Latest news with #SuzukiSwift
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Over 140 suspects arrested during Ekurhuleni crime crackdown led by SAPS
Over 140 suspects arrested during Ekurhuleni crime crackdown led by SAPS In an ongoing effort to address serious and violent crimes, SAPS members and other law enforcement agencies attached to the Ekurhuleni District conducted extensive operations from the afternoon of July 5 through to the morning of July 6. The operations included stop-and-search activities, vehicle checkpoints, tavern visits and roadblocks. As a result, four illegal liquor outlets were closed. During suspect-tracing operations conducted by detectives on July 5 across various policing precincts in Ekurhuleni, 142 suspects were arrested. ALSO READ: Targeted crime blitz across Ekurhuleni results in big successes Of these, 62 were apprehended for contact crimes, 26 for contact-related crimes, 13 for property crimes, 21 for GBV and 137 for other serious crimes. Additional arrests were made during Operation Shanela, which was conducted across Ekurhuleni policing precincts and included SAPS, EMPD, Gauteng Traffic, CPF members, community patrollers, crime prevention wardens, and other law enforcement agencies. In one incident in Norkem Park, police conducting a stop-and-search operation on Isimu Street in Birch Acres stopped a silver Suzuki Swift. Officers found the driver in possession of a Bronwyn firearm with ammunition and without a licence. ALSO READ: 82 suspects arrested in Gauteng crime crackdown Further investigation revealed the firearm had been reported stolen at SAPS Tubatse in Limpopo in May 2016. The suspect was arrested and detained at Norkem Park Police Station. Ekurhuleni district commissioner, Major General Anna Sithole, commended SAPS members and law enforcement partners for their efforts in ensuring suspects are removed from the streets and face the full might of the law. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
7 days ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
South Africa's top 20 best-sellers of mid-year 2025 revealed
Although largely dominated by imports, the 10 best-selling models were split evenly between imported vehicles and those locally assembled. Having so far failed to record a downturn since October last year, South Africa's new vehicles ended the first six months of 2025 on a total of 232 474 vehicles sold compared to the 287 167 sold 12 months ago. Positive outlook While down, despite having breached 40 000 units every month, the lowest being 42 401 in April, the industry still seems on track to overtake the projected 500 000 mark this year in what will be the third consecutive year since the global pandemic. 'The domestic outlook for 2025 is expected to improve, driven by a revival in business and consumer sentiment stemming from improvements in the country's key economic indicators,' the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) said in its projection report for 2025 at the end of last year. ALSO READ: New vehicle sales finish first half of 2025 on a noteworthy high 'The South African Reserve Bank stated that risks to the country's growth outlook are assessed to be balanced, but that growth could be higher from 2025 onwards, given ongoing reforms, especially in the network sectors, such as electricity and transport. 'With an improved GDP growth rate of around 1.5% projected for 2025, the new vehicle market would likely improve by single digits compared to the level of 2024,' the statement concluded. With half the year gone, The Citizen now takes a look at the top 20 best-selling vehicles between January and June thus far, as well as the 10 performing brands. Mid-year top 20 best-selling vehicles POS MODEL TOTAL BEST MONTH 1. Toyota Hilux 16 526 June – 3 035 2. Ford Ranger 12 398 June – 2 318 3. Suzuki Swift 11 948 January – 2 628 4. Volkswagen Polo Vivo 11 310 January – 2 549 5. Isuzu D-Max 9 846 April – 2 250 6. Toyota Corolla Cross 9 576 June – 2 318 7. Hyundai Grand i10 8 581 March – 1 504 8. Toyota Starlet 7 330 January – 2 180 9. Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 7 297 June – 1 538 10 Suzuki Fronx 6 466 May – 1 219 11. GWM Haval Jolion 6 385 June – 1 113 12. Toyota Starlet Cross 5 225 January – 1 050 13. Mahindra Pik Up 5 079 March – 1 215 14. Nissan Magnite 5 072 March – 1 443 15. Kia Sonet 4 955 February – 877 16. Volkswagen Polo 4 809 March – 932 17. Toyota Urban Cruiser 4 247 January – 890 18. Suzuki Ertiga 4 349 June – 840 19. Toyota Fortuner 4 242 June – 878 20. Toyota HiAce 3 758 February – 711 Mid-year top 10 best-performing marques Toyota – 67 938 Suzuki – 34 461 Volkswagen Group – 29 366 Hyundai – 18 100 Ford – 16 662 Isuzu – 12 221 Great Wall Motors (GWM) – 11 835 Chery – 11 687 Mahindra – 9 611 Kia – 8 234 ALSO READ: New vehicle sales extended winning streak for a fifth time in May
IOL News
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Cars priced below R400,000 are driving the growth in SA's new vehicle market
Affordable vehicles such as the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, which entered the top three this month, are driving growth in the market. Image: Supplied The good times are rolling in South Africa's new vehicle market, with nine consecutive months of sales growth putting the industry 13.6% ahead of where it was this time last year, Naamsa figures show. June was a particularly strong month for the motor trade, with year-on-year sales growing by 18.7% to 47,294 units, as both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles made solid gains of 21.7% and 14.9% respectively. But household budgets remain tight and much of the growth is currently concentrated at the lower end of the vehicle market. 'The majority of the growth we're seeing is centred in the sub-R400,000 segment,' said Brandon Cohen, chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers' Association (NADA). 'This price point remains critical for volume, affordability and trade-ins, with a direct knock-on effect on pre-owned sales performance,' He added that the used vehicle market was also benefiting from improved affordability metrics, driven by softened interest rates, favourable vehicle pricing, and the rollout of the two-pot retirement savings reform. Most telling is that 24 of the 30 best-selling new passenger vehicles in South Africa last month (see IOL's top 50 list here) have a starting price of below R400,000. In fact, four of the five top-sellers, namely the Volkswagen Polo Vivo, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Suzuki Swift, and Hyundai Grand i10, all have starting prices of less than R300,000. Many buyers continue to face budget constraints, said Lebo Gaoaketse, marketing head of WesBank, and at a finance level this is being seen through longer contract terms and lower credit amounts. "These are two major indicators of affordability pressure to reduce monthly installments within the need for new replacement vehicles,' Gaoaketse added. 'In short: South Africans want new cars – but they're spending less on them.' According to late-2024 data from TransUnion, the average loan amount on a new car in South Africa is currently R401,000. Yet, regardless of how much South Africans are spending, it seems evident that lower interest rates have had a positive effect on new vehicle sales. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'South Africa's new vehicle market growth has an uncanny alignment to the start of interest rate cuts,' Gaoaketse added. 'Interest rate reprieve since September 2024 has lifted some burden on indebted consumers and stimulated demand for credit and consequently new vehicles. The South African Reserve Bank has lowered rates 0,75% over the past nine months but may become more cautious with further cuts given global economic turmoil.' Absa's new vehicle application figures show a 13% year-on-year increase in June compared to the same period last year. 'The decreasing interest rate and the stable inflation rate have provided a welcome boost to consumers. As a result, consumers pay less on home loan and other debt instalments, increasing their ability to purchase new cars,' said Henry Botha, strategy executive at Absa Vehicle Finance. IOL Motoring
The Citizen
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Suzuki Dzire sedan a ‘grown-up' alternative to the playful Swift
This solid little ride will save you big bucks at the petrol pumps. Let's be honest, small sedans don't get anyone's heart racing. You will never have a poster of them on your wall (in 2025 this translates into a screen saver on your smartphone). You buy a small sedan because your budget dictates that you should. But allow me to introduce you to the new Suzuki Dzire. It's a Suzuki Swift underneath. Same basics, same light-on-its-feet energy, different face. All that has happened is that the Suzuki Dzire swaps the playful hatchback vibe for a slightly more grown-up young family feel. Talking of which, there is a decent amount of interior space. Legroom is okay too, while headroom is a bit tight. It's a compact sedan after all. The space available is what it is. Lots of space But what is not up for debate is that the boot of the Suzuki Dzire is big. At 378 litres, it's got a square shape, low load lip, and more depth than expected. This in every day speak translates into about two suitcases, a week's worth of groceries, and space for an emergency cooler box. Your hatchback can't match this without folding down the seats. ALSO READ: Suzuki DZire sedan moves out of its Swift hatch sibling's shadow What I wasn't in love with was the beige/cream covered interior. As a family/people mover, this not going to age or wear well on the Suzuki Dzire. But I did like the simple approach to the infotainment set-up with a 7-inch screen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All of which can be controlled by the buttons on the leather-wrapped steering wheel. Being the GL+ spec means you get kit like cruise control, electric windows all round, and remote central locking on your Suzuki Dzire. Safety is somewhat basic with only ABS, EBD, dual airbags, ISOFIX, and rear parking sensors on offer. The GL+ rides on 15-inch alloy wheels. Picture: Supplied Easy on the juice Nothing flashy, but all the essentials are accounted for. What must always be kept in mind, this car retails for less than R250 000. You can't buy a high-end mountain bike for this money these days. Under the bonnet, it's the familiar 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine we have come to know in the Suzuki Swift. It produces 60kW and 112Nm. Now, that doesn't sound like much, and it isn't. But the Suzuki Dzire weighs in at only 900kg. And it's paired to a five-speed manual transmission that's light and easy to use. The drive as a result feels perkier than it probably is. But who is measuring quarter mile times? Not me for a change. ALSO READ: Swift booted as Suzuki finally prices all-new DZire Where the Suzuki Dzire is a winner all over again is when it comes to fuel consumption. Suzuki claim a figure of 4.4 litres per 100km. You might get this if you take it very easy with a high percentage of open road driving. But this said, I managed 5.0 litres per 100km doing what I would call normal driving. You probably will too without too much effort. The light interior is not the most practical. Picture: Supplied Suzuki Dzire a sensible choice The Suzuki Dzire GL+ MT doesn't try to be what it's not. It just shows up and keeps running costs low. You don't buy it to make a statement. And this is what I love about Suzuki products. And so do many South Africans. The Suzuki brand has entrenched itself at number two behind mighty Toyota and ahead of stalwarts Volkswagen in the country's sales race. The Suzuki Dzire 1.2 GL+ 5MT retails for R246 900. It includes a five-year/200 000km warranty and four-year/60 000km service plan.
NDTV
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Swift AWD To Fronx ADAS: 3 Maruti Suzuki Cars With Superior Global Versions
While Maruti Suzuki continues to dominate India's passenger car market, some of its most popular models sold under Suzuki's name offer more advanced versions overseas. From enhanced safety tech to more efficient powertrains, global variants of cars like the Swift and Fronx often outshine their Indian counterparts. Here's a look at three Maruti Suzuki models whose international versions bring more to the table than what we get at home. Suzuki Swift AWD The Suzuki Swift in some markets overseas gets an Allgrip Auto, which is a type of four-wheel drive system that engages when there is a loss of traction. It transfers torque from the front wheels to the rear wheels in low-traction conditions. This iteration of the hatchback comes equipped with multiple other advanced features, like dual-sensor brake support, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure prevention, and more. Powering the vehicle is a 1.2-litre petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system. Suzuki Fronx ADAS Speculations are that Maruti Suzuki India Limited will launch the Fronx in the Indian market with a suite of ADAS features. However, the information awaits official confirmation from the brand. Meanwhile, some markets overseas have already received ADAS-compatible versions of the vehicle. The list of features on this iteration includes dual-sensor brake support, blind spot monitor, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, and more. This iteration is powered by a K15C engine of the brand, which is a 1.5-litre unit with a smart hybrid system. Suzuki Jimny ADAS While the five-door version of the Jimny in the Indian market is not very well-known for its pack of features, in the international market, it comes loaded with all the necessary features. This iteration of the SUV comes with a suite of ADAS features like lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, and more. Powering the SUV is the same 1.5-litre petrol engine.
