News Guides Comparisons Specs & Price

Suzuki Swift Vs. Toyota Yaris Vs. Honda City [Comparison]

The subcompact car segment of Pakistan has longed for new entrants for several years. Recently, however, car companies have launched several new offerings in the market.

A recently retired Suzuki Swift has also made a return in its updated form. Along with a few updates in design and features, the vehicle has also received a significant price bump, which will put it up against mid-range cars such as Toyota Yaris and Honda City.

This article will compare the new Suzuki Swift with Pakistan’s most popular subcompact sedans to see if its expected high price makes sense:

Exterior Styling

Toyota Yaris

Even though the public has become familiar with the Toyota Yaris, it is still an ugly-looking car. The large headlights, front grille, and a huge bumper-grille down below make for a weird front end. The strange styling continues on the side, as the stocky side profile, a pronounced ride height, and small tire size also seem to clash with each other.

The rear has a minimalistic look compared to the noisy front. The slightly longer tail, sleek taillights, and smooth bumper design make the rear end of Yaris look like a baby Corolla. The design team for the Yaris seemed to have had severe internal disagreements that resulted in its disproportionate look.

Honda City

Stylistically, the 6th generation of the Honda City is not strikingly different from the previous generation, which is a positive element. It has a similar compact body with a few cosmetic differences.

The front-end features a pair of new halogen headlights and LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), a front grille is similar to that of a new Honda Civic, a revised bumper design, and a chiseled bonnet.

On the side, there are a few pronounced lines that span from the taillights to the front passenger doors. The alloy rim design is also better-looking, and the chrome door handles add finesse to the vehicle’s overall style.

The rear end has a refreshed rear bumper, taillights (Non-LED for Pakistan), a chrome strip between the taillights, and a mesh-patterned black trim piece at the bottom of the bumper. Overall, the 6th generation City boasts a sharp look.

Suzuki Swift

The new Suzuki Swift borrows styling characteristics from the European hot-hatches. The revised headlight design with projector lamps and LED DRLs, coupled with a gapping mesh front grille and a sporty front bumper allow for an exciting look.

The side profile is stout and muscular, courtesy of the pronounced wheel-arches, a swollen rear fender, and a high beltline. Other unique elements include black A-pillars, an edgy alloy wheel design, and the quirky rear-door handles mounted next to the C-pillars.

The rear seems somewhat inspired by the Mini Cooper. The stocky taillight design, coupled with a bulging tailgate, a rearward raked roof, and a smooth, yet stylish rear bumper makes for an athletic look. Overall, the new Swift’s design oozes fun.

Interior

Toyota Yaris

Although neat and clean, Yaris’ interior is made almost completely out of scratchy plastics. However, silver trim pieces around the vents, center control stack, and steering wheel slightly class up the interior.

The seats are covered in soft cotton fabric and the cabin is spacious enough to comfortably accommodate either a young family of five (two adults and three children) or four adults. People over six feet tall are likely to struggle in the backseat because of sparse legroom.

Honda City

The new City looks mostly the same as the old model. The steering wheel is the same, with the exception of multifunction control buttons, while the dash design is slightly refreshed.

Like the previous generation, the dash is made entirely of black and grey plastic trim pieces. The cream-colored headliner, door panels, and seat fabric give the cabin an airy feel.

The space seems plenty enough to seat a family of five but tall people might struggle. The new City offers added comfort of rear air vents to the passengers in the back.

Suzuki Swift

The new Swift’s interior is not a drastic improvement over the old model. Like its rivals, Swift’s interior also has scratchy plastics everywhere.

Also, the dark fabric and panels add to the dreariness of the interior. A few positive changes include a redesigned gauge cluster, steering wheel, and center control stack.

Swift is a small family car that can only seat four-to-five passengers. The rear seats can accommodate three children or two adults comfortably as well. Overall, Swift’s interior leaves a lot to be desired in terms of styling and quality.

Dimensions and Weight

Being a hatchback, the Swift is a much smaller and lighter vehicle than City and Yaris. The measurements of all three vehicles are as follows:

Measurements Honda City Toyota Yaris Suzuki Swift
Wheel Base 2,600 mm 2,250 mm 2,450 mm
 Overall Width 1,694 mm 1,730 mm 1,695 mm
Overall Length 4,442 mm 4,425 mm 3,840 mm
Overall Height 1,498 mm 1,475 mm 1,500 mm
Kerb Weight (Top Trim Level) 1,165 kg 1,100 kg 1,000 kg
Ground Clearance 172 mm 175 mm 163 mm
Trunk Capacity 510 Ltr 476 Ltr 265 Ltr

Performance

Toyota Yaris

Yaris is offered with two powertrain choices — the base 1.3-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 98 hp, and 123 Nm of torque, and a bigger 1.5 liter, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 106 hp, and 14o Nm of torque. Both engines can be mated to either a 5-speed manual or a CVT automatic transmission.

The car’s suspension setup has McPherson struts upfront and a Torsion Bar Coil-Spring suspension at the back. It has disc brakes on all four wheels with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS).

Toyota claims that both the powertrains offer 14 to 16 km/liter fuel economy, but the actual figures vary depending on road and traffic conditions.

Honda City

The 6th generation City has two engine options — a 1.2 liter, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 89 hp and 110 Nm of torque, and a 1.5 liter, naturally aspirated, 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 118 hp and 145 Nm of torque. Both engines can be mated to either a 5-speed manual or a CVT transmission.

The car consists of McPherson struts upfront and a Torsion Bar Coil-Spring suspension in the back. It has disc brakes on all four wheels with ABS technology.

The 1.2 variants are known to provide a fuel average of 13 to 16 km/liter while the 1.5 variants manage about 10 to 14 km/liter. However, these figures differ with respect to varying road conditions.

Suzuki Swift

Swift is offered with a naturally aspirated 1.2-liter four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 90 hp and 120 Nm of torque and is paired with a 5-speed manual or a CVT/five-speed AGS automatic gearbox.

Like its competitors, it has a McPherson strut suspension up front and a Torsion Bar Coil-Spring suspension in the back. It also has disc brakes on all four wheels with ABS technology.

According to the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Swift offers up to 20 km/liter, however, these figures may vary on Pakistani roads.

Features

The following comparison is between top variants only to determine the complete range of features that they offer. These are their specs and features:

Specs and Features Honda City 1.5 Aspire CVT Toyota Yaris 1.5 ATIV X CVT Suzuki Swift GLX
Safety 
Central Power Door Locks Yes Yes Yes
Immobilizer System and Burglar Alarm Yes Yes Yes
Parking Sensors No No Yes 
Backup Camera Yes Yes Yes
Fog Lights Yes Yes Yes
Daytime Running Lights Yes Yes Yes
ABS Brakes Yes Yes Yes
Hill-start Assist No Yes Yes
Traction + Vehicle Stability Control No Yes Yes
Cruise Control Yes No Yes
Airbags 2 2 6
Convenience 
Infotainment System Yes Yes Yes
Advanced Gauge Cluster with a Digital Screen Yes Yes Yes
12 Volt Socket Yes Yes Yes
USB Connectivity Yes Yes Yes
Automatic Climate Control Yes Yes Yes
Rear A.C. Vents Yes No No
Outside Rear View Mirror Electric Folding Yes No Yes
Keyless Entry and Push Start Yes Yes Yes
Steering Wheel Multimedia-Control Switches Yes Yes Yes
Adjustable Steering Wheel Yes Yes Yes
ISO Fix Child Seat Anchors Yes Yes Yes

 

Expected Price and Verdict

Suzuki Swift appears to be of promising value on paper. However, with an expected price tag that places it deep into the subcompact sedan territory, it will face tough competition in Pakistan. The prices of all three vehicles are as follows:

  • Honda City
    • Honda City 1.2L M/T — Rs. 2,729,000
    • Honda City 1.2L CVT — Rs. 2,949,000
    • Honda City 1.5L CVT — Rs. 3,069,000
    • Honda City 1.5L Aspire M/T — Rs. 3,199,000
    • Honda City 1.5L Aspire CVT — Rs. 3,369,000
  • Toyota Yaris
    • Toyota Yaris GLI MT 1.3 — Rs. 2,612,000
    • Toyota Yaris ATIV MT 1.3 — Rs. 2,745,000
    • Toyota Yaris GLI CVT 1.3 — Rs. 2,817,000
    • Toyota Yaris ATIV CVT 1.3 — Rs. 2,919,000
    • Toyota Yaris ATIV X MT 1.5 — Rs. 2,970,000
    • Toyota Yaris ATIV X CVT 1.5 — Rs. 3,175,000
  • Suzuki Swift
    • Suzuki Swift GL — Rs. 2,499,000
    • Suzuki Swift GL CVT — Rs. 2,699,000
    • Suzuki Swift GLX CVT — Rs. 2,899,000

With a price tag close to Rs, 3 million, the Swift will only appeal to a small niche of car buyers. On the flip side, its popularity might result in huge sales figures for Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC).



  • Get Alerts

    Follow ProPakistani to get latest news and updates.


    ProPakistani Community

    Join the groups below to get latest news and updates.



    >