The cars do a swift version of Battleship Row.
It’s fair to say that Suzuki’s little Swift has become something of a darling to many. Selling 1,800 fully imported examples of the Mk4 since its introduction in 2005 may not sound like much, but consider the very competitive market in the compact car category and this number becomes something to shout about.
In an effort to gain more ground, the Swift 1.5L is now being assembled locally in Suzuki Malaysia Automobile’s (SMA) facility based in Automotive Manufacturers’ Malaysia’s plant in Pekan, Pahang. The assembly plant covers 9,000sq m and features a RM20mil robotic welding line.
Although locally assembled, a considerable 90% of the Swift’s parts still come directly from Japan; the only part that is locally produced for now is the car battery. Suzuki Malaysia is undertaking the localisation process stage-by-stage; the wheels are next, and will be sourced from Enkei Malaysia.
A dashing yellow fella - the Swift Sport, all bright and bushy-tailed.
In terms of performance, the CKD (completely knocked down, ie, built locally) Suzuki Swift 1.5L VVT engine packs slightly more strength than the CBU (completely built up, ie, built overseas).
The handling of the car has also been improved with enhanced absorbers, said SMA’s chief executive officer, Bastamam Hamzah, during a plant visit for the media test-drive of the CKD Swift and the Swift Sport. Both were officially launched on Wednesday.
The CBU Swift Sport comes with a 1.6l twin-cam engine, offering 125bhp and 148Nm of torque, and is available in manual and automatic versions. The five-door Sport has some differences in external styling – a different rear spoiler, side skirting and two-tone front bumper with integrated fog lights. The rear bumper sports a pair of built-in reverse lights with two chromed exhaust tips.
The Sport also features two-tone fabric semi-bucket sport seats and rear disc brakes, as well as five-lug, multi-spoke 16-inch wheels.
An interesting feature is the keyless entry/start system; access is via push buttons located on the door handles and on the rear bonnet, and for the ignition, via a fixed knob.
The test drive started from the assembly plant and headed towards the Summerset Colonial Hotel in Kuala Rompin. I first had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Swift Sport automatic.
Sport by the beach is always fun.The Sport was certainly a lot of fun on the tranquil roads in Kuala Rompin. Soaking up the curves and turns was an awe-inspiring affair for me, a first-timer in a Swift. It feels remarkably responsive and peppy, even with three people – and luggage – as load, with a firm, stable ride going at speed on the trunk roads.The engine of the car can be deemed a little noisy, but you can say that it also lends a sportier feel to the experience, which is, of course, well in line with the car’s brief.
The next day, we started the journey back to Kuala Lumpur, this time in a Swift CKD. To my amazement, the Swift 1.5L turned out to be no slouch compared to the Sport, at least when it comes to engine response – getting back to KL proved effortless and quick. Truly, a very drivable car, and loads of fun.
The seats are more comfortable for long distance driving, and on the whole the Swift has a more relaxed feel about it than the Sport. It’s quiet, too, relatively so at speed, and the engine is virtually noiseless when stationary. As a passenger (after switching places), I remember asking my co-drivers whether they had turned the engine off, which of course was not the case.
Spoiler, rear lamps, twin exhaust tips and reverse lights on the bumper provide visual cues to the Sport's identity from the rear. Oh, and badge too, of course. Suzuki Malaysia has priced the Swift 1.5L at RM69,888, and there’s a Premier version that comes with leather seats, sporty body kit and window film tint for RM75,888 (both on the road, without insurance).As for the Swift Sport version, it will be available in August. Pricing is expected to be around RM99,000 for the manual and RM104,000 for the automatic, excluding insurance.
