India is a Swift loving country, period! If there ever was a list of things Indians cumulatively agree upon, the Swift would have made the top five most easily. The car known for its impressive handling, sporty looks and frugal yet powerful engine options worked wonders on the owners who swear by the product, even after nine years of ownership. A globally successful model for Suzuki, the Japanese giant recently announced that over four million units of the Swift hatchback were sold worldwide, with over half of the sales coming from India.
First launched in Japan in 2004, the Suzuki Swift was an instant success with the masses and soon made way in other countries including Hungary, India and China the following year. The response was similar in India as well, when the economic growth further fuelled the Swift’s success, while the addition of the diesel and sedan version consolidated the hatchback’s dominance in the segment. The company reached cumulative sales of four million units in August 2014, i.e. nine years and nine months since the start of sales in 2004.
Suzuki also made sure to refresh the model when new competition poured into the segment. The Swift received a comprehensive facelift in 2010, while the Swift DZire saw its boot cut to be tucked under the sub 4-metre mark that further catapulted the model’s success in India. The Swift DZire most recently was also the most sold vehicle in the country averaging over 18,000 units per month, beating the Alto for the position. The company also expanded to other markets in recent years and commenced sales and distribution of the Swift in Thailand in March 2012.
Suzuki also stated that out of the total global sales, 19 percent were sold in Europe and 11 percent in Japan. The hatchback first achieved the 1 million unit sales mark in June 2008 and sold 2 million units by January 2011, while January 2013 saw the Suzuki Swift achieve 3 million units of worldwide sales. In total, Suzuki retails the Swift in over 140 countries globally and the car is produced in 8 countries worldwide. India will soon get a mildly updated Swift that is scheduled to be launched in the coming months.
