The boss of Suzuki Australia has defined why the newest Swift arrived Down Underneath with a sub-par security specification that led to a one-star ANCAP security score, and prompted subsequent upgrades to get it to a few stars.
“After we acquired the chance to have the brand new mannequin Swift in Australia, we selected the specification set that was accessible for the Australian and New Zealand market – we took that on board not figuring out there have been some structural variations to the car for the European market,” Michael Pachota, common supervisor for Suzuki Australia, advised CarExpert.
“[The] European automobile acquired a three-star [Euro] NCAP security score, our automobile acquired one star. We then fed that again to the producer, and so they mentioned “nicely, there’s a slight specification distinction within the car itself”, to which level we then mentioned “okay, that’s the automobile we’d like” – so we phased out the one-star automobile and introduced within the three-star automobile.”
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When requested if that set a precedent for Suzuki Australia to demand the most secure and best-performing NCAP variations of recent fashions any more, Mr Pachota mentioned “undoubtedly”.
“It wasn’t preferrred. It wasn’t preferrred. And sure, we did undoubtedly strongly voice that opinion [to Suzuki HQ]. However with that mentioned, Suzuki Motor Company instantly labored with us to rectify our place and future product,” Suzuki’s native boss added.
After launching in June 2024, the fourth-generation Suzuki Swift initially scored a disappointing one-star ANCAP security score, with bodily crash testing revealing stark discrepancies in crash efficiency between the Australian- and New Zealand-delivered mannequin versus the three-star rated automobile bought in Europe.
Key points had been famous within the frontal offset and full-width crash checks, with the native security authority discovering “larger chest masses and leg damage threat (extreme pedal motion) to the driving force within the frontal offset check, and a considerably better rear passenger chest compression measurement recorded within the full-width check which exceeded allowable limits”.
“Safety of the chest – a essential physique area – was subsequently assessed as Poor and the rating capped, leading to 0 factors awarded for this check,” ANCAP added in its media launch.
Suzuki Australia then up to date the specification of the Swift to align it with its European equal, and subsequently had the car re-tested and re-rated by ANCAP in August 2025 – leading to an enchancment to a few stars.
“The up to date ANCAP three-star score displays adjustments to the Australian-spec Swift, which now incorporates the identical security reinforcements because the Euro-spec mannequin,” a Suzuki Australia spokesperson advised CarExpert in September.
“The Euro spec car included extra front-end reinforcements that weren’t current within the earlier Australian-spec model. These reinforcements have now been utilized to Australian fashions.”
In its unique 2024 ANCAP check, the Swift managed a 47 per cent rating for grownup occupant safety, 54 per cent for security help, and 59 per cent for little one occupant safety. Nonetheless, its weak highway consumer safety outcome was a commendable 76 per cent.
The 2025 replace improved that to a 67 per cent rating for grownup occupant safety, 55 per cent for security help and 65 per cent for little one occupant safety – however the identical 76 per cent rating for weak highway consumer safety.
Mr Pachota maintained that “security is paramount” for Suzuki Australia, including that the model is “completely” dedicated to car security regardless of not one of the model’s fashions at the moment sporting five-star scores.
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