RE: Suzuki calls time on Swift Sport, Jimny and more
Discussion
Simon_GH said:
Chris C2 said:
In 2023 Suzuki revealed a 5 model EV plan including one (shown in silhouette) looking very much like another Jimny. In the meantime there might be an opportunity for grey imports of 5 door Jimnies from India?
I think the Jinny would make a great EV. Isn’t that the best ecological solution for the planet, people buying reliable cars and keeping them!!
I've driven Ignis Sport and Swift Sport since 2007. I was looking forward to seeing what the latest Swift Sport would be like. I'll probably pick up an end the run Swift Sport as a used buy in a few years. I'm not interested in EV's unless they can produce something really mould braking. Too bad really, Suzuki, make fun, durable, reliable and relatively cheap cars. Maybe they can do some of that with electric.
OPC100 said:
Actually just reading about the ZEV mandate and it is 22% ev this year. Some manufacturers are going to have to do some serious 'juggling the books' this year to make that work.
They already are with restrictions and waiting times on new orders for ICE. I had heard that some manufacturers are thinking about completely pulling certain ICE models out of markets due to the fines levied if they miss their EV targets. Customer demand is still strong for ICE, especially small petrol models, but becoming increasingly stifled by the government EV targets. Suzuki’s decision seems to fit this and I wonder who will be next?Edited by C4ME on Saturday 29th June 14:19
I had the pleasure of having a Swift Sport Mk2 as a company car when I semi-retired to replace my Golf R. It was absolutely great in that it was much more fun than the Golf which was too clever for its own good. You could have real fun with the Suzuki on the road where the Golf would just look at you & ask when you were going to try! If you’re in the market for a Swift Sport, don’t discount it without trying one, a fantastic fun, value for money car. I still miss mine.
Mr Tidy said:
That's what I was thinking too. 
It's all smoke and mirrors, we are supposed to believe what they say rather than try and apply logic.Electric cars should be like the Dacia Spring or Renault 5, not 2 tonne SUVs.
But few consumers want them.
Surely Suzuki is finished in the UK, to be honest I am amazed they still sell cars in the UK.
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
It's all smoke and mirrors, we are supposed to believe what they say rather than try and apply logic.
Electric cars should be like the Dacia Spring or Renault 5, not 2 tonne SUVs.
But few consumers want them.
Surely Suzuki is finished in the UK, to be honest I am amazed they still sell cars in the UK.
You mean like the Zoe and Leaf ;o Electric cars should be like the Dacia Spring or Renault 5, not 2 tonne SUVs.
But few consumers want them.
Surely Suzuki is finished in the UK, to be honest I am amazed they still sell cars in the UK.
“They” have got it right, to attain mass adoption, it made perfect sense to push modes into the more expensive end of the market first where company car users would drive uptake. This then gives the volume on the road to incentivise investment infrastructure. This has all really only started gaining momentum in the last three or four years as EV became mainstream.
Now the market is ready to start accepting the smaller, lower price point cars. Remember, we only passed one million EV cars in the UK car fleet earlier this year, so less than one in thirty cars.
The ZEV Mandate is very comprehensively thought through and is all about gently, but insistently managing the transition in a balanced way so that manufacturers, infrastructure (including renewable energy generation and network) and buyers are all in synch-ish.
plfrench said:
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
It's all smoke and mirrors, we are supposed to believe what they say rather than try and apply logic.
Electric cars should be like the Dacia Spring or Renault 5, not 2 tonne SUVs.
But few consumers want them.
Surely Suzuki is finished in the UK, to be honest I am amazed they still sell cars in the UK.
You mean like the Zoe and Leaf ;o Electric cars should be like the Dacia Spring or Renault 5, not 2 tonne SUVs.
But few consumers want them.
Surely Suzuki is finished in the UK, to be honest I am amazed they still sell cars in the UK.
“They” have got it right, to attain mass adoption, it made perfect sense to push modes into the more expensive end of the market first where company car users would drive uptake. This then gives the volume on the road to incentivise investment infrastructure. This has all really only started gaining momentum in the last three or four years as EV became mainstream.
Now the market is ready to start accepting the smaller, lower price point cars. Remember, we only passed one million EV cars in the UK car fleet earlier this year, so less than one in thirty cars.
The ZEV Mandate is very comprehensively thought through and is all about gently, but insistently managing the transition in a balanced way so that manufacturers, infrastructure (including renewable energy generation and network) and buyers are all in synch-ish.
Infrastructure is a state role. So instead of HS2 we could spend billions on charging Infrastructure and on solar and wind farms. Plus also a cross party commitment to nuclear power. But we have not done that instead as had been said well off company car drivers have been given a tax break at the expense of others just wanting convenient affordable transport.
Sad that the Swift Sport will be no more...I loved my ZC32 Sport, it was the perfect little car for about town but could instantly turn into this maniac machine for attacking B-roads, I was convinced I couldn't crash it, if the ZC33 had been a two door one would be on the drive today.
Luckily I found another small lightweight three door Japanese B-road blaster in the shape of a GR-Yaris in Pearl White just like my Sport, but the Sport will still be one of the best cars I've owned.
Still making good money and plenty around with decent miles - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertisin...
Luckily I found another small lightweight three door Japanese B-road blaster in the shape of a GR-Yaris in Pearl White just like my Sport, but the Sport will still be one of the best cars I've owned.
Still making good money and plenty around with decent miles - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertisin...
The ZEV mandate, EU fleet emissions targets and other emissions legislation is utterly killing the car industry.
Even with the ICE models still on sale, all of the emissions crap they're forced to hump around adda £thousands to the price (part of the reason some manufacturers are abandoning small entry-level cars). If manufacturers aren't able to sell anything I actually want at a price that I'm prepared to pay, then I'm not going to be buying (or leasing) any more new / new-ish cars...and unlike their shareholders, I'm prepared to hold-out indefinitely.
Already there are only a handful of models that I'd even consider if I were in the market again...it's no wonder the average age of vehicles in the UK keeps going up!
Even with the ICE models still on sale, all of the emissions crap they're forced to hump around adda £thousands to the price (part of the reason some manufacturers are abandoning small entry-level cars). If manufacturers aren't able to sell anything I actually want at a price that I'm prepared to pay, then I'm not going to be buying (or leasing) any more new / new-ish cars...and unlike their shareholders, I'm prepared to hold-out indefinitely.
Already there are only a handful of models that I'd even consider if I were in the market again...it's no wonder the average age of vehicles in the UK keeps going up!
Paul106xsi said:
I assume this is some sort of weird April fools. These are the cars Suzuki is best known for. It would be like Ford ditching the fiesta, or VW getting rid of the Golf. Oh wait... that's exactly what they've done.
Golf hasn't gone anywhere. The best selling Suzuki is the Vitara.The Driving God said:
Slow news day 
Maybe that should read “sad news day.” The fact that Suzuki is a small player in the UK doesn’t matter. What does is that this news is a typical example of what is happening on a much larger scale - the progressive dwindling in the availability of fun to drive small, light cars which have often been highly valued by PH members.Suzuki could have carried on selling both the Jimny and Swift Sport if they'd paid closer attention to the European emissions regulations.
The fact they didn't, or didn't choose to react to them, shows that this region is just an afterthought to them globally. Jimny never had a decent lower emissions engine, not even a mild hybrid! Insane given that it's a desirable product that could have easily absorbed the price of it.
They've lagged on EVs, meaning they've nothing to offset their supermini sales. Now MG (which has played it right) is going to eat their lunch with the MG3 Hybrid and other models. Suzuki meanwhile just plods along, giving us a very similar Swift but without the Sport.
A potentially interesting company hamstrung by terrible leadership, seemingly. Either that or one that doesn't care much about the world beyond its massive Indian market.
The fact they didn't, or didn't choose to react to them, shows that this region is just an afterthought to them globally. Jimny never had a decent lower emissions engine, not even a mild hybrid! Insane given that it's a desirable product that could have easily absorbed the price of it.
They've lagged on EVs, meaning they've nothing to offset their supermini sales. Now MG (which has played it right) is going to eat their lunch with the MG3 Hybrid and other models. Suzuki meanwhile just plods along, giving us a very similar Swift but without the Sport.
A potentially interesting company hamstrung by terrible leadership, seemingly. Either that or one that doesn't care much about the world beyond its massive Indian market.
malaccamax said:
Suzuki could have carried on selling both the Jimny and Swift Sport if they'd paid closer attention to the European emissions regulations.
The fact they didn't, or didn't choose to react to them, shows that this region is just an afterthought to them globally. Jimny never had a decent lower emissions engine, not even a mild hybrid! Insane given that it's a desirable product that could have easily absorbed the price of it.
They've lagged on EVs, meaning they've nothing to offset their supermini sales. Now MG (which has played it right) is going to eat their lunch with the MG3 Hybrid and other models. Suzuki meanwhile just plods along, giving us a very similar Swift but without the Sport.
A potentially interesting company hamstrung by terrible leadership, seemingly. Either that or one that doesn't care much about the world beyond its massive Indian market.
I get the impression that for a lot of car makers, European legislation has become too extreme and it's becoming more trouble than it's worth to sell cars here. If things continue on their current course, most European manufacturers stand to be wiped-out by cheaply-made Chinese EVs.The fact they didn't, or didn't choose to react to them, shows that this region is just an afterthought to them globally. Jimny never had a decent lower emissions engine, not even a mild hybrid! Insane given that it's a desirable product that could have easily absorbed the price of it.
They've lagged on EVs, meaning they've nothing to offset their supermini sales. Now MG (which has played it right) is going to eat their lunch with the MG3 Hybrid and other models. Suzuki meanwhile just plods along, giving us a very similar Swift but without the Sport.
A potentially interesting company hamstrung by terrible leadership, seemingly. Either that or one that doesn't care much about the world beyond its massive Indian market.
All great cars in their own right. I have a ZC31 Swift Sport and it's arguably a perfect sporty hatch for many. Makes a good noise, revvy and urgent, handles very well, can fit a family, cheap to run and feels a lot faster than it is.
If they replace all this with big dump trucks it'll be sad, but my hope is a small electric hatch with similar performance figures to a Swift Sport, and similarly an electric Jimny replacement with similar dimensions.
If they replace all this with big dump trucks it'll be sad, but my hope is a small electric hatch with similar performance figures to a Swift Sport, and similarly an electric Jimny replacement with similar dimensions.
malaccamax said:
Doesn't care much about the world beyond its massive Indian market.
Why would it? Suzuki can simply carry on selling the cars it's already paid to design and that are very profitable in the parts of the world that it is still allowed to. Luckily for them that is where all the sale growth is too, unsurprisingly.So we will impoverish ourselves, get to drive crap expensive cars, while the rest of the world simply grows faster and eats our lunch and drives 'our' cars.
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