Currently reading: Suzuki Swift Sport to go turbo

Suzuki’s next-generation small hot hatch will get 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine; due late next year

The much-loved Suzuki Swift Sport will switch to a turbocharged engine with its next-generation model.

The new Swift Sport is due to reach the UK by the end of next year following the launch of the new standard Swift supermini in the summer.

Power for the Swift Sport will come from a more potent version of the 138bhp 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine already used in the Suzuki Vitara crossover. This will replace the high-revving 136bhp normally aspirated 1.6-litre engine used in the current car. Expect all of the traits that have given the first two generations of Swift Sport cult status to carry over to the new car, including the engaging handling, impressive body control, slick manual gearbox, subtle bodykit and low kerb weight, which could even drop to less than 1000kg in the next-generation car.

The standard version of the next-generation Swift received an early online debut in March when images of a design concept were leaked. The proportions remain similar to those of the current model, but the design features an altogether sharper and more technical look, with sculpted body sides and a more distinctive treatment for the C-pillars.

The interior of the new Swift was also previewed, With the cabin of the design concept appearing to be much more premium and of a higher quality than that of the current Swift, with improved switchgear and materials and an infotainment screen in the centre console.

In the standard new Swift range, the big news will be the arrival of the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine from the Baleno.

The Swift will not be the next new Suzuki to market, however. The firm’s recent product expansion will continue with a production version of last year’s iM-4 compact SUV concept. This will be the firm’s smallest SUV and sister car to the existing Celerio.

The production version of the new compact SUV is expected at the Paris show later this year before going on sale early next year. 

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Car review

The Suzuki Swift may not be as well finished or as spacious as some rivals, but its aggressive pricing makes it an attractive option

Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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Shrub 31 May 2016

On my third new Suzuki...

and hoping the new Swift looks like the picture above. Just wish they would spend a few hundred pounds more on each unit (the cars would still undercut the competition) to lift the refinement and material quality closer to much of the competition. Good though they are, I've been frustrated with each of mine for being 'nearly cars'.
xxxx 31 May 2016

didn't know that..

Vauxhall put a badge on a Swift, what do they call it? Anyhow, the current car looked good enough for me to arrange a test drive and it only failed on a few point likes a badly positioned sat-nav that I couldn't see in daylight and more importantly an engine that needed > 4000 virtually all the time. The new turbo'd model should be great. Suzuki are on a bit of a roll at the moment!
whiteliner 31 May 2016

suzuki

Come on guys, Suzuki bought back their shares from GM years ago. It was the wagonR and Splash that Suzuki developed and allowed GM to use.
Suzuki have always been undervalued and written off by the journos. The people that matter those that put their money into their Suzuki know what they are doing.
Onwards and upwards for an individualistic auto maker.
This Swift will be a stunner.
xxxx 31 May 2016

PC

whiteliner wrote:

Come on guys, Suzuki bought back their shares from GM years ago. It was the wagonR and Splash that Suzuki developed and allowed GM to use.
Suzuki have always been undervalued and written off by the journos. The people that matter those that put their money into their Suzuki know what they are doing.
Onwards and upwards for an individualistic auto maker.
This Swift will be a stunner.

You're being to polite, to sum up Factczech just wanted to rubbish Vauxhall

whiteliner 31 May 2016

suzuki

GM/vauxhall still can't make their cars go round corners hard not even the new super dooper Astra (huge yawn, where is the sick bag, car of the year - what ??????????!!!!!)
Factczech 31 May 2016

Copy it?

Watch GM try to muscle in and stick a Vauxhall badge on it at some point, like they do with all Suzuki models and the media shouts oh how wonderful!
Suzuki makes some cracking little cars and 4x4s, its a shame they are limited by their tie-up with GM.