New Maruti Swift: Minimal updates for new generation, is that a bad thing?
November 21st, 2023
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New Swift unveiled
On 26 October 2023, Suzuki took the wraps off a new generation of the Swift hatchback. Technically, it’s the fourth generation and is expected to come to India in 2024. We have detailed the official unveiling, new petrol engine, as well as the dimensions.
While all of these are now known facts about the new Swift, there are talks in a lot of quarters about how this car feels more like a facelift; there are bits that should have received a major upgrade and then there are some that have been updated just to bring it into Suzuki’s latest design language and feature list. On the face of it, this might seem like a minimal effort for what is Suzuki's most successful global product to date but dig deeper and there appears to be a different story altogether.
Don’t fix what’s not broken
Launched in India in 2005, the Swift was one of the main catalysts that catapulted Maruti Suzuki into the big league in sales. In Maruti’s lineup since its inception 18 years ago, the Swift has sat in the top four models in terms of monthly sales.
The changing of generations in 2011 and 2018 did little to affect Swift’s sales. Even when the markets re-opened after Covid, the Swift topped out the meagre numbers that came in for those few months. All these point to the fact that if Maruti didn’t have a generational upgrade for the Swift this year, it wouldn’t have affected its sales at all and it could have carried in this current generation for another year at least.
Bigger focus on SUVs and EVs
Maruti has admitted that their small car sales have plateaued out for this financial year (FY) and while it will not drop, it is not expected to grow much than the previous FY. In a very obvious sense, this is down to a change in consumer preference for SUV-style vehicles, a game which Maruti began playing seriously last year only. It now has four SUVs in its lineup, with a fifth one due as its first BEV towards the end of next year. It must be noted that though the demand for small cars is still high in rural areas, it has come down from the previous FY.
An iconic brand
We are currently at an automotive crossroads where pure ICE is no longer top dollar and has to compete with LPG, CNG, biogas, hydrogen, and electric propulsion. If Maruti has to put its weight behind each of these, then what already works should be pointed in the right direction so that they can focus on the rest. The Swift’s formula has been more or less the same since its launch in 2005, allowing it to earn a name regarding small car expectations. To put it simply, if Swift became its own brand with different body styles, it would (continue) to do well for itself. The next-generation Maruti Swift will come to India in 2024. Here too it will be a generational change for the hatchback and expect a mid-year launch.
Source: carwale.com
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