Swift Compact Car Wins the 2025 RJC Car of the Year Award

Suzuki Motor Corporation’s Swift compact car has won the 2025 RJC Car of the Year award promoted by the Automotive Researchers’ and Journalists’ Conference of Japan (RJC). The award-winning Swift is the fourth-generation model since its launch in 2004 and the fourth consecutive generation to win the award.

The fourth-generation Swift is a compact passenger car that has evolved based on the concept of “Energetic & Light - A refined smart compact that transforms everyday travel into play.” In addition to the styling design and driving performance cultivated in successive Swift models, the new Swift is equipped with safety and convenience features that add the new value of “enjoying daily life with cars.”

Since its launch in 2004, Swift has been used by customers all over the world and has sold a total of approximately 9.54 million units* worldwide.
*Based on Suzuki research as of the end of September 2024 including Dzire.

The reason of RJC Car of the Year award given to the new Swift was “The new Swift has brushed up the stylish design and sporty driving performance inherited from the successive Swift models. The new powertrain, class leading aerodynamic performance, and lightweight, high-rigidity body enhance the basic performance of the car, and the latest driver assistance system was adopted.”

Suzuki’s RJC Car of the Year awards include WagonR (1993), WagonR / WagonR Stingray (2008), Hustler (2014), and Alto / Alto Lapin (2015) and Swift (2005, 2010, 2017). 2025 is the 8th and the first time in 7 years for Suzuki to win the award.

Comments from Representative Director and President, Toshihiro Suzuki
We are delighted to have Swift selected as the 2025 RJC Car of the Year. Since the launch of the first-generation model, the Swift has been the flagship model of Suzuki and has continued to evolve with the encouragement of the RJC Car of the Year award for each generation, and has been loved by many customers in Japan and other countries all over the world. With this award, we will strive to make the Swift even more beloved by customers around the world.

RJC Car of the Year Suzuki’s Awards History

This year’s RJC Car of the Year was selected from Japanese cars launched from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024 by a vote of RJC members. The “6 Best” were selected on 1 November 2024 and the 2025 RJC Car of the Year was decided on 12 November.