First look: Swift facelift from Suzuki

SUZUKI has released a facelifted version of its very popular EZ-series Swift light car in Japan, and is expected to introduce it in Australia later this year.

Suzuki has not tampered greatly with the successful formula for the Swift, which has been largely responsible for massive growth for the brand in Australia since being launched here in February 2005.

The facelifted Swift features new grille treatment, slightly redesigned front and rear bumpers, new tail-lights and the adoption of turning signals on the wing mirrors.

Interior changes involve upgraded trim levels while the only mechanically change seems to be slightly altered gear ratios for the Swift Sport, which was released here only eight months ago as the spiritual successor to the GTi.

When the current Swift was launched little more than two years ago, Suzuki Australia had just posted annual sales of 7206 vehicles, but just one year later that had almost doubled to 13,794 units, according to official VFACTS figures.

Sales rose a further 14.5 per cent last year, even though Suzuki Australia could not get enough Swifts from Japan to meet demand, while this year’s sales have taken off again, running 35.9 per cent higher for the first four months of 2007.

Swift sales in April were almost double the same month last year and the car accounts for 11.2 per cent of the light car segment this year, placing it third in the segment behind the Toyota Yaris (25.4 per cent) and Hyundai Getz (15.4 per cent).

Swift accounts for some 66 per cent of all Suzuki sales in Australia.

Globally, Suzuki Motor Corporation has just reported its eighth successive year of growth in the Japanese financial year to the end of March, with car sales increasing by 7.4 per cent to 2.2 million vehicles.

The company has targeted a further 8.2 per cent growth this year for cars (to 2.4 million), and 22 per cent for motorcycles (to 3.7 million).

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