Suzuki’s new B-segment hatchback will be the first in the company's range to feature the new 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol Boosterjet engine when it’s released at the end of this year. A mild hybrid version will also be offered.
The car will be based on the iK-2 concept hatchback, which was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva motor show, and will be pitched against rivals such as the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo and Kia Rio. The hatchback will be bigger than the Suzuki Swift, with a greater boot capacity and more space in the rear of the cabin. The Japanese car maker also confirmed that the same Boosterjet engine will be included in the line-up for the next-generation Swift.
The A-segment iM-4 concept car will also go into production – although not until after 2016 – as Suzuki plots to make its future cars “even lighter than they are now”. The mini-crossover, which is set to be slightly larger than the Suzuki Celerio, will be pitched against the all-wheel-drive Fiat Panda.
Sources at Suzuki also confirmed that, following the release of the Vitara and updated SX4 S-Cross, no more SUVs would be made, although a new generation of Jimny will be produced.
“There will be a new Jimny, but not until after 2018," sources said. "It will stay close to its utilitarian roots as a car more biased to off-road driving.”
Suzuki also dismissed suggestions that the G70 concept, shown at the Geneva motor show in 2012, would be produced for Europe.
“The low emissions technology from the G70 could appear in some cars in the future, and the car itself may appear in Asian markets, but the G70 will not be built for Europe,” a source said.
The UK is Suzuki’s biggest market in Europe. The manufacturer is hoping to increase its current sales target on the Continent from 200,000 models per year to its pre-recession high of 280,000.
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