Maruti Suzuki introduced the new generation Swift in India earlier this year and the made-in-India model has now made its way to the South African market as well. The India-made 2018 Suzuki Swift has been launched in South Africa. The model is produced at Suzuki's Sanand facility in Gujarat, which caters to the domestic demand and exports as well. Exports from India to South Africa commenced in April this year. The Suzuki Swift is offered two variants - GA and GL with the latter getting the option of a manual and automatic.
Also Read: 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift Review
(Offered in the base trims, the new Swift for South Africa misses out on a few features)
The base GA Suzuki Swift is similar to the LXi trims for India with black coloured A- and B-pillars, ORVMs, and steel wheels, while the feature list is restricted to the HVAC unit and power windows. The GL trim adds 15-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, body coloured ORVMs, fog lamps with turn indicators, while the cabin gets multi-function steering wheel, 2-DIN audio system with AUX, USB and Bluetooth connectivity options. The car does come with all the safety essentials including dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchorage points. Both variants come with fabric upholstery in the cabin.
The South African-spec 2018 Suzuki Swift is only offered with the 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine that is tuned to produce 82 bhp at 6000 rpm and 113 Nm of peak torque at 4200 rpm. The motor comes paired to a 5-speed manual and the automated manual transmission (AMT) options.
(The 2018 Suzuki Swift for South Africa only gets the petrol engine with MT and AMT options)
The fourth generation Suzuki Swift made its global debut in Japan last year and is based on the automaker's Heartect platform. The all-new model is a complete departure from its predecessor sporting a more rigid chassis, while the wheelbase has grown by 20 mm. The all-new hatchback is also 40 mm wider and 10 mm shorter than its predecessor.
Also Read: New Gen Maruti Suzuki Swift Crosses 1 Lakh Units Sales
It should be noted that the India-spec 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift is nearly identical to the European version on the feature front. The range-topping Z trims on the car get all the bells and whistles including the projector lens headlamps, LED DRLs, diamond cut alloy wheels, touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; auto climate control, push-button start and a lot more. Launched at the Auto Expo 2018 with a starting price of Rs. 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), Maruti Suzuki recently achieved a milestone of one lakh sales since its launch.
