Used Suzuki Swift Sport 2018-present review review

If we utilise that long-standing automotive cliché of comparing the character of a dog to that of a car, then the Suzuki Swift Sport is a little terrier. Before you groan, consider the fact that both are small, light and generally quite fearless in the face of bigger and more powerful competition.

Though it's a terrible trope to use, it perhaps perfectly describes the energetic Swift Sport.

Engines & Performance: To keep things simple, there’s only one engine offered in the Sport and you can only have a six-speed manual rather than some fancy (and weighty) dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The early, 2018-2020 examples came with a turbocharged 138bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine taken from the larger Suzuki Vitara. This easily has enough power to haul this lightweight 975kg Suzuki from 0-60mph is a very swift 7.6sec, according to our figures.

Later models got a cleaner 127bhp 1.4-litre turbo motor with mild hybrid assistance. Despite its humble claimed 0-62mph time of 9.1sec, we clocked an impressive 0-60mph time of just 7.0sec.

Being turbocharged, it isn’t quite the high-revving free spirit that the old Suzuki Swift Sport 2012-2017 was, but many will appreciate the extra low-down grunt it does have, especially when flowing down a country road; it’ll still pull you out of a corner without you needing to drop a gear or two.

Ride & Handling: Because it is light, you can chuck the Sport into a bend and carry a decent amount of speed. The steering is a touch heavier than you’ll find in a regular Swift, but that suits the sportier nature of this mini hot-hatch and it feels consistent as it weights up when you wind on extra lock through particularly tight corners.

Ride quality is surprisingly good for something with such a short wheelbase, and it’s only the really rotten bits of road surface that give you any cause for discomfort.

Interior & Practicality: Inside the Swift Sport, you’re greeted with lots of hard plastic surfaces. Still, there are plenty of sporty touches such as the flashes of red trim, perforated leather on the steering wheel, chunky sports seats and the all-important aluminium pedals to lift the overall look. You even get some gimmicky tech in the driver information display such as a g-force meter and turbo boost gauge to keep you in mind of its performance intent.

As with the regular Suzuki Swift, the Sport isn’t the most practical small car. True, it is far better at accommodating passengers than its predecessor was, but against the Ford Fiesta ST, it could do with having a bit more rear leg room and a bigger boot. There’s also a noticeable lip to lift items over, where most rivals offer an adjustable-height boot floor to mitigate this.

Trims & Equipment: There’s only one trim to choose from, so you get plenty of standard kit with the Swift Sport, including 17in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and start, automatic air conditioning, automatic headlights, heated door mirrors, parking aids and touchscreen infotainment.

Interested in buying a used Suzuki Swift Sport? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Prices for a Swift Sport start at £11,000 for a 2018 or 2019 version. Up that to around £14,000 if you fancy yourself a 2021 or 2022 model, while 2023 cars go for around £17,000.

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MPG: The Swift Sport only has one engine option, that being the 1.4-litre petrol unit. Suzuki provides both an NEDC economy figure of 50.4mpg for the earlier 138bhp car and a more realistic WLTP figure of 47.1mpg for the later model. Not bad for a hot hatch.

Road tax: All examples of the Swift Sport will have been registered after 1 April 2017 which means that it’ll cost you £180 per year in road tax.

Insurance, servicing and warranty: The mild-hybrid Sport belongs to insurance group 28 (out of 50), whereas the Sport that came before it belongs to group 35.

Servicing costs are in line with rivals and you can even take out a service plan that covers three years' worth of maintenance costs on any Suzuki model up to six years of age.

If you buy an approved used car from Suzuki, you'll get a 12-month warranty – as long as the vehicle isn't older than eight years old and doesn't have more than 80,000 miles on its clock.

There’s very little to add here because there’s only one combination of engine and gearbox with the Swift Sport. Both versions, the earlier 138bhp one or the later 127bhp car, are both equally good fun to drive. Just make sure you find the best example you can afford and that your purchase has a full service history. That way, you’ll know you’ve found the perfect car.

Our favourite Suzuki Swift Sport: 1.4 Boosterjet

For similar money to a used Suzuki Swift Sport, you could have a Volkswagen Up GTI. The Up GTI is smaller and less practical, but it would be the superior choice if you wanted a little bit more refinement but need a smaller car because you live in a city where parking is at a premium.

The Ford Fiesta ST is a thoroughly enjoyable hot hatch, although most examples will be the less practical three-door version, which could be a problem for those who have children that need to be put in car seats. However, it's one of our firm favourites to drive.

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Interested in buying a used Suzuki Swift Sport? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.