Suzuki Swift: Cars it will fight against in the UAE

The Suzuki Swift has been released in many countries earlier this year. The third-generation Suzuki Swift, it can be comfortably said, is well received and now is in the UAE. The delectable Suzuki Swift, however,  isn’t available in the range-topping turbo petrol engine. Yes, we are referring to the Swift Sport. We still get the 1.2-litre engine which makes 84 PS of power and 113 Nm of torque. It is paired with a CVT.

Strangely enough, the UAE website of the Swift lists it as a 6-speed unit. CVT boxes are made up of ratios and not gears. Hence the strangeness in the listing. The vehicle is priced between AED 44,900 - AED 51,500. Nevertheless, the Suzuki Swift has to contend with a lot of competition in its segment. This includes the formidable and much European Skoda Fabia, Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Yaris, Peugeot 208 and the Kia Picanto. Let’s see what each one of them has to offer here.

Mitsubishi Mirage

The Mitsubishi Mirage is the most affordable car from the company here. It measures 3,795 mm in length, 1,665 mm in width and 1,510 mm in height. The wheelbase is 2,450 mm. It is a conventional good looking hatchback and one that finds fewer takers because of the way it looks. Honestly, we believe it has got to do more with the features on offer. Mitsubishi doesn’t offer a touchscreen infotainment system with this vehicle, something which others offer. That being said, even the Swift doesn’t come with one. The 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine makes 78 PS and 100 Nm. It is mated to a CVT. ABS with EBD and dual airbags are on offer. Mitsubishi has priced the Mirage from AED 35,595.

Kia Picanto

Kia’s smallest is also the most vivacious of the lot here. It measures 3,595 mm in length, 1,595 mm in width and 1,490 mm in height. Kia has given the Picanto a wheelbase of 2,385 mm. The Kia as is the trend with vehicles from the Korean maker, brings in a lot of features like climate control, projector headlights and a sunroof. It also has the best build quality of the lot mentioned here. The engine is a 1.2-litre unit that makes 86 PS of power and can be optioned either with a 5-speed manual or an automatic. Kia is known to make sporty vehicles and the Picanto also leans towards that side. We like the fact that it comes with four airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control and ESP. The starting price is AED 36,900.

Skoda Fabia

 

The Skoda Fabia that sells here is the older version. However, with Skoda UAE not commenting on when the new one is making its way here, we will have to contend with the older car. The Skoda Fabia then looks a bit staid in front of newer competition. It has its virtues with a cabin that reeks of roominess. In terms of dimensions, the Skoda Fabia measures 3,992 mm in length, 1,642 mm in width and 1,498 mm in height. The wheelbase is 2,462 mm. The Skoda, as expected, is a bit low on features but you do get the essentials like the adjustable headlights, auto climate control, powered mirrors and height adjustable seat. Skoda also provides dual airbags, ABS along with EBD, MSR, traction control and a whole lot of safety features. The engine is the biggest unit here. It is a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre unit that makes 105 PS of power and 153 Nm. The transmission is a 6-speed dual clutch unit that enhances the performance of the engine. Skoda has priced the Fabia at AED 56,000.

Peugeot 208

This is the most technologically advanced car in this mix and one that is a hoot to drive as well. The Peugeot 208 is the company’s smallest offering in UAE. However, there is no such thing as small when you see the 208. The dimensions stand at 3,973 mm x 1,739 mm x 2,004 mm for the length, width and height respectively. The wheelbase is 2,538 mm. It is not only stylish but also roomier inside. The interior is by far the most enchanting of the lot you see here. It has a colour display for the touchscreen and has optional Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality. There is also MirrorLink. Peugeot also provides for safety features like City Brake, Parking Assist, rear view camera with sensors, six airbags and more. The engine is a 115 PS 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol. It uses a 6-speed DSG box to row throw the gears swiftly. That being said, it is also the costliest amongst this lot with a starting price of AED 70,000.

Toyota Yaris Hatchback 

 

The Yaris has just received a facelift and looks fresh due to the same reason. The dimensions are 4,145 mm x 1,730 mm x 1,500 mm for the length, width and height respectively. Here, as you can see, it has got projector headlights, LED DRLs, alloy wheels and a sense of roominess. In fact, it is true that the Yaris hatchback has the most space amongst all of the cars mentioned here. The interior also looks a tad different with its beige configuration. There is auto AC, touchscreen infotainment system and rear AC vents. There is also reverse camera with parking sensors, dual airbags, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability control and tyre pressure monitoring system. In terms of engine, there are two petrols on offer. The 1.3-litre unit makes 98 PS of power and 125 Nm of torque. The 1.5-litre makes slightly more power at 106 PS but has more torque at 145 Nm. Both the engines can be ordered only with a 7-speed transmission. Again, this is a CVT but we aren’t sure why the 7-gear classification. The Toyota Yaris is priced between AED 58,700 - 68,200.

Suzuki Swift

It is the newest of the lot here and has grown marginally when compared with the outgoing car. This can be seen in the dimensions - 3,840 mm length, 1735 mm in width and 1,495 mm in height. The wheelbase has also gone up and is now 2,450 mm. Suzuki though only offers the mid variants here in UAE and that is surprising. Still the Swift comes with an all-black interior, push button start, Bluetooth-enabled music system and more. In terms of safety, dual airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat mounts are standard. There is more space now at the back and while seating three abreast will still be not an ideal solution for long distances, the Swift does give the sense of roominess.