Small car hits big target as new model looms
Suzuki's humble little Swift has hit the big five oh oh oh oh oh oh this month, clocking its five millionth international sale just over 10 years since the nameplate returned to international showrooms in 2004.
“We have been overwhelmed and clearly delighted by the on-going sales strength of the Swift in New Zealand,” said Gary Collins, General Manager Automobile marketing for Suzuki New Zealand.
“It is significant that the sustained popularity of the model in New Zealand is also reflected in overseas markets.”
Collins isn't wrong, considering the Swift's notable popularity in India, Europe, and Japan. The Indian market even gets its own diesel Swift variant.
Of course, New Zealand have contributed to the big sales number as well (try and count the amount of Swifts you see on your commute tomorrow morning, especially if you're an Aucklander or a Hamiltonian ...), with the Swift ranking as our top selling new car in the 'light car' segment for the last 11 years.
Making its New Zealand debut in 2011, the current Swift is likely to be replaced in 2017 by a new-look model — images of its design leaking earlier this year. Apart from a new look inside and out, the revised Swift is set to feature several new powertrains, including a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo for base models, and a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine for the top Swift Sport; replacing the naturally aspirated 1.6-litre current Sports utilize.
Despite the age of its platform, the last million Swift sales took less than two years to complete, showing that the nimble little fighter can still toe it in the same marketplace alongside more technologically advanced rivals.