Source type: Suzuki Kenya official specification page
Suzuki New Swift vs Toyota Starlet
A proper head-to-head in Kenya — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
Suzuki New Swift
SWIFT GL+ 5D 1197p CVT
Petrol
CVT
Current
KES 2,850,000
ex-showroom
⚡ 60 kW
🔧 112 Nm
VS
Toyota Starlet
1.5 Petrol MT STYLE
Petrol
5-Speed Manual
Current
KES 3,150,000
ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW
🔧 138 Nm
Decision summary
Suzuki New Swift vs Toyota Starlet: the short answer
New Swift has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Starlet remains close.
New Swift starts KES 120,000 cheaper
New Swift from KES 2,850,000 · Starlet from KES 2,970,000
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives| Specification | New Swift | Starlet |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Power | New Swift60 kW | Starlet77 kW @ 6000 rpm |
| Maximum Torque | New Swift111.7 Nm @ 4300 rpm | Starlet138 Nm @ 4400 rpm |
| Engine Size | New Swift1197 cc | Starlet1462 cc |
| Combined Fuel Economy | New SwiftNot Officially Disclosed | StarletNot Officially Disclosed |
| Ground Clearance | New Swift145 mm | Starlet150 mm |
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Source type: Toyota Kenya official specification page
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
Specification evidence leader
New Swift
Strengths
- Better fuel efficiency
- Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
- Less powerful engine setup
- Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:
Published Efficiency
Starlet
Strengths
- More powerful engine output
- Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
- Lower fuel efficiency
- Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to:
Published Performance
Published Practicality
Which One's Right for You?
New Swift
- Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
- Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
Starlet
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
- Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Full Specs, Side by Side
| Spec | New Swift | Starlet |
|---|---|---|
| Model Introduced Year | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Generation | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Facelift History | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Facelift Launched Since | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Facelift Version Ending | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Body Style | Compacts | Hatchback |
| Model Year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Production Status | active | active |
| Segment | Compact hatchback | Compact hatchback |
| Vehicle Type | Hatchback | Hatchback |
| Spec | New Swift | Starlet |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 3860 mm | 3990 mm |
| Width | 1735 mm | 1745 mm |
| Height | 1520 mm | 1500 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2450 mm | 2520 mm |
| Ground Clearance (Default) | 145 mm | 150 mm |
| Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) | 130 mm | 135 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 37 l | 37 l |
| Boot/Cargo Space | 265 l | 314 l |
| Kerb Weight | 960 kg | 980 kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) | 1390 kg | 1430 kg |
| Payload Capacity | 430 kg | 450 kg |
| Towing Capacity | 1000 kg | 1000 kg |
| Seating Capacity | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Rows | 2 rows | 2 rows |
| Doors | 5 doors | 5 doors |
| Minimum Turning Radius | 4.8 m | 5.1 m |
| Front Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Rear Headroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Front Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
| Rear Legroom | Not Officially Disclosed | Not Officially Disclosed |
In depth: how these cars differ
This New Swift and Starlet comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for Kenya. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: New Swift 29 vs Starlet 35.
Efficiency index: New Swift 67 vs Starlet 60.
Safety-equipment index: New Swift 82 vs Starlet 47.
Practicality index: New Swift 49 vs Starlet 51.
Ownership-cover index: New Swift not separately scored vs Starlet not separately scored.
These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.
Model imagery
New Swift and Starlet image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
Suzuki New Swift
View 8 more New Swift images
Toyota Starlet
View 8 more Starlet images
Specification Evidence Index
A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.
Evidence-index readout
New Swift leads by 8 points
New Swift has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Starlet remains close.
Evidence leader
55
/100
Lead
8
points
Data
68%
source coverage
55
#1
Evidence leader
New Swift
Performance
29
Efficiency
67
Safety
82
Practicality
49
Leads by 8 points
47
#2
Starlet
Performance
35
Efficiency
60
Safety
47
Practicality
51
Performance 24%
Safety 22%
Practicality 22%
Efficiency 17%
Ownership 15%
Category leaders
What moves the verdict
Performance
Starlet +6
Efficiency
New Swift +7
Safety
New Swift +35
Practicality
Starlet +2
Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.
Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
New Swift
Performance
29/100
Efficiency
67/100
Safety
82/100
Practicality
49/100
Starlet
Performance
35/100
Efficiency
60/100
Safety
47/100
Practicality
51/100
What the evidence means
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, New Swift leads. However, Starlet may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in Kenya.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related Kenya models and comparable body styles.
New Swift vs Starlet questions
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in Kenya on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.
Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.
Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.
A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.
Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.
Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.