Suzuki Swift is Tops Again in April

Swift, the most successful ever Suzuki car model, is continuing to cement its top-selling reputation among New Zealand buyers.

The Swift was the number one new car choice in April, according to Motor Industry Association figures, with sales a massive 66 per cent ahead of its nearest rival.

A new version of the Swift, launched in New Zealand in February, has proved an instant hit, following six years of exceptional sales by its predecessor. In year to date sales, the Swift is running second overall to the Toyota Corolla.

While the Swift was once again the small car choice last year, sales of the model for the first four months of 2011 were running at an even higher rate.

“Total new car sales in New Zealand for the opening third of this year are up by 11 per cent but the average sales rate for new Swifts is 29 per cent higher,” said Tom Peck, general manager of marketing for Suzuki New Zealand.

“Swift has a well established history in our country dating back 27 years. However, it was the arrival of the fifth generation model in 2005 that really saw the car take off,” he said.

The 2005 version was Suzuki’s first world strategic model that would be built in four centres world-wide. One million were sold in record time for a Suzuki passenger car, and by January 2011 the two miIlion barrier was broken.

“Although the new generation Swift has been on sale in New Zealand for just three months it is already clearly a showroom winner, with demand emulating its highly successful predecessor,” said Tom Peck.

While total new car sales in April were down seven per cent on the same month last year, the Swift sales volume had been maintained at a high level, he said.

“Swift has been up against some tough and well-established competition but has continued to win the approval of New Zealand motorists, especially private car buyers,” said Tom Peck.

“The Swift proves a sub-compact car can be fun, comfortable, economical and practical, too,” he said. “And with the fitment of seven airbags and ESP across the range, the new generation Swift is also one of the safest cars on New Zealand roads achieving the highest possible 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating”.

While the largest world market for the Swift is Japan, more than one quarter of the car’s total production is sold in Europe.

“The sharp-edged ‘S’ badge of Suzuki was intrinsically linked to the two-wheeled world, but models like the Swift, Grand Vitara and SX4 have now firmly extended this to the four-wheeled automobile sector,” said Peck.

Suzuki was the fifth largest selling make in New Zealand in April, with a market penetration of 8.5 per cent. For the first four months of 2011, the marque captured 7.1 per cent of all new car sales.

ENDS

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