GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Suzuki heralds Mazda3 and CX-3 rivals

When Suzuki lifts the lid on two all-new concept cars at next week's Geneva motor show, it will signal its intention to produce direct rivals for the likes of the Mazda3 and upcoming CX-3 for the first time.

Although both show cars remain concepts (indeed they're yet to be revealed following the release of first teaser images earlier this month), Suzuki Australia General Manager Automobiles Andrew Moore told motoring.com.au he was "pushing hard" for both new models Down Under.

Indeed, Suzuki Australia will need all of the fresh products it can get if it is to achieve its stated target of 30,000 annual sales by 2017, given it sold just 17,400 cars last year -- more than 21 per cent down on 2013.

This month's Australian launch of the Alto-replacing Celerio city-car was delayed until March due to braking problems, the all-new Vitara small SUV is now confirmed to arrive here later than expected around August and there will be no replacement for the mid-size Grand Vitara SUV or Kizashi sedan.

However, the world debuts of the iK-2 and iM-4 next week marks the beginning of a new model onslaught from Suzuki Australia, which has committed to releasing two all-new models and replacements for the Swift and Jimny Sierra here by the end of 2017.

It's not clear yet whether the iK-2 concept heralds a replacement for the light-size Splash hatch currently sold in Europe, but Moore said it will be positioned above both the A-segment Celerio and B-segment Swift, and under the C-segment S-Cross 'hatch-crossover'.

"The iK-2 is bigger than Celerio and Swift and traditional B-segment cars," he said. "It's about the size the Corolla and Mazda3 used to be and I'm pushing hard for it in Australia."

Like the iK-2 hatch, the all-new iM-4 SUV concept is confirmed for production and due on sale globally in 2016.

Moore confirmed the iM-4 was not a preview of the next-generation Jimny, which is also on the way, but a B-segment crossover to rival the likes of the Holden Trax, Nissan JUKE and upcoming Mazda CX-3.

"The iM-4 is all-new and fits between Jimny and Vitara," he said. "Both these cars are yet to be confirmed but we're talking to the factory because we want both these models in Australia."

If both models reach Australian showrooms, Suzuki's local line-up will grow to comprise an array of small models including the Celerio, Swift, iK-2, S-Cross and Kizashi passengers cars, and the Jimny, iM-4, Vitara and Grand Vitara.

In addition, Suzuki is believed to be developing a new 1.2-litre turbo-charged petrol triple that's expected to power the Swift -- potentially in a born-again Swift GTi -- and perhaps the iK-2 and iM-4, and Suzuki Australia continues to await a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine for the S-Cross and Vitara, which are built on the same platform in Hungary.

However, while Suzuki's range-topping Kizashi sedan continues on sale for now, Moore said there is no sign of a replacement for the decade-old third-generation Grand Vitara, nor the long-awaited successor for the long-discontinued Suzuki XL-7 seven-seat SUV.

That said, Moore gave weight to speculation the new GV, whenever it eventuates, could be available in both five-seat and '5+2' seven-seat form, much like Nissan's X-TRAIL.

"I'm not aware of any replacement or development of that [Grand Vitara] vehicle," he told motoring.com.au. "However, we're pushing the need for that type of vehicle, which attracts strong global demand. We want it and we want a bigger replacement for that car and inside Suzuki there's talk of it..."