Ever since buying my first car, I always liked the Suzuki Swift. South Africans appear to agree with the first two generations of the Swift accounting for 30% of Suzuki’s sales. The 2018 model is also making waves winning various awards internationally including RJC Car of the Year in Japan, the Scottish Compact Car of the Year and becoming a top three finalist of the World Urban Car of the Year. Here it was named one of the finalists for the SAGMJ Car of the Year competition.
Drive and handling
The Suzuki Swift has plenty to offer buyers of compact hatchbacks. It offers confident handling and an agile drive. This is probably due to the reduction in weight of the Swift by 95kg, making it one of the lightest in its class. Yet, even on slight inclines it does struggle a bit but this is not unexpected from its 1.2l engine. As a driver of a car with a small engine, this has never deterred me as I know exactly how to build my power well before I need it.
The Suzuki Swift’s 1.2l engine delivers 61 kW at 6 000 rpm and 113 Nm at 4 200 rpm. A huge selling point for anyone trying to save on high fuel costs is the fuel efficiency. The claimed fuel efficiency is 4.9l/100km with a range of 750km from the 37l tank. This appears to be a realistic claim as my mine was not far off.
I put the Swift through its wet weather paces as I had to drive to an appointment through one of Joburg’s worst storms this summer. Yet, the car handled so superbly I barely thought about how bad the weather was until one of my passengers mentioned it.
One disadvantage is that the Bluetooth system is unnecessarily difficult to pair with and use. It could potentially do the opposite to reducing driving distractions. I missed having a touchscreen infotainment system but it’s necessary to keep the price so appealing.
Design
The Swift retains its signature look that mimics a racing helmet and which grabbed attention when it first entered the market. The latest generation has some changes including rear door handles in the C Pillar, vertical headlights, the creation of the impression that the roof is ‘floating,’ less angular shoulder line and various other improvements.
Suzuki also introduced the new HEARTECT platform which is partly why Swift was named one of the 2018 Urban World Car of the Year finalists. It uses high-tensile and ultra-high tensile steel with fewer joints than a traditional monocoque chassis. The resulting smooth shape and stiff construction helps better dissipate energy in a crash, preserving the integrity of the cabin, keeping the occupants safer.
The interior is ergonomic allowing for comfort and efficiency, exactly what one expects from a compact car. Additionally, the Swift’s design, like its predecessor, is based on the ‘driver-first’ principle, exactly what is needed in a compact car. Increases in size provide more interior room for all occupants, particularly rear passengers. Boot capacity now has an extra 58litres.
The Suzuki Swift is a worthy contender in the compact car segment. It offers everything needed in a car in this segment: great price, fantastic fuel economy and finally a confident drive.
Good to know
The specs of the 1.2 GL
Engine: 1.2 petrol engine
Power: 61 kW
Torque: 113 Nm
Fuel Consumption: 4.9/100 km
Transmission: 5-speed manual transmission
Warranty: 5 year/200 000km
Service plan: 2 year/30 000 km
Price: from R175 900
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