will not arrive until midway through next year. And there is likely to be a price rise. Few details have yet emerged on the Swift, but already Suzuki Australia is bullish about the car's chances following a Carsguide Car of the Year win for its predecessor and early sales success for its latest mid-sized Kizashi. "Yes, the Swift is an evolution, not a revolution. But when you see the car it is bolder and stronger than the current car," says Tony Devers, general manager of Suzuki Australia. "It's more fuel efficient, has more performance, and a higher-quality finish inside. It's a more sporty drive. The Swift has always been good, but it's more than a light car now." The car is nearly 100 millimetres longer and slightly wider, promising more cabin space. The body is also more rigid with more high-strength steel, which points to a better crash-safety performance. The Swift reveal comes from Esztergom in Hungary, where the new Swift is built for Europe at the Magyar Suzuki Corporation factory. There will be another preview at the Paris Motor Show in October and Australian supplies will come from Suzuki's plant at Sagara in Japan. Devers is reluctant to go into detail on the Swift, but definitely rules out a three-door car - "We will continue with the five-door here" - but pumps up the improvements. "It's bigger and that's important. The interior and the engine technology are substantially different, and better," he says. "We'll probably have a bigger-capacity engine than Europe, a 1.4 or 1.5 with more performance than it has now, and I'd like to think we will be able to get it with a diesel engine as well." But he admits the improvements are likely to bump the bottom line. "Yes, it's probably going to be a bit more expensive," he says. The exact timing for the new Swift is still being set but it will not come in 2010. "It will be in the first half of next year. That's about all we can say for now," Devers says. The new Swift is likely to join a Thai push into Australia from 2012. That's the year the Japanese maker joins many of its rivals - led by Toyota and Honda - with a factory in Thailand to shortcut import restrictions and tariff barriers in some Asian countries. It also gives Suzuki a free-trade agreement boost as it looks to lift its sales in Australia. "Once the Thai factory comes online we will get the Swift and probably also the Splash," says Tony Devers. "It's a brand-new factory. Quality will be exactly the same as cars built in Japan. We will have more options available for us. Our plan, with the free- trade agreement, is to source as much product from there as we can".

Sales of the all-new baby will not begin until 2011 in Australia but the Japanese company has just released the first picture of its new model.  It shows a three-door hatch, although a five-door is still likely to be the most popular choice down under. Surprisingly, considering Suzuki is a Japanese company, the first of the new Swifts was built at the Magyar Suzuki Corporation factory at Esztergom, in Hungary.  The car is slightly longer with a longer wheelbase to boost cabin space, and it is also slightly wider and taller. Suzuki claims a far stronger body, which will be good for safety, as well as improvements to everything from driving enjoyment to economy and emissions.  The basic engine is a 1.2-litre four but this is not expected in Australia. A 1.3-litre diesel will also be fitted for sales in Europe.  

The Japanese baby will be renewed at the Geneva Motor Show in September, with Australian sales expected in the first quarter of 2011.  The Swift follows the breakthrough new Kizashi, which comes in a full size larger into a hotbed of global action including the pace-setter Volkswagen Golf, and has a job that is just as tough.It must build on the success of the current Swift, which was the first Euro-focussed design from Suzuki and won the Carsguide Car of the Year award when it landed in Australia.  Carparazzi sources in Europe say the look of the new Swift is similar to the current car, with a rounded nose and a very short rear overhang, but with a slightly larger body and more space inside.It is caught during testing at the Nurburgring racetrack which could be particularly significant, with the likelihood of an all-wheel drive chassis for the first time.  The basic Swift will continue with front-wheel drive - as well as small-capacity petrol and diesel engine - but there is also a strong likelihood of an all-wheel drive performance model picking up parts already used in the SX4 sedan and hatch.There is even a chance Suzuki could return to the World Rally Championship with the new Swift, using a turbocharged engine to create a rival to the Subaru WRX and Lancer Evo.  Not surprisingly, Suzuki is also working on a Swift hybrid which could join the range as early as 2011 but more likely in 2012.

And just sometimes, you can get it all and still hear the reassuring sounds of change rattling in your pocket.  Small cars don't have to be cheap and nasty or even perform like an asthmatic snail in a bid to maximise fuel economy. Nor do they have to be cramped or have the visual appeal of a packing crate that instantly identifies you as cheap.  Here are five small cars that will haul you and three friends - and do it on a miserly fuel budget.The good news is they're all less than $30,000. And that includes comprehensive safety features with electronic stability control and ABS brakes.  But best of all, turn up the wick and these things will give you a decent thrill.  Two are turbocharged and one has a 2.5-litre engine. No need to be red-faced at the traffic lights in these.Mitsubishi Colt RalliartThis looks like a small apartment block sitting on a cute set of alloys. In fact, it's a powerhouse that will dust of a lot of cars with twice the engine capacity and has room for four adults, parks in weeny car bays, runs on a sip of fuel - though you'll need premium brand - and is the perfect shopping trolley for people who like their food fast.Price: $25,740Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cyl turbocharged 113kW/210NmTransmission: 5-speed manualFuel economy: 6.7 l/100km premiumPerformance: 0-100km/h in 7.6 secSafety: two airbags, ESC, ABS, BAVolkswagen Polo GTIThis baby sister of the Golf GTI quickly gets off the mark thanks to some component sharing and a 1.8-litre turbo engine. It comes only as a three door so may limit those with heaps of friends, though certainly looks as good as it goes. Solid German construction and versatile interior add to its appeal.Price: $26,990Engine: 1.8-litre, 4-cyl turbocharged 110kW/220NmTransmission: 5-speed manualFuel economy: 7.9 l/100km Premium0-100km/h: 8.2 secSafety: 6 airbags, ESC, ABS, diff lockFord Fiesta ZetecYou can get this in three and five-door versions (extra money for the five door) and while it's not turbocharged, is a spirited performer with lots of aesthetic charm. It's an easy hatchback to live with and aside from a small fuel thirst, runs on cheaper unleaded petrol. Comprehensive safety features show you care for your friends.Price: $20,490Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cyl 88kW/152NmTransmission: 5-speed manualFuel economy: 6.1 l/100km Unleaded0-100km/h: 8.2 sec (estimated)Safety: 5 airbags, ESC, ABS, BASuzuki Swift SportYou know the Swift, now meet its more beefed up brother. The Sport is unassuming though gets a bigger engine and tauter suspension to accentuate its handling and acceleration. That makes it as practical and reliable as its less-powerful relations. Also has great features and the full safety package.Price: $23,990Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cyl 92kW/148NmTransmission: 5-speed manualFuel economy: 7.5 l/100km Unleaded0-100km/h: 8.8 secSafety: 6 airbags, ESC, ABS, BAMazda3 SP25This is a great package at a superb price. The SP25 just takes the refreshed Mazda3 to another level, boosting power and torque yet not crushing attributes such as its fuel economy. The features are also excellent as is the safety equipment. It's physically bigger than its rivals here and that means more cabin and luggage room, so it never feels like a small car.Price: $29,740Engine: 2.5-litre, 4-cyl 122kW/227NmTransmission: 6-speed manualFuel economy: 8.6 l/100km Unleaded0-100km/h: 7.9 sec (estimated)Safety: 6 airbags, ESC, ABS, BA

Foiled on last lapMarcos Ambrose experieced a devasting last-lap defeat in the Nationwide series road race in Montreal, Canada, last weekend. He was on track for a second Nascar win for the season after qualifying in pole position. But a rare mistake on the final lap -- after leading from the start -- handed victory to Carl Edwards. Ambrose recovered for second.Race veteran diesFrank Gardner, one of Australia's most successful racers of the 1960s and '70s, has died at the age of 78. Gardner starred in all sorts of high-powered cars in Europe and returned home to win an Australian sports sedan championship. He then ran the factory BMW racing team with a long string of drivers from Jim Richards and Allan Grice to Paul Morris and Tony Longhurst.Swept away in crashA rare crash cost Chad Reed another sweep in the AMA 450cc motocross championship at the Southwick track in the US last weekend. Reed rode his Suzuki to an easy first-leg win but a fall on a soaking track in the second heat left him 31st, and eighth overall for the event. Even so, Reed has already clinched the series.Lighting way for AussiesThe first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be run under lights later this year. A 5pm start time means the second Formula One event in the Middle East will start before dusk and run through to the flag once the sun has set. The move opens the way for a potential V8 Supercar night race next year if plans for an Aussie double-header in the Middle East go ahead.Taylor made for titleMolly Taylor has achieved a career milestone -- named this year's British Ladies Rally Champion. She is still battling to win the Suzuki Cup title but a string of top results in her Swift have given her the top award for a female driver in the British championship.Closing in on leaderJames Davison continued his front-running form in the US Indy Lights series with second place at the Chicagoland oval track last weekend. Davison qualified sixth but moved up to follow Daniel Herrington over the line. The result moves him to second in the championship behind J.R. Hildebrand.Celebration bookedTeamVodafone has started plans for a series celebration this year with an official record of the V8 Supercar campaign of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes. The TeamVodafone yearbook is already in production, under the direction of photographer Scott Wensley and journalist Gordon Lomas, with plans for hard and soft-cover books before Christmas. Details: www.teamvodafoneyearbook.comBriggs back on trackJohn Briggs, a former V8 Supercar team owner and Australian sports sedan champion, is coming back to racing. Briggs will drive a Mosler sports car in the Australian GT championship in a move that gives him Australian distribution rights for Mosler. 

The Swift drove Suzuki in a more European direction and put style and driving enjoyment ahead of a boring basic bottom line. Now the Japanese baby that was the Carsguide Car of the Year in 2005 is coming up for a complete model change.It was snapped last week during private proving ground tests and, despite a giant burka disguising the details, it is clearly a continuation of the same basic look.The Swift still has a rounded front end, a short rear overhang and a sexy tail.The Carparazzi team says the next Swift will go public at the Paris Motor Show in 2010, which means it is just over a year from a final production sign-off."We won't get it until the end of 2010," says Tony Devers, general manager of Suzuki Australia. He cannot and will not go into detail on the car, but admits Suzuki is close to a ground-up revamp for the Swift."The current Swift has been so successful they won't deviate from the basic style. We'll wait and see but it is likely to be a little bit bigger and a bit more roomy inside."Carparazzi forecasts a number of changes for the new Swift, including an all-wheel drive system - probably from the SX4 - and a diesel engine. There are also rumours of Swift hybrid, although not until 2011 or 2012.The Swift has been a huge success for Suzuki in Australia but Devers says the company is also planning for a major model expansion."In Australia we've sold close to 60,000 Swifts. In the early days it was about 60 per cent of sales and it's still close to half," says Devers. "Our biggest issue is still our limited model range. We're only participating in 45 per cent of the market in Australia."The Alto will start to change that and then we get the Kizashi next year. We should see the production version of the Kizashi sometime towards the end of this year."

I wasn’t immune to this disease, however misguided I was in the early days.  Now, back in the mid-90s there were only two import cars that were affordable, ‘chuckable’, and not made in Korea.  The Nissan Pulsar SSS and the Suzuki Swift GTi.The later was particularly affordable with close to new models for around $14000.  A real bargain at the time, and a bargain I couldn’t resist.Being 19, I was super-keen to turn the interior purple, paint the engine bay in a variety of colours, and put masses of stickers all over the car.  Rice-it-up, in other words.  Oh, the perils of youth.So in went the purple vinyl door cards, purple-sprayed rocker cover, lowered springs (on stock shocks mind you), a loud muffler, race steering wheel, racing harnesses, and finally a ‘phat’ stereo with double 10”.  All installed by yours truly.Having just completed the install of all these parts over a period of six months, I took my partner at the time and some friends on a nice Sunday drive to the Jenolan Caves.  A 1.3 litre car with lowered suspension and four people onboard, and a massive sub-box in the boot is not quite the ideal vehicle for such a cruise, but none the less we headed off.During the trip, my DIY stereo system started playing up and eventually gave up the ghost all together, and the rattle in the boot that had been bugging me for months of course decided to rear its ugly head once more.  Turning a leisurely two-hour drive into a highly annoying trip to hell.Finally arriving at the top of the seriously tight winding road heading to the Caves, we got out of our convoy and headed into the caverns to check out what all the fuss was about.  By this time we were tired and the weather was turning sour.  And just our luck, halfway through the first cave the lights went out…Leaving the caves by torchlight and being told `show’s over folks’, we headed off back to Sydney.  An hour later our convoy buddy was on the mobile calling for a lunch stop.  Then without warning, buddy’s car comes to a grinding halt in the middle of the Great Western Highway.  Apparently when they meant stop for lunch, they meant right now.  Being then a more sprightly 20-year-old, I managed to stop the car in time to avoid an accident.  Unfortunately the three cars behind us were not so lucky.  We were slammed into our buddy’s car three consecutive times.After the police arrived and saw that most people were OK (one person hit the windscreen and was taken to hospital but was later discharged), my car was analysed.  The damage to the little Swift wasn’t too bad, though the bumpers were hanging down a bit low, and it was towed to a holding yard in Blackheath for the rest of the weekend.We all got back to Sydney on the train and the next night -- shaken and stirred --I received a call from Blackheath Police.  The night of the accident, the holding yard was broken into and my newly modified GTi had been stripped bare.  Some bastard had taken everything… seats, stereo, rims, steering wheel and even the battery.  From a locked, fenced holding yard.  I was shattered.  All that time…all that money…and for what?  And just to sink the boot in, the holding yard held no responsibility, meaning I lost my no-claim status.But you live and learn.  My ideas about how one should modify a car have matured over the years, and all those bling items have been avoided in my later cars.  I’ve also avoided the Caves since that day.  Damn I hate that place…