Third-generation Swift loaded with extras

The 2011 Swift is set to continue Suzuki's worldwide growth. Photo / Supplied

Suzuki aims to continue the sales success of the hatchback Swift when the third-generation model breaks cover in New Zealand early next year.

The five-door is Suzuki's best-selling model in this country and continues the Japanese company's worldwide growth.

It was the top selling new car in New Zealand in May, according to official Motor Industry Association figures, and lies in second place for the year so far, behind the Toyota Corolla and ahead of the Holden Commodore.

More than one million current model (second-generation) Swifts have been sold worldwide, including 450,000 in India. The global model is built in several locations and New Zealand sources its production from Japan.

"The continued popularity of the Swift in New Zealand and elsewhere is testament to the strength of the model," said Tom Peck, general manager of marketing for Suzuki NZ.

Pictures of the new model and its slightly larger bodyshell have just been unveiled in Europe. Inside, it gets a classy new interior, borrowing design styles from the mid-sedan Kizashi sedan.

The 90mm increase in overall length pushes out the wheelbase by 50mm to free up more room between the front and rear seats. There is also an extra 10mm of headroom.

The pictured dashboard incorporates a start/stop button, 200km/h speedo, a large central display for the Bluetooth and USB-compatible audio system, and cruise and audio steering wheel controls.

There's also an LCD screen in the centre of the instrument panel to display trip computer functions, including average fuel consumption. One of the pictures showed consumption of 6.3 litres/100km, or 45mpg.

Outside, the slightly larger bodyshell picks up evolutionary cues, with revised front and rear-end styling. The current Swift's wraparound lights on all four corners get a more elongated look.

The next-generation Swift is likely to come as a five-door once again, powered by a 1.4 or 1.5-litre petrol engine that is both more powerful and efficient than the current model's 74kW/133Nm 1.5-litre unit. There is also a 92kW/148Nm 1.6-litre four under the bonnet of the Swift Sport.

Nine versions of the Swift are available in New Zealand, ranging from the five-door XE , priced from $18,500, including five-year roadside assistance. The Sport variant costs $26,500.

In Europe, the new Swift's entry-level engine will be a new 69kW/118Nm 1.2-litre petrol unit that sprints to 100km/h in 12.3 seconds and offers a 165km/h top speed as a five-speed manual. It will also be available in some countries with a four-speed automatic transmission.

The 1.2-litre unit features dual variable valve technology and delivers 1kW more power and 2Nm more torque than the 1.3-litre petrol engine it replaces. Suzuki claims town-and-around fuel consumption for the 1.2 of 5 litres/100km (56.5mpg) against 5.8 litres/100km for the 1.3. The new unit also returns CO2 emissions of 116g/km, down from 140g/km.