Suzuki Swift Goes Nose To Tail Around Australia 1.5 Times

6,000,000 is a big number in anyone’s language. And that’s the number of Suzuki Swift sold around the world since the launch of the model in 2005.

I was there as a Suzuki dealer in 2005. Suzi and I went to Japan to see the plant where the Swift was built and enjoyed the hospitality of senior Suzuki people. 

One thing I can say without question is that Suzuki is well and truly committed to building a quality car and looking after their customers. Their passion is unquestionable.

Since 2005 and I’m not sure of the percentages, Suzuki must be one of the brands with the highest customer satisfaction and lowest faults per thousand vehicles built.  

Even today, in 2018, those older Swifts continue to provide high satisfaction to their owners even though some of them have travelled well over 250,000 kilometres.

Here’s what Suzuki Auto Co had to say about this momentous achievement.

 “Suzuki’s multi-award winning Swift has smashed through the six million sales mark meaning that if they were all parked bumper to bumper, they would stretch more than one-and-a-half times the length of Highway 1 which circumnavigates Australia.

It’s a 14,500km route that is longer than the Trans-Siberian Highway which stretches the width of Russia and also longer than the Trans-Canada Highway running from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

The six million mark is not the total of all Suzuki Swifts sold, just those built since 2005 when the new generation Swift made its debut in Australia.

Now in its fourth generation and with the recent addition of the Swift Sport Turbo model, the Suzuki Swift remains the brand’s top seller in Australia.

Suzuki Queensland’s General Manager – Sales and Marketing, Mr Stephen Craig said: “It’s only when you do the math that you begin to appreciate the enormity of that sales figure.”

“At a little over 3.8 metres in length, the Swift is very much a compact vehicle but breaks traditional boundaries by offering outstanding interior dimensions and utilisation of available space. It is bristling with comfort and convenience features as well as active driver assistance technologies.”

“Those features are what have ensured its market position as an ultra-contemporary and ultra-popular motor vehicle purchased by enthusiastic and discerning buyers around the world,” he said

With a wide choice of engines and transmission options and special sales offers, some Swift models are available from just $15,990 drive away while stocks last.

Suzuki also recently claimed the top podium position in an independent industry assessment of customer ratings for new cars in 2018, scoring five stars for reliability, value for money and overall satisfaction.

Leading independent research and ratings agency, Canstar Blue said Suzuki also earned four stars for driving experience, point of sale service and car servicing.

The win also gave Suzuki the title of having the ‘Most Satisfied Customers – Small Car’ for the third year in a row.”

Bob Aldons is the owner and founder of The Car Guy, reviewing cars, reporting on Car Industry Matters, Car Tech and the world at large. He’s spent the last forty years immersed in the automotive industry from salesman to the owner of a 7 brand multi-franchise dealership. Bob knows cars.

Find One

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In Closing

My reviews aren’t based on power performance or high-speed handling capacity. They’re not based on 0-100 Kim/hr of 4.0 seconds. And they’re certainly not super luxury vehicles that many other “old timers” are feted on by the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin

Back when I started in the motor industry salespeople were schooled and skilled in a process called the road to the sale. Part of that process was a presentation of the car that the customer was ultimately considering,

The six position sell showed the features, advantages, and benefits as it related to that specific car in the eyes and thought process of that particular customer
Those days of a true car sales professional seem to have gone.

Nowadays it seems that all salespeople want to do is accept that the customer knows everything about the car they’re interested in, want to crunch the customer as quickly as possible and get the next sale

In my opinion, this is one of the reasons that there’s such a high turnover in salespeople in this industry of ours.

Now I think that I’m a car industry expert, not because I sell lots of cars, but, as I was taught over 40yeras ago, time sells motor cars.
The more time you spend with a customer, the more information you provide them and the more you’re there for them Even AFTER they take delivery of their new car, the more repeat and referral business you’ll get.

Typically second and subsequent sales only provide 10% of a car salespersons business. Referral business, where an existing customer refers a friend, relation or work colleague back tot eh selling salesperson as someone to trust and buy a car from is even less – probably 5%

So, if you’re a young salesperson reading this article, let me tell you that you should be getting 40-50% of your business from repeat and referral business.
And how do you get that much? Well, that’s a story for another article or an opportunity to join me in a training course.

Disclaimer

For your interest, my motoring reviews are my opinion of the vehicle I’m testing. The manufacturer or distributor, in this case, Kia Australia, doesn’t tell me what to write or ask for a ‘nice’ review. Nor am I paid for these reviews – I simply call it as I see it.

I often wonder about the ‘truth’ that I see from other motoring journalists. And I’m particularly referring to newspapers, online forums, and magazines where the company that owns the publication receives substantial advertising support from the various manufacturers.

Do the owners or editors tell their journalists to go easy on the review? I’m not sure, never having been in that position. Would I turn to softer reviews if my company was being paid for good reviews? Not likely. My independence as a writer is not for sale. I’d rather say no than be bought.

In any case, If that ever happens, rest assured that I’ll be telling that story with interest.