Suzuki Australia General Manager Tony Devers said a press release issued by the AAA claiming local manufacturers were withholding safety equipment was poorly researched and contained glaring errors about the Suzuki Swift range.

“The claims that safety features such as side airbags and ESC were not available on Suzuki Swift are wrong and demonstrate a clear lack of research.

“Despite assertions to the contrary by the AAA, the Suzuki Swift S comes complete with side airbags and side curtain airbags as standard features.

“And the range topping Swift Sport includes those features and ESP, although the AAA lists those features as not available in the Australian model.”

Devers said the AAA also clearly overlooked the outstanding value offered by the Swift range to Australian customers.

“In another glaring oversight by the AAA, its claim of ‘de-speccing’ Australian vehicles compared to European versions clearly does not take into consideration the fact similarly priced Australian Swifts are considerably cheaper than the UK equivalent.

“The Swift S version comes complete with side airbags and side curtain airbags at a price that is more than $3500 cheaper than the equivalent model in the UK.

“And the entry level Swift gives Australian customers a vehicle that has been awarded a four-star ANCAP safety rating at a price that is $5500 cheaper.”

Devers said Suzuki Australia was committed to providing vehicles offering high levels of safety and outstanding value for money.

“The simple fact is that the Swift range was awarded four stars out of five by ANCAP in its comprehensive crash testing program, and was also awarded three stars out of four in the critical pedestrian safety rating.

“The Swift is an exceptionally safe car and, despite the claims by the AAA, is available with the same safety features offered to Suzuki customers around the world.

“More importantly for our customers, those same features are available at a far less expensive price.

“That outstanding value for money and high levels of safety are part of the reason why Suzuki is on track to record its fifth successive year of growth and has just recorded its best sales month on record,” Devers said.