Suzuki introduced the second generation of the Cultus on the market in 1988 and, for specific markets, it rebadge-it as Swift and sold it in a few versions and under different brands.
The Japanese carmaker built this car for several markets under different badges and nameplates. While the Americans got the Geo Metro, the Australians had the Holden Barina and the Europeans received the Suzuki Swift. It was available in a few shapes and sizes, and the five-door hatchback was the one available everywhere. In 1991, Suzuki upgraded the engines and made them according to the Euro 2 emission standards.

With its modest design, the Swift managed to be an affordable, fuel-efficient vehicle. Its design was simple, with rounded panels and shaved edges. At the front, it featured a black, plastic wrapped-around bumper and a pair of horizontal headlights with corner-mounted turn-signals. Its narrow grille was just enough for the small engines installed under the hood. Its profile showed the three tall side windows related to the car’s height. It sported black mirror caps and door handles. The slightly curved, vertical tailgate ended above the taillights, making loading and unloading difficult.

Inside, it showed low-mounted slim seats at the front. Its new dashboard design was simple, flat, with a raised area for the instrument cluster. On the center stack, depending on the options, it was available with air-conditioning and a stereo-cassette. The narrow center console hosted the gear-stick and the hand-brake.

Under the hood, Suzuki installed a choice of two gasoline engines paired to a five-speed manual. For specific markets, it offered a four-speed automatic transmission.