New Suzuki Swift global unveil on December 27

Update: New 2017 Suzuki Swift revealed

A few months ago, a set of leaked computer-generated renderings of the Swift Sport surfaced online giving us a hint of what the new-gen Swift (codenamed YSD) would look like. Now we have the first clear image of the front of the regular production car, and it's quite something. The new Swift will see a global unveil in Japan later this month on December 27, 2016. 

Suzuki has managed to keep the identity of the Swift intact; this clearly is a Swift. But the new car also looks quite different from the current car, whose styling was much more evolutionary. The clamshell like bonnet and the headlights help keep the identity of the car, but there are plenty of new bits, for instance the Audi-like ‘floating’ grille, which even gets a similar chrome garnish. Alongside, there are deep fog light recesses under the headlights, which also look like they could have a flow through and form an aerodynamic ‘air-curtain’ around the wheels. The new Swift, as has been the case with the previous two generations, also gets blacked-out A and B pillars and a floating roof.

The rear door handle is now hidden as it is now tucked away into the window frame.

Importantly, to keep the Swift from encroaching into the Baleno’s territory (with which it shares its platform), the next-gen car will be about the same size as the current one. And because it is smaller, it could be even lighter than the 890kg Baleno. Weight reduction in the new platform has been created by using simple smooth-flowing shapes. Done to help share the load, the new platform as a result has no need for heavy reinforcements. Overall rigidity as a result is now 10 percent higher than the earlier platform. The weight however is 15 percent lower, which of course positively impacts both performance and fuel economy.

The interiors of the car will be sportier than before. Pictures of the test car from our sister publication Autocar UK reveal a sporty and minimalist dashboard, a new upmarket steering wheel, and a sporty two-pod instrument cluster. However, the India-bound model is expected to get a unique interior, which it will share with the next-gen Swift Dzire. Fully-loaded variants are expected to get a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink compatibility, like in the Baleno and Vitara Brezza.

The new Swift is likely to carry forward the current model’s 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engines. It could also get a new 1.5-litre diesel developed in-house by Maruti, and the 1.0-litre BoosterJet turbo-petrol engine which will debut in the upcoming Baleno RS in February 2017.

A high-performance Swift Sport model is also expected to be under development with the car slated to make its international debut late 2017. The Sport is likely to use an upgraded version of the 140hp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine currently seen in the Vitara for international markets.

Company sources tell us that Maruti has currently begun testing the next-gen Swift and the Dzire in India.

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