Suzuki PH quietly discontinues Swift hatchback

Another hatchback has exited the Philippine market.

We recently came across the Suzuki Philippines website and noticed that a specific hatchback is missing from the brand's lineup. Curious, we asked one of our contacts to confirm our suspicion, to which they shared that the Suzuki Swift is no longer on sale in the country.

That's right, the Swift has been quietly axed from the Philippine market. This comes as a surprise since the Swift has long been offered in the country since the first generation, way back in the mid-2000s. It first arrived in the country with a 1.5L VVT engine that made 110 PS with 143 Nm of torque and was available with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.

For the second-generation, the Suzuki Swift swapped the 1.5L engine for a smaller 1.4L VVT engine that put out 94 PS and 130 Nm of torque. Despite producing less power and torque, the 1.4L-powered Swift has better power delivery and an improved automatic gearbox.

The Swift was then updated with an even smaller engine after Suzuki started sourcing the Swift from India. This time, it gets a 1.2L VVT engine that delivers 87 PS and 114 Nm of torque. Despite the power & torque deficit, the second-generation Swift kept its lightweight & agile handling. It was also easy on the gas bills despite still having a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Then in 2018, Suzuki Philippines unveiled the third-generation Swift, which featured a more aggressive look. It was available in GLX and GL variants (both MT and CVT models) and comes with new & upgraded features. The 1.2L engine was carried over but made less power & torque with 82 PS and 113 Nm. Gone, however, is the 4-speed automatic, which was replaced by a new CVT. There was also the 5-speed manual, which has been a mainstay in its lineup.

So why did Suzuki Philippines decide to ax the Swift? According to our anonymous source, the decision to discontinue the hatchback stemmed from a product mix decision. However, we believe the axing of the Swift could be connected to the shuttering of Suzuki Motor Thailand's factory last year.

With no replacement for the Suzuki Swift, it looks like fans of the hatchback will have to look elsewhere for a fun-to-drive econobox. We're hoping it makes a comeback in the future via the all-new fourth-generation model, but with the hatchback market shrinking as it is in the Philippines, we won't be surprised if it's gone for good.