What is it?
Pleasant surprises of an affordable nature are not a common occurrence in this industry, but the Suzuki Swift Sport of 2006 was such a thing. So too was its replacement six years later, and now we have this: a third iteration that seeks to prolong the car’s reputation as a bit of a drivers’ gem.
The basic recipe has, alas, changed a little. The old car’s sharply responsive atmospheric 1.6-litre engine is replaced with a marginally more powerful 1.4-litre that already serves in the high-riding Vitara and S-Cross. Its headline figure of 138bhp is almost incidental in this case, because forced induction has resulted in 170lb ft of torque from 2500rpm. That’s almost half as much again as the previous Swift Sport and has the potential to markedly alter the previous car’s snappy personality.
This new car is, however, lighter than the one it replaces. Built alongside the Ignis and quirky Xbee crossover at the marque’s Sagara plant in Japan, the saving amounts to 70kg – a substantial deficit brought about largely by redesigning certain suspension components, not least the torsion-beam rear axle, and a more bulbous but stiffer new body, which is significantly lighter than before.
It drops the Swift Sport into sub-tonne territory and gives it a 0-62mph time of 8.2sec, which looks favourable next to a combined fuel economy of 50.4mpg. Top speed, meanwhile, is 130mph.
Join the debate
Peter Cavellini
Front to back or back to front......?!
Not keen on the front, maybe it’s the color(?) the rear is fine.....
xxxx
UP price
Prefer the old one's shape and price but it's still a contender. When comparing to the UP remember to add £600 for the 5 door version, plus extra's like Sat Nav etc, oh the UP is smaller too with a less powerful engine.
Having said that you'd still want a discount on that high'ish sticker price
Chris C
Swift
Not built in Hungary?
Fairer to compare with VW Polo?
Dainler or ATE/Bosch supplying the ESP?
it's or its?
in tact?
BeamMeUpScotty
Don’t understand this odd price strategy...
...since the same car with the same equipment is sold in Italy equally for18,000... but euros. :-) This means that some discounts will be available in the UK.
As actual SSS 1.6 (happy) owner -- 5 doors, bough for 15K euros metallic paint included --, I’m not entirely enthusiastic about this new Swift iteration, mainly being a fan of N/A engines, but also from an aesthetic point of vue being a lil bit... confused -- but maybe a future test drive will convince me I’m wrong.
Anyway, the 8.2 s time announced for the 0-62 mph sprint seems on the conservative side for its very good, under 7 kg/hp power to weight ratio. Suzuki is known for these shy predictions though (ex: the much heavier Vitara S Allgrip with the same engine has been measured with 8.5-8.7 s, whilst the official data shows +10 s.)
scrap
Three stars seems harsh but
Three stars seems harsh but Autocar have a downer on this generation of the Swift it seems.
Thekrankis
I had the original...
....and loved it.
This seems to have got a bit "Up itself " and tried to jump a couple of price brackets.
Shame. Priced right this would be a great package.
If I was in the market for a fun small car the UP! GTi would now be the top of my list.
BeamMeUpScotty
P.S.
Don't understand either why all the Australian motoring mags give a 7.2 s number for the 0-100 km/h sprint (way shorter gear ratios for their market maybe?)
...Let alone the fact that Aussies use only the kW units for power measuring -- and litres/100 km for gas consumption (btw,, the 6.1 litres/100 km and 142 g CO2 communicated at the Antipods for the 103 kW SSS 1.4 Boosterjet seem to be measured using the new WLTP cycle?!)
Conclusion: a lot of confusion. :-) For now, at least.
Andy_Cowe
Another owner of the outgoing model
I agree with BeamMeUpScotty, the aesthetics have taken a tumble with the new model. It is too fussy and unbalanced. My main issues are with the C pillars and the headlights. Add in the review of the dampened fun-factor, and I won't be swap my SSS 1.6 for one.
ianp55
Suzuki Swift Sport
Very harsh Autocar only giving the Swift Sport three stars,it's certainly worth more than that,surprised that it's being built in Japan rather than Hungary. It looks a pretty appealing package to me excellent performance and very well equipped for the price, you wouldn't get much of a Mini Cooper for that sort of price would you
Citytiger
Of course it
only get 3 stars, its not German or British, the Swift Sports have always been fun to drive, well built and reliable, its just a pity that given its lack of weight its not quicker to 60, 8.2seconds is not exactly Swift.
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