Suzuki Philippines today launched the 1.2-liter variants of its Swift subcompact hatchback, the Japanese carmaker's latest offering for "first-time car owners."
Sourced from India, the 1.2-liter Swift is powered by the same K12M engine used on the Swift Dzire sedan, with an output of 87hp and a torque of 114Nm. The small-displacement Swift hatchback also has 170mm of ground clearance, around 30mm higher than the 1.4-liter Swift, thanks to its higher-profile 185/65 R15 tires. Its turning radius has also improved to 4.8m from the 1.4’s 5.2m.
Externally, the 1.2-liter Swift can be differentiated from the 1.4-liter variant mainly by noting that the turn signals are located on the side mirrors and its grille design is more aggressive. For the interior, while the small-displacement Swift retains the dashboard and the fabric seats, the front seatbacks have been shaped to improve knee room and legroom for rear passengers. The rear seatback also folds down for added cargo space when needed.
"We are introducing the Swift 1.2 to the Philippines to make the well-loved Suzuki Swift available to a wider audience," said Suzuki Philippines president Hiroshi Suzuki. "At Suzuki, we are continuously innovating to make our products responsive to the needs of the markets where we operate. This new variant will offer the same great value and best-in-class performance of the Swift in a much more affordable package."
The 1.2-liter Swift will be available by July in Blazing Red, Glistening Gray, Silky Silver, Pearl Arctic White and Midnight Black, and will be priced at P608,000 for the manual transmission and P648,000 for the automatic transmission.
Photo by Patrick Everett Tadeo
