2017 Suzuki Swift!/2018 Swift Sport

[Rossell2]

I think this is the first time in nearly 20 years I've seen an ugly Swift. What a shame.

 

[lbpomg95]

Well, that's unfortunate.

What is going on with this trend of making hatchbacks look like they melted the front end on a storage heater? The proportions look so wrong. That crease where the bonnet sits atop the front end is an incoherent mess. The side-profile of the clamshell bonnet makes it look like the roof is way too tall compared to the bonnet. The roof-line now just cuts off instead of having a cohesive line that meets the rear window. The front lights work against the grill instead of fitting with it. It's somehow both over-complicated, yet it's also a featureless blob.

Car styling is outdoing itself these days. It's like we're going backwards, towards the very obvious two-box designs that old, boxy hatchbacks had in the 1980s, but without any of the charm. At least the more sloped hatchbacks from the last 30 years had a clean side-profile, but this honestly looks less aerodynamic than the previous Swifts.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Well, that's unfortunate.

What is going on with this trend of making hatchbacks look like they melted the front end on a storage heater? The proportions look so wrong. That crease where the bonnet sits atop the front end is an incoherent mess. The side-profile of the clamshell bonnet makes it look like the roof is way too tall compared to the bonnet. The roof-line now just cuts off instead of having a cohesive line that meets the rear window. The front lights work against the grill instead of fitting with it. It's somehow both over-complicated, yet it's also a featureless blob.

Car styling is outdoing itself these days. It's like we're going backwards, towards the very obvious two-box designs that old, boxy hatchbacks had in the 1980s, but without any of the charm. At least the more sloped hatchbacks from the last 30 years had a clean side-profile, but this honestly looks less aerodynamic than the previous Swifts.

If the new Swift is anything to go by, I'd say car design is actually evolving towards the PT Cruiser

 

[lbpomg95]

If the new Swift is anything to go by, I'd say car design is actually evolving towards the PT Cruiser

With that bonnet, I'm inclined to agree

At least you can't accuse the PT Cruiser of being boring, though. This Swift (along with so many recent hatchbacks) is somehow ugly and boring at the same time.

 

[Darla Starch]

somehow ugly and boring at the same time.

One of the greatest sins of car design

 

[05XR8]

Just saw the new Swift in tell all white. Already missing a driver side rear wheel cover. It’s bad. Only cool thing on the car is the central rear fog light in the lower part of the bumper. Not liking it. at. all. 👎

 

[Keef]

Not a fan of that at all. Looks like a Chinese copy of a Swift.

I'm going to try to do this without being an ass, but I've noticed a lot of people saying this about a lot of concept cars and production cars over the past many years now. I also casually keep up with car design and have noticed that automotive design must be a huge thing in China and east Asia in general, especially with China's massive population, massive student population, and exploding auto industry. Many Chinese art student interpretations on various manufacturers' concept cars etc.

And I gotta be honest, most of them look weird if not just terrible. What if so many cars these days look like Chinese knockoffs of themselves because they are?

I think the actual issue is something I have zero evidence for, and that's the idea that cars these days are being designed by younger people, and those people don't associate with the emotion and history of manufacturers and nameplates. So they'll come up with an Audi that looks like a Hyundai, or Ferrari that looks like a Gundam, or a BMW that looks like...something. Or in this case, a Suzuki that has Down's syndrome.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

I'm going to try to do this without being an ass, but I've noticed a lot of people saying this about a lot of concept cars and production cars over the past many years now. I also casually keep up with car design and have noticed that automotive design must be a huge thing in China and east Asia in general, especially with China's massive population, massive student population, and exploding auto industry. Many Chinese art student interpretations on various manufacturers' concept cars etc.

And I gotta be honest, most of them look weird if not just terrible. What if so many cars these days look like Chinese knockoffs of themselves because they are?

I think the actual issue is something I have zero evidence for, and that's the idea that cars these days are being designed by younger people, and those people don't associate with the emotion and history of manufacturers and nameplates. So they'll come up with an Audi that looks like a Hyundai, or Ferrari that looks like a Gundam, or a BMW that looks like...something. Or in this case, a Suzuki that has Down's syndrome.

For what it’s worth, I meant it in regards to when China were literally taking other people’s designs and pumping them out at 9/10ths scale with the badges crossed out. The facelifted Swift just gives me that impression.

I actually think most modern Chinese designed cars don’t look bad, though they are a little bland and are hard to tell apart (though if we’re being cynical, that’s also a problem with a lot of other stuff at the moment as you highlighted).

 

[05XR8]

For what it’s worth, I meant it in regards to when China were literally taking other people’s designs and pumping them out at 9/10ths scale with the badges crossed out. The facelifted Swift just gives me that impression.

I actually think most modern Chinese designed cars don’t look bad, though they are a little bland and are hard to tell apart (though if we’re being cynical, that’s also a problem with a lot of other stuff at the moment as you highlighted).

Just to add. With the amount of Chinese imports in Australia, they've gotten way better. SsaaaannnggggggYonggggggggggggg and Chery are prime examples. Both their whole design game have changed for the better... of everyone's eyeballs.

 

[05XR8]

Bad bad not good...

2025 Suzuki Swift hit with one-star safety rating in Australia, down from three stars in Europe

Although the new model was also only given three stars by Euro NCAP, local examples were found to have key safety kit omitted.

www.drive.com.au

 

[lbpomg95]

I always find the safety ratings a little asinine - anything made in the last few years, no matter how poorly it scores, is still probably safer than my Volvo 240.

Not to mention a 900kg Suzuki Swift will never fare well against a 2.7 tonne hybrid/all electric SUV.