Suzuki Swift: A Japanese icon celebrates 40 years

The Swift made its debut at the 1983 Tokyo Motor Show.

The Suzuki Swift is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. As Maruti Suzuki gears up for the launch of the new Swift in India, let us take a look back at the five generations of the popular hatchback.

The Swift made its debut at the 1983 Tokyo Motor Show. It was sold as the Cultus / SA310 in Japan, before adopting the Swift name in 1985.

The Swift was introduced in the UK in 1989. It came in two body styles: 3-door and 5-door. The car had interdependent suspension all around and was offered with either a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder or 1.3-litre 4-cylinder engine.

Maruti Suzuki launched the Swift in the Indian market in 2005. Since then, we have seen three generations of the Swift. It was initially offered with a 1.3-litre petrol engine, which was later replaced with a 1.2-litre unit. The car was also available with a diesel engine option.

The Swift Sport - a sportier version based on the third-generation model was sold in the global market. It came with a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. Subsequent iterations were offered in a 3-door body style and a 6-speed gearbox.

The outgoing version of the Swift was introduced at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. In India, the car was offered with a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.3-litre diesel engine at launch. The upcoming model will be powered by the new Z-series 1.2-litre 3-cylinder engine.

The Swift is one of the most popular cars sold in India. It achieved the 1 million sales milestone in 2013. In 2021, Swift sales crossed the 2.5 million unit mark.