In 2015, Proton signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Licence Agreement with Suzuki and DRB-Hicom to form a collaboration. Subsequently, Suzuki ceased its sales and production operation in Malaysia which led to the conversion of Suzuki outlets to Proton. Then came the Proton Ertiga but we digress.

Suzuki has been absent in Malaysia for about 4 years now and the last Suzuki Swift Sport officially available in Malaysia was the third-generation model, codenamed ZC32S.

It was a combination of old school fun with modern touches such as keyless entry and push start button, bi-xenon headlamps, 6 airbags, and ESC.

The latest Suzuki Swift Sport builds on that and here are 5 reasons why it needs to officially return to Malaysia.

A more affordable performance hatchback

To buy a performance hatchback with a manual transmission, your options are the Renault Megane RS, Honda Civic Type R and Hyundai i30N at the moment. And those are circa RM 300k cars.

The ZC32S was launched at a starting price of RM 97,888 for the manual and 102,888 for the automatic. If the new Swift Sport were to arrive in Malaysia, it would likely be priced considerably higher.

In the UK, the new Swift Sport is priced from £17,999, compared to the ZC32S that was priced from £13,999.

Prices of grey imports are hovering in the region of RM 130k to 140k. A brand-new unit is expected to fall within that bracket.

Save the manuals!

Manual transmissions are becoming obsolete. It’s a shame because driving a manual transmission is like cooking at home; it’s fun, keeps you occupied and ultimately rewarding when you get it right.

Just like doing the dishes is a part of cooking, driving a manual in stop-and-go traffic is part of the experience.

But those of us who are still keen to drive a stick shift can do our part in keeping them around as long as possible, which is by buying them.

Like the previous generation, it’s old school fun with modern features

The new Swift Sport has Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, with Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Manual transmission and ADAS are a rare combination in the Malaysian market. In fact, there's only one car with such combination - the Hyundai i30N.

Accessible performance on the road

Hot hatches are getting quicker and quicker. The Civic Type R and Megane RS make close to 300 PS, which is fun but it gets into illegal speeds almost too easily.

With 140 PS and 230 Nm of torque from the 1.4-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, one can utilize all of its power on the road without worrying about getting into trouble with the authorities.

Peace-of-mind with a new car

At RM 140k, you might be thinking, “why not the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ?” Well, as with used or reconditioned cars, it’s almost a game of roulette as no two used cars are similar. So you need to find the right unit from the right dealer.

Buying a brand-new Suzuki Swift Sport, should it arrive in Malaysia, gives buyers peace-of-mind purchase with manufacturer warranty and proper aftersales support.