Described as “heart of brand” models, both the Swift and Jimny will be sold exclusively with Suzuki badges.
Suzuki’s Maruti division in India has ended years of lingering speculation as to whether its partnership with Toyota will be expanded to include badge engineered version of the Jimny and Swift at some stage.
No chance
A joint venture signed four years ago, the partnership has so far resulted in the Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Starlet/Glanza, Rumion and Belta based on the Suzuki Grand Vitara, Baleno, Ertiga and Ciaz respectively, while in Europe, the Swace estate and Across are revised versions of the Corolla Touring Sports and RAV4.
Soon to spawn an overall seventh model, the much-delayed Urban Cruiser Taisor spun-off of the Suzuki Fronx, neither the Swift nor the Jimny will be receiving a Toyota badged equivalent soon despite a new report alleging talks for this to happen had indeed taken place.
According to a supposed Maruti Suzuki source, “Toyota wanted to badge engineer the Jimny and Swift, but we politely declined”.
In making the announcement to Autocar India, the source said the eventual decision stems from the Swift and Jimny being “at the heart of our brand are not meant for sharing”.
“It’s like asking Toyota to let us badge engineer the Land Cruiser,” the source concluded.
Partnership focus now
A partnership that has seen the Starlet trade places with the Swift for the best-selling non-South African made vehicle accolade for years, the confirmation from India comes on the back of a report last month alleging Toyota working on a production version of the Compact Cruiser concept without any Suzuki involvement.
Tentatively called the Land Cruiser FJ based on a trademark submission uncovered in Japan, the newcomer, teased in 2017 by the FT-4X Concept that morphed into the Compact Cruiser four years later, has so far remained an otherwise unknown entity after being teased in a presentation document at the launch of the new Land Cruiser Prado in August.
While likely to be detailed in teasers over the coming months, focus now shifts to the Urban Cruiser Taisor that will debut in the first half of 2024 as Toyota’s smallest SUV below the Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which does without the latter suffix in South Africa as a result of lacking the hybrid powertrain available in India.