Geneva show: Suzuki confirms new small hatchback

SUZUKI has confirmed for production a five-door hatchback that appears to split the difference between its zippy Swift hatch and outgoing Kizashi sedan.

Shown as the low-slung but wide iK-2 light hatchback concept at this week’s Geneva motor show, the vehicle is 173mm longer than the Swift but a chunky 100mm wider than the Kizashi.

The concept could pave the way for a new-generation Swift while making room for the fresh Celerio compact hatch to move up a notch from the departed Alto.

While the iK-2 has grown in some dimensions compared with the Swift, it sits lower with a 1450mmm height versus the Swift's 1510mm.

A working title for the new Suzuki is yet to be announced, but the Japanese car-maker has confirmed the concept will go into production before its European launch next year, with a hybrid version headlining the range.

More conventional variants will be powered by a 1.0-litre Boosterjet three-cylinder turbocharged engine, pitching the little Suzuki against light car heavyweights, the Ford Fiesta, Mazda2 and Volkswagen's Polo.

Suzuki has applied what it calls Liquid Flow to the concept's styling for a look of “classy elegance” and “harmony”.

Its chunky looks verge on a crossover vehicle with squared wheel arches and 18-inch wheels, while a view from the rear reveals a blend of Holden Cruze hatch and Citroen DS3.

The new car will be “built around a new-generation platform” and could share underpinnings with the forthcoming Vitara SUV, but Suzuki has yet to confirm any details of the new model including performance figures.

That said, as per Suzuki's concept naming system, the 2 in its title suggests it will be two-wheel drive, and most likely front-drive.

LED headlights frame the front end that carries hints of the Kizashi face along with styling cues from the Swift as well as the iV-4 concept that previewed the next-Generation Vitara.

Suzuki says the new vehicle will bring all the attributes expected from a car of its size, while the new platform has advantages in the fields of noise, vibration and harshness, performance, handling, safety and efficiency.