Our cars: Suzuki Swift Sport - May

Suzuki Swift 1.6 Sport

Week ending May 24
Mileage 9976
Driven this week 134 miles

Suzuki Swift

I'm a big fan of our Suzuki Swift Sport and will be sad to see it go. I enjoy the surprising turn of pace when pulling out at junctions and find the driver's seat be really comfortable.

The Sport's seats fit me really well, look great and are narrow enough to leave plenty of room for passengers in the back.

I had a look at the used car market to see what they go for and have found a couple of 2011 cars for £9000. I could definitely be tempted.

By Matthew Burrow

Week ending May 17
Mileage 9842
Driven this week 31 miles

It's amazing how a car's colour can make a real difference to the way it looks, and indeed people's perceptions of the driver. The limited edition Suzuki Swift Sport SZ-R, for example, which sports exactly the same body styling (end engine) as our standard Sport, produced some strong reactions from other road users around town this week.

I have to admit it cuts quite a presence with its Cosmic Black body and contrasting Ablaze Red roof, rear spoiler and door mirrors; and it's fair to say it attracted more than a few looks: some admiring, some quizzical, and some downright aggressive. More than a few people refused point blank to let me out at junctions, and some revved themselves up for racing. I was even cut up by a driver in a Smart car at a single-lane set of traffic lights.

Still, if you want to stand out and don’t mind risking a persecution complex, this could well be the car for you, though you’ll have to wait until the car trickles through into the used market: just 100 were made, and they sold out in just a couple of months. Personally, I prefer the more subtle charms of the Swift in white.

By Emma Butcher
Emma.Butcher@whatcar.com


Week ending May 10
Mileage 9811
Driven this week 101 miles

Our Swift Sport is looking and feeling like its sporty self again after finally shedding its winter wheels.

The ride is quieter – not staggeringly so, but I have been able to turn the stereo's volume down a couple of notches. More importantly, the Swift’s got its zing back. The 16-inch winter wheels and tyres didn’t exactly make for a wallowy ride, but back on its firmer 17-inchers, it’s definitely more 'darty' and responsive.

Mostly though, it's just nice to see the hot hatch dressed up again in its shiny alloys. Mind you, that does mean that I’ll have to pay extra attention to kerbs again, which were less of a worry with the hubcap-less black steel wheels.

Emma.Butcher@whatcar.com

Week ending May 3
Mileage 9710
Driven this week 72 miles

I was excited to drive the Suzuki Swift Sport for two reasons: you don't see many on the roads and my mother had two Swifts in the '80s, so I have a sentimental attachment.

Overall, I was very impressed with the high-spec and the surprisingly roomy cabin – and enjoyed beating other cars away from the lights.

One thing was a little annoying: pairing my mobile to the Swift's Bluetooth was extremely complicated.

I was able to get them paired, with the help of the manual, but I couldn't figure out how to connect my iPhone to receive phone calls and play audio.

The Swift's lack of a full infotainment screen made the process quite frustrating. Nevertheless, the Swift Sport was great fun and I'm sure with more time I would be able to get the iPhone and Swift playing nicely together.

By Matthew Burrow