The Suzuki Swift, a popular compact hatchback, has hit a significant safety snag in Australia and New Zealand. While its European counterpart holds a three-star safety rating, locally-sold models of the fourth-generation Swift have been assessed by ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) and scored a concerning one-star rating.
The Suzuki Swift entered the Australasian market earlier this year, with Suzuki Australia acknowledging differences in safety specifications between the European and local versions. In response, ANCAP conducted additional crash tests on locally-sold models to evaluate their safety performance.
Crash Test Findings: A Cause for Concern
Testing revealed key weaknesses in both physical crash protection and collision avoidance systems. Locally-sold Swift models scored:
- 47% for Adult Occupant Protection
- 59% for Child Occupant Protection
- 54% for Safety Assist
Notably, the frontal offset crash test exposed heightened risks of chest injuries and leg injuries for drivers due to excessive pedal movement. In full-width crash tests, rear passengers suffered significant chest compression, surpassing allowable limits. The critical chest protection category was rated as Poor, capping the score at zero for these assessments.
Child safety also emerged as a weak point. Red-coded indicators in ANCAP’s technical report highlighted inadequate protection for the head and chest of child dummies during head-on and side-impact crash tests. The 59% score for Child Occupant Protection is among the lowest recorded by ANCAP to date.
Design Discrepancies Between Markets
“The design of some structural elements and restraints in locally-sold Swift vehicles appears to lack robustness, leading to variation in crash performance,” explained ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg. These findings underscore significant disparities between Swift models sold in Europe and those in Australasia, despite a 2018 alignment in test and rating criteria by ANCAP and its European counterpart, Euro NCAP.
The Broader Picture: A Pattern of Variation
The Suzuki Swift is not alone in exhibiting safety performance discrepancies across markets. Recent ANCAP assessments of the Honda Civic, CR-V, and ZR-V also uncovered differences in safety credentials. These cases highlight the ongoing importance of scrutinizing locally available models to ensure transparency and safety for buyers.
A Reminder for Buyers
“This one-star result serves as an important reminder for prospective buyers to check the ANCAP safety rating of the vehicle they’re looking to buy,” Hoorweg emphasized.
The findings leave Suzuki Swift enthusiasts in Australia and New Zealand with a sobering message: safety credentials can vary dramatically depending on regional specifications. Prospective buyers are urged to prioritize safety ratings in their decision-making process to ensure their vehicles meet the highest safety standards.
