On the subject of Suzuki (well we were a few articles ago), it seems the current Swift is about to get a mid-life make-over. The Suzuki Swift has been out since 2004 and proven to be a winning combination of good looks, excellent build quality, snappy dynamics and a sweet ride.

The focus of the new upgrade will be to improve fuel efficiency for the home market (Japanese) Swift by introducing Suzuki’s brand new K12B 1.2-litre engine and a CVT transmission. How does 4.8 litres/100km sound…?

The Swift Sport (below) will get a new set of gear ratios and ESP (Electronic Stability Program) putting it one step ahead of the current Toyota Corolla in Australia. It is not known if Australia will get to see the 1.2-litre Swift. Currently the Australian-delivered cars use Suzuki’s 1.5-litre engine and while they are certainly economical, they achieve closer to 8.0 litres/100km.

If we see any of the upgrades filter down to the Australian spec Swifts, ESP across the Swift range would be a nice place to start. Everything else works well already and, as they say, “if ain’t broke don’t fix it…” The diminutive Swift remains one of our favourites.