Suzuki Swift Specs, Release and Review

The 2017 Suzuki Swift has been spotted testing ahead of making its debut at the Geneva motor show next year.

The fourth-generation hatchback is expected to be lighter and smaller than the 935kg Baleno, which it will also share some engines with.

The 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine will be carried over to the new Swift. It's likely the 1.4-litre unit will be used for the new Swift Sport, but the manufacturer is yet to confirm if the 1.2-litre Dualjet would be used. Suzuki also remains tight-lipped on the prospect of hybrid technology being used on the model in the future.

The spy shots show the car’s evolution to a more grown-up design than the current Swift, despite the similar features, such as the 'floating' roof. The majority of the changes have taken place at the front of the car, where there's a new nose with a hexagonal grille and large air intakes. The headlights are also new, and mirror a similar design used on the upcoming Baleno.

Inside the new Swift, there's an upgraded interior, but the model in these shots does not have a touchscreen infotainment system previously shown in leaked design images which also showed its Swift Sport counterpart. Suzuki says the next-generation Swift will be as generously equipped as the current model.

The dimensions of the next Swift will be very similar to the current generation in order to avoid any encroachment on the Baleno, which Suzuki describes as the more practical choice, with the Swift as the 'emotional' choice. The spy pictures show a five-door variant of the Swift with hidden rear door handles and, with that model accounting for the vast majority of sales, it is possible that the three-door version could be axed from the range.

There's no word on official pricing yet, but if the car loses a three-door variant then it's likely the entry-level Swift will be pricier than the £8,999 for the current base model. Suzuki says it will remain competitively priced, though.

Production of the 2017 Swift will start by May next year; a public debut is slated for the Geneva motor show in March.

The Swift Sport will come up to a year after the standard supermini is launched.