Suzuki Swift Review

Performance3/5

The Suzuki Swift’s performance with the entry level 1.2 petrol engine is a little disappointing, it feels underpowered and struggles to accelerate doing the benchmark 0-62 mph in 12.3 seconds. You are, however, compensated for this underwhelming performance with good fuel economy. If you do decide to go for this engine avoid the automatic gearbox which really struggles to get the meagre best from it. The other petrol engine offered with the Suzuki Swift is a sparky 1.6 number which eradicates all of your concerns about pace, knocking off 0-62 mph in 8.7 seconds and churning out 134bhp. It also feels fun to drive, revving in all the right places. There is also a 1.3 DDiS diesel engine available but it costs more than the petrol, does 0-62mph fractionally slower than the smaller of the petrol engines and a feels a bit unrefined.

Handling4/5

The Suzuki Swift has been exceptionally well designed when it comes to its handling. The suspension seems to do a magical balancing act of soaking up the worst of potholes whilst remaining tight enough to feel responsive and supple around town. The Suzuki Swift’s handling also feels fun, really fun. It corners neatly and feels balanced throughout and when in town feels light, giving a perfect combination of fun and practicality.

Exterior4/5

The Suzuki Swift hasn’t changed much over the years but the current version has a certain cool chic that will lure in a fair few customers. Now it’s our job to tell you what makes up that chic, but it’s a bit tough to put your finger on. When you first look at the Suzuki Swift it seems a fairly orthodox looking car but there are little touches like high wheel arches, the tall doors and the angular lights that make the Swift’s looks add up to more than the sum of its parts.

Interior3/5

The first thing to mention about the Suzuki Swift’s interior is the boot, if one can call it that. It is so tiny that even doing a weekly shop in this car might prove to be a struggle. To give you some figures the Suzuki Swift only offers 211 litres of boot space, that’s about 80 litres smaller than any of its rivals. Fortunately the Suzuki Swift’s cabin itself is a better offering, the seats are surprisingly comfortable and the design, whilst not oozing in style, certainly doesn’t look cheap.

Equipment4/5

There are a number of Suzuki Swift equipment combinations available across the different trims on offer. The SZ2 has electric front windows, remote central locking, CD player with USB connectivity and steering wheel controls, but most people will probably pay the little extra and go for the SZ3 as this gets you air con and 16” alloys which really do help the cars look. The SZ4 and the Sport are excellently equipped cars sprinkled with features like Bluetooth, rear privacy glass, keyless entry and cruise control.

Safety5/5

There is no reason to argue with the Suzuki Swift’s Euro NCAP crash test where it achieved the maximum 5 stars. There are 7 airbags and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) provided as standard as well as all the stuff you’ve come to expect from a modern car such as ABS and ISOFIX child seat anchorages.

Buying & Owning3.5/5

The Suzuki Swift is very competitively priced compared to its main rivals; you can get the Swift for less than either the Ford Fiesta or the Vauxhall Corsa. The new engines do well for economy with the smaller 1.2 petrol engine achieving figures of 56.5mpg and falling into a pretty reasonable insurance bracket. Previous Swifts had several mechanical problems but Suzuki look to have rectified these.

Reviewed by cars2buy