Item: Suzuki Swift Sport
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

It might not be the most potent hot hatch, but this little 1.4 still loves to rev. Plus, it has plenty of mid-range turbocharged grunt to pull you out of tight corners with verve. We found it to be swifter in our own tests than its rather pedestrian sounding 9.1sec 0-62mph time would suggest.

1.4 Boosterjet 48V Hybrid

Hatchback

Suzuki is well known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but the car brand has been enjoying decent success in recent years, thanks to a line-up of neat, well-equipped and keenly priced models.

Its expertise focuses on smaller cars, although its high-riding SUV range is also hugely credible, especially the Ignis and Vitara, which are both rated highly by What Car?’s testers and which have enjoyed success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

Well priced, decent to drive and full of useful tech, Suzuki’s cars also generally stand out for delivering good fuel economy. The Ignis, Celerio and Baleno have all stood head and shoulders above the competition during our True MPG testing.

SUZUKI

SWIFT

Only one trim level is available with the Swift Sport, but that’s no problem because it comes packed with the sort of kit that’s reserved for the options list of many rivals.

Sport

1.4 Boosterjet 48V Hybrid Sport 5dr

14-boosterjet-48v-hybrid-sport-5dr

Abarth 595

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Audi S3

BMW M135i

Cupra Leon

Ford Fiesta ST

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Honda Civic Type R

Hyundai i20N

Hyundai i30N

Mercedes A35 AMG

Mercedes AMG A45

Peugeot 308 GTi

Renault Megane RS

Skoda Octavia vRS

Suzuki Swift Sport

Toyota GR Yaris

Vauxhall Corsa VXR

Volkswagen Golf GTD

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen Golf R

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen Up GTI

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

Suzuki would argue that the Swift Sport is a true hot hatch competitor to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta-st/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a>. In reality, though, it sits somewhere between the pricier, more powerful Fiesta and the cheaper, slower&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/up/hatchback/review/n17310">Volkswagen Up GTI</a>.

That said, the Swift Sport’s comprehensive list of standard kit does make it more attractive. There is just the one Sport trim level available, and it's fully loaded with standard features, including climate control, keyless entry and start, and 17in alloy wheels.

The engine's mild-hybrid assistance makes it a lot more frugal than the Fiesta ST, helping it to achieve a similar fuel economy figure to the Up GTI (50.4mpg and&nbsp;51.4mpg&nbsp;respectively). The Swift Sport has the same CO2 emissions figures as the little Up GTI&nbsp;so they sit&nbsp;in the same <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">company car tax</a> band. The Swift Sport is the more expensive of the two to insure, though.

In terms of safety kit, the Swift Sport comes with automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>, lane-keeping assistance, a drowsiness monitor, radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a system to warn of approaching objects from the side when reversing and advanced forward pedestrian detection. That equipment helped it achieve a reasonable four stars out of five in its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/top-10-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n20301">Euro NCAP</a> rating (the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n54">Suzuki Swift</a> got a rather shocking three stars).

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> performed very well in our 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, finishing third out of 30 manufacturers, and outperforming Ford and Volkswagen by a considerable margin. The Swift Sport comes with a standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.

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Let’s begin with the 'heart' of the Suzuki Swift Sport: its turbocharged 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine. Mild-hybrid assistance helps with efficiency and improves performance, but the 127bhp power output doesn’t give it much in the way of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a> bragging rights.

Fortunately, the Swift Sport weighs only 1025kg (more than 200kg less than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a>). Little wonder, then, that it accelerates with an intensity that belies its humble claimed 0-62mph time of 9.1sec.&nbsp;In fact, during our performance testing on a dry day, we clocked an impressive 0-60mph time of just 7.0sec. That’s 1.6sec quicker than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/up/hatchback/review/n17310">Volkswagen Up GTI</a>.

Maximum torque is available from just 2000rpm and you get plenty of shove from just 1500rpm, so there’s little need to use the lower gears on a twisty road – the&nbsp;low-down grunt carries&nbsp;you from bend to bend.&nbsp;Keen drivers will be pleased to hear that, despite being turbocharged, the little 1.4 unit also loves to rev. Its rev needle zips around to the 6000rpm red line more keenly, in fact, than that of the Up GTI.

The standard six-speed manual <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> gearbox has well-spaced ratios that add to the Swift Sport’s verve, while an accurate throw, positive clutch action and strong brakes give you confidence when pushing it on a demanding road. All those are&nbsp;vital&nbsp;because this car is capable of some properly zingy mid-corner speed.

When you turn in to a quick corner, there’s a bit more lean than in some hot hatches, but less than in the Up GTI, and the Swift Sport settles quickly and locks on to your chosen line.

If you squeeze on the accelerator mid-corner too aggressively, you might sense the front wheels beginning to run wide of your desired course, but a lift of the accelerator pedal tucks the nose back in promptly. Pushed hard, it’s more composed and agile than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/abarth/595/hatchback/review/n17259">Abarth 595</a>&nbsp;and Up GTI, but it’s not as much fun as the Fiesta ST.

The fly in the ointment is the Swift Sport's steering. As you turn the wheel, there's an&nbsp;initial numbness that can be frustrating. Indeed,&nbsp;the Up GTI’s precise, well-weighted steering is part of the reason it's so much fun, even at relatively low speeds. The Swift's front tyres give you a reasonable amount of information, but you do have to contend with the wheel writhing in your hands a little over mid-corner bumps if you corner&nbsp;keenly.

When sporty driving isn’t your priority, it's surprisingly comfortable, and only the worst bashed-up road surfaces cause the suspension to kick and rattle. The Up GTI is even&nbsp;more comfortable in the main, but on speed bumps and rippled country roads Swift passengers are shaken to and fro far less.

You’ll notice plenty of wind and road noise, though, and the brakes might take some getting used to – when you come off the accelerator pedal, the car sheds speed rather more quickly than you might expect. That’s down to the hybrid system recovering&nbsp;energy to recharge its batteries as the car slows.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

14-boosterjet-48v-hybrid

The Suzuki Swift Sport and other hot hatches no longer offer quite such&nbsp;cheap thrills as they used to – with a noticeable rise in the cost of getting hold of a new one.

Still, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a> loves a good deal, whether you’re buying outright or on finance. So, while the Swift Sport looks like a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a> rival in terms of price, if you shop around,&nbsp;it gets closer to the less expensive territory of&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/up/hatchback/review/n17310">Volkswagen Up GTI</a>&nbsp;and the entry-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/abarth/595/hatchback/review/n17259">Abarth 595</a>.

The Swift Sport is hotter than you might imagine, too. The 127bhp you get from its mild hybrid turbocharged engine might not sound like a lot, but this <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n54">Suzuki Swift</a> variant has light weight on its side. Indeed, we had a bit of a surprise when we put it through our performance tests, as you'll find out later in this review.

It's also got the&nbsp;sensible stuff covered. The Swift Sport is&nbsp;a proper five-door&nbsp;five-seater packed with nice-to-have features&nbsp;that are often reserved for the options list on rivals.&nbsp;You get plenty of advanced safety kit, including adaptive cruise control, lane-departure prevention&nbsp;and blind-spot monitoring (some of those aren't even available as an option on certain similarly sized cars).

So, read on over the next few pages of this review to find out whether the Suzuki Swift Sport lives up to its name, and how it compares with its main <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a> rivals when it comes to performance, handling, interior quality, running costs, boot space and other factors.

When you're ready to buy a new car of any make and model, we can help you get it for the best price if you search our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>. It has lots of tempting savings, whether you're planning to buy outright or with finance, and is a good place to look for the latest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki/swift/hatchback/deals?trim=sport">Suzuki Swift Sport deals</a>.

Interior quality has never been a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/suzuki">Suzuki</a>&nbsp;strong point, but while the Swift Sport’s dashboard is made from unappealing&nbsp;hard plastics, the overall effect is lifted somewhat by sporty red trim pieces, a stylish leather-bound steering wheel and alloy pedals.

There's also a&nbsp;colour display between the red-edged rev counter and the speedometer that should keep the PlayStation generation happy. It displays a host of information including&nbsp;average speed, lateral acceleration, the turbocharger’s boosting efforts and the amount of G-force generated under acceleration and braking.

There’s plenty of seat and steering wheel&nbsp;adjustment – more than you'll find in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/up/hatchback/review/n17310">Volkswagen Up GTI</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;so&nbsp;finding the right driving position won't be too taxing. The biggest improvement over&nbsp;the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n54">Suzuki Swift</a> is that you get heavily bolstered <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a> sports seats. They're supportive and very comfy, giving the sense that you’re driving something genuinely sporty. They are particularly narrow, though, so they might not suit everyone.

Forward visibility is good, but the view over your shoulder is compromised by thick rear pillars and small rear windows. Thankfully, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard, while dark roads are amply lit by the bright automatic LED headlights. Automatic wipers aren’t available, though.

In terms of infotainment, the Swift Sport gets a 7.0in touchscreen. It's integrated into the dashboard well enough, but the&nbsp;graphics look dated, the screen is slow to respond and the sat-nav is clunky to use. Happily Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring are included as standard so you can use apps on your phone and bypass the system’s software altogether.

Well equipped and fun to drive, but a high list price and underwhelming handling stop the Suzuki Swift Sport achieving hot-hatch greatness

The Suzuki Swift Sport is a fairly practical five-door hatchback, and front and back seat&nbsp;passengers shouldn't feel short of space. It has&nbsp;a high high roofline and relatively decent rear leg room compared with the four-seat&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/up/hatchback/review/n17310">Volkswagen Up GTI</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/abarth/595/hatchback/review/n17259">Abarth 595</a>.

Unfortunately, flexibility and boot space are some way behind the competition. The back seats fold down with a 60/40 arrangement as standard, but that’s about as flexible as they get. The boot is smaller than the one in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a> and does without the Up GTI’s useful height-adjustable boot floor.

You can read more about the interior layout in general in our review of the standard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n54">Suzuki Swift</a>.

sport

The Suzuki Swift Sport is well equipped and fun to drive, but a high list price and underwhelming handling stop it from achieving hot hatch greatness 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Engaging handling </li> <li>Thrilling performance </li> <li>A characterful engine with an enticing soundtrack </li> <li>Reasonable running costs </li> <li>Not hard to live with day to day</li></ul>

A popular choice with UK buyers since the days of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the hot hatchback mixes everyday practicality with higher performance and the sort of handling and agility that’s ideally suited to British roads. A good hot hatch should be fun and, since it’s likely to be your daily drive, it should also deliver respectable running costs.

The Golf GTI remains one of the best hot hatches on the market, along with its main competitor,&nbsp;the&nbsp;equally as responsive and cheaper to buy Hyundai i30 N. But there are some terrific options for even less money than both of these cars. We're big fans of the Ford Fiesta ST, which is definitely one of the best hot hatches ever and certainly one of the most fun to drive. It's full of character and its engaging handling makes it a bit of a hoot at all speeds.&nbsp;

If you’ve got a bit more money to spare, there are even faster cars available, such as the Honda Civic Type R. This latest version is sublime to drive, either on road or on a track, as it's so sweetly balanced. It's also incredibly quick in a straight line&nbsp;and round a corner, and yet it's as practical as a regular Civic.&nbsp;

Hot hatch

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

Suzuki Swift Sport review

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Review of Suzuki Swift Sport interior by the expert What Car? team. Compare in car entertainment system, driving comfort and visibility with similar cars.

Interior quality has never been a Suzuki strong point, but while the Swift Sport’s dashboard is made from unappealing hard plastics, the overall effect is lifted somewhat by sporty red trim pieces, a stylish leather-bound steering wheel and alloy pedals.,There's also a colour display between the red-edged rev counter and the speedometer that should keep the PlayStation generation happy. It displays a host of information including average speed, lateral acceleration, the turbocharger’s boosting efforts and the amount of G-force generated under acceleration and braking.,There’s plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment – more than you'll find in the Volkswagen Up GTI – so finding the right driving position won't be too taxing. The biggest improvement over the regular Suzuki Swift is that you get heavily bolstered hot hatch sports seats. They're supportive and very comfy, giving the sense that you’re driving something genuinely sporty. They are particularly narrow, though, so they might not suit everyone.,Forward visibility is good, but the view over your shoulder is compromised by thick rear pillars and small rear windows. Thankfully, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard, while dark roads are amply lit by the bright automatic LED headlights. Automatic wipers aren’t available, though.,In terms of infotainment, the Swift Sport gets a 7.0in touchscreen. It's integrated into the dashboard well enough, but the graphics look dated, the screen is slow to respond and the sat-nav is clunky to use. Happily Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring are included as standard so you can use apps on your phone and bypass the system’s software altogether.

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Suzuki Swift Sport review

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