Your First Look At The Next-gen Suzuki Swift Concept Ahead Of Its Official Debut

• New Suzuki Swift concept will debut at Japan Motor Show, which starts on October 26

• Previews what’s to come from the new-gen Swift model.

• Sharper styling gives hints of Mini Cooper.

• Tweaked cabin layout looks similar to the Fronx and Baleno.

• Will pack ADAS features like autonomous emergency braking, auto high beam assist and more.

• No engine specifications have been divulged yet.

Suzuki has given us a hint as to what to expect from the new-gen Swift by revealing pictures of the Swift concept, ahead of its global debut at the Japan mobility show. The show is set to commence on October 26 and will end on November 5. So you can expect the hatch to be presented anytime between these days.

It isn’t the new-gen Swift itself, but a concept version of it – previewing what to expect from the production-ready model. And from the looks of it, which seems close to production, the carmaker has taken a leaf off the design book of the British marque, Mini Cooper with similar muscular panels and windowline, which gives the concept a similar design parallel.

It retains a similar silhouette as the current Swift, but with significant changes to the elements within it. The front, for starters, looks much sharper, especially with the new headlights with the LED DRL signature. They rest below the pronounced bonnet line and almost flank the redesigned grille, which looks to have shrunk in size.  

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The profile has been slightly reworked with the door handles taking up a more conventional position in contrast to the rear C-pillar handles for the current Swift. The rear looks more familiar with a similar outline for the tailgate, taillights and even the bumper. The latter gets black inserts, while the taillights get an inverted C-shaped LED signature.

The cabin design and layout is very similar to what we’ve seen on the new Fronx, Grand Vitara and Baleno, only with slight tweaks to the dashboard. The colours used, however, are new and follow a blend of black, gloss black and white for that sportier look. You can expect this to change when the model comes to India. 

Not much is known in terms of features, but a nine-inch touchscreen system can be seen from the cabin images, which should come with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s still no fully digital driver’s display as it retains the analog dials with a MID display in the middle. The new Swift should continue to pack features like cruise control, automatic climate control, and keyless entry with push button start-stop. 

Apart from the usual safety kit, the new-gen Swift will come equipped with a bunch of ADAS features including autonomous braking assist, automatic high beam assist, and more.

Suzuki has kept a tight lip in terms of engine specifications, but we can say for a fact that the Swift isn’t going electric yet. The carmaker says “High-efficiency engine strikes a balance between driving performance and fuel efficiency”, so it could get a hybrid powertrain. Currently, the India-spec model is powered by a 1.2-litre DualJet petrol engine which develops 89PS and 113Nm, teamed with either a 5-speed manual or AMT. 

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Given that this concept looks really close to a production-ready model, we reckon the next-generation Swift could be breaking cover quite soon. Expect prices to get dearer whenever the new hatchback makes its way to our shores. For reference, prices for the Maruti Swift currently start from Rs 5.99 lakh. The next-gen Swift will continue to rival the likes of the Tata Punch, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, and be a hatchback alternative to the Renault Triber.