2022 Suzuki Swift price and specs: Base price up $1000 with new S grades

The 2022 Suzuki Swift city car range has gained new GL S entry variants, with more features than before – in all states outside of Queensland – but higher prices to match.

Replacing the GL and GL Plus variants respectively (outside of Queensland), the new Swift GL S and and GL S Plus gain LED headlights, keyless entry, and in the Plus' case, rear parking sensors – but cost $1000 more to buy, and can no longer be optioned with two-tone paint.

These S variants apply to all states bar Queensland, where Suzuki vehicles are sold by a different distributor. The national GL S models are marketed as GL and GL+ Limited Editions, alongside GL Navigator, GL, GL Plus, GLX Turbo and Sport grades.

While the latest round of increases adds $1000, multiple price rises have seen the cost of the cheapest Suzuki Swift rise from $18,990 to $23,490 plus on-road costs since mid-2020, up $4500 – or a $5500 increase in drive-away pricing.

That's despite the removal of in-built satellite navigation, due to the adoption of a new 9.0-inch touchscreen (up from 7.0-inch) in late 2021, fitted on Australian shores to navigate semiconductor shortages at the Japanese factory.

The base Swift GL S continues to go without any form of advanced safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning or blind-spot monitoring – and therefore carries a four-star ANCAP safety rating from 2017, compared to higher grades' five-star scores.

That leaves the Swift GL one of four remaining models in the 'light car' market segment without AEB, joining the base Kia Rio S and SX, and all versions of the Suzuki Baleno and top-selling MG 3.

Meanwhile, the GLX Turbo has increased by $3500 plus on-roads (or $4500 drive-away) since the updated Series II model arrived in September 2020, while the Sport hot hatch has risen by $2000 across its RRP and drive-away price.

No changes have been made to standard features on the higher grades, aside from the locally-installed 9.0-inch screen on the GLX Turbo. The Sport – and Queensland's GL Navigator – retain the Japanese 7.0-inch display, incorporating satellite navigation.

A full list of standard features for all models is included at the bottom of this story.

Powering the entry-level GL S and GL S Plus is a 1.2-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, sending 66kW and 120Nm to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission in the GL S, or a CVT automatic as an option in the GL S, or standard in the GL S Plus.

Meanwhile, the GLX Turbo gains a 1.0-litre turbocharged 'Boosterjet' three-cylinder petrol engine with 82kW and 160Nm, with a conventional six-speed automatic transmission as standard.

The flagship Sport hot hatch variant is a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, routing 103kW and 230Nm to the front wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed auto.

While the Sport is about 50kW and 30-80Nm down on its hot city hatch competitors, it tips the scales in at 970-990kg, some 200kg less. Standard Swift models weigh between 870kg and 945kg, contributing to claimed combined fuel economy between 4.6 and 5.1L/100km.

The Swift might have burst well beyond $25,000 drive-away with an automatic, however Suzuki remains in the sub-$20,000 car market with the Baleno hatch – priced from $19,990 drive-away with a manual, or $20,990 with an auto.

The 2022 Suzuki Swift range is on sale now.