Suzuki Swift review

Introduction

Sho-Sho-Kei-Tan-Bi. It means smaller, fewer, lighter, shorter and beauty, and it’s been a Suzuki design philosophy for years. A great showcase for this is the new Suzuki Swift because it is indeed smaller, lighter and shorter than most of its small car contemporaries.

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What’s more, the Japanese brand is quite open about the fact that it will sell fewer Swifts than Renault will sell Clios or Volkswagen will sell Polos. Beauty? Well, we’ll leave you to pass judgement on that (it’s supposed to be in the eye of the beholder, after all).

While the Suzuki Swift isn’t quite as budget-focused as the slightly larger Dacia Sandero or the slightly smaller Toyota Aygo X, it definitely sits at the value end of the small car class – especially when you factor in how much equipment it comes with as standard.

It’s also the only regular small hatchback on sale in the UK available with optional four-wheel drive. This does bump up the price and doesn’t exactly turn the Swift into a Land Rover Defender wannabe, but it adds unique appeal to buyers who want a bit of extra traction (but who don’t want to splash out on an SUV).

So, how does the Suzuki Swift compare against the slightly larger big-hitters in this class, including the Renault Clio and VW Polo, as well as cheaper alternatives, such as the Dacia Sandero and Toyota Aygo X? Read on to find out.

Overview

There are bigger and more comfortable small cars, but the Suzuki Swift is frugal, fun to drive and, if you’re signing up to a finance agreement, great value. If you do buy a Swift, we recommend going for the regular front-wheel-drive (2WD) version with a manual gearbox and entry-level Motion trim.

Pros

• Excellent fuel economy
• Tidy handling
• Lots of standard kit

Cons

• Firm ride
• Road noise
• Rivals offer better practicality

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

While the latest Suzuki Swift is based on the same underpinnings as its predecessor, it’s powered by a new 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine with mild-hybrid tech. The engine isn’t turbocharged and has a modest 81bhp, but the Swift is lighter than most of its rivals so acceleration isn’t as pedestrian as you might expect.

There are faster small cars but the Swift pulls well enough from low revs, so it’s nowhere near as gutless as, say, a Toyota Aygo X. It helps that the engine is smoother and quieter than the three-cylinder units in many rivals, and even when you do need to work it hard, it sounds surprisingly pleasant.

The regular front-wheel-drive (2WD) version can officially do 0-62mph in 12.5 seconds, while the heavier four-wheel-drive (Allgrip) model takes 13.6 seconds. However, while the Allgrip is slower, its jacked-up suspension means ground clearance increases from 115mm to 140mm.

There’s also a choice between a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic. We've tried the manual, and its shift action is precise and positively weighted. The auto gearbox improves on-paper performance slightly, but also pushes up the price by quite a bit and takes its toll on fuel economy.

The Swift’s lightness again pays dividends when it comes to handling. It’s more agile than the Dacia Sandero and the Aygo X, and that means it’s more fun to drive. The car's nose responds quickly when you ask for a change of direction, and there's not much body lean.

The steering impresses too: although it's quite light, it filters enough feedback to your fingers to give you confidence in how much grip there is – even when you’re driving quickly along a meandering country road. So, while the Swift doesn’t handle as crisply as a Renault Clio, it’s more composed than most other keenly priced small cars, including the MG3.

The Allgrip four-wheel drive is basically unnoticeable during everyday road driving. We’ve yet to try it off road but it’s safe to assume that the Swift is no Dacia Duster Extreme 4x4 in the mud. We can see the Allgrip being useful if you want a bit more traction on poor surfaces and in bleak weather conditions, but that’s about the extent of it.

The quality of the Swift's ride leaves room for improvement. Things are never crashingly firm or uncomfortable, but at faster speeds you're jostled around more than in the best small cars. The Allgrip is the worst offender, proving noticeably less comfortable than the cheaper 2WD models.

And while we don’t doubt Suzuki’s claim that it’s filled the new Swift with more sound-deadening than was in the previous-generation model, it's still not a particularly hushed cruiser. True, it's quieter than the MG3 on motorways, but a noticeable amount of wind and tyre noise still makes its way into the interior.

"Suzuki says this is an all-new model but I think that’s a bit of a stretch because it sits on the same underpinnings as its predecessor. It’s the same width and height as before, and only slightly longer." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

Let’s start with the Suzuki Swift's driving position, because on the whole it’s a pretty good one. The steering wheel adjusts for both height and reach (there's no reach adjustment in the MG3), and most drivers will find it easy to get comfortable.

There’s no adjustable lumbar support in any version of the Swift, but you only really miss it on long journeys. The seat has plenty of bolstering at the sides to hold you in place through corners

The Swift is easier to see out of than many other small cars thanks to tall side windows and relatively upright windscreen pillars. You shouldn’t have any issues with parking – all versions have a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

Don’t expect to find lots of plush, expensive-feeling materials inside the Swift (it’s a fairly cheap car, after all). However, a visually pleasing blend of colours and textures, combined with solid build quality, prevent the interior feeling too low-rent and unpleasant.

Indeed, we’d say the Swift has a smarter interior than a Dacia Sandero or Toyota Aygo X, although the Renault Clio and VW Polo are noticeably classier.

All models come with a 9.0in infotainment touchscreen. It’s positioned helpfully high on the dashboard, meaning you don’t need to divert your gaze far from the road to see it, and comes with plenty of features, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

However, it’s a pity the screen doesn’t respond more quickly when you prod it (there’s often a lengthy delay) and the design of the operating system makes it tricky to find certain functions. It's not one of the best infotainment systems around, but then most similarly priced small cars – including the MG3 – don’t have great systems either.

"The Swift’s interior looks more appealing than before, but I was disappointed to find the dashboard is still made of hard, scratchy plastic." – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

The Suzuki Swift is smaller than most big-selling small cars, including the Renault Clio, Skoda Fabia and VW Polo. However, it’s larger than a Toyota Aygo X and isn't as cramped inside as you might be fearing.

Indeed, tall people sitting in the front will have no complaints at all, thanks to lots of head room and seats that slide back a long way on their runners. There’s a reasonable amount of stowage space, including two trays (one in front of the gearstick and another behind it) and a couple of cupholders.

Rear space isn’t as generous, but two six-footers will fit in easily enough – and more comfortably than they would in an MG3. There’s significantly more leg and head room in the back of a Dacia Sandero, Skoda Fabia or VW Polo, which is worth bearing in mind if you'll often have more than one tall passenger.

The rear doors open nice and wide, and tall side windows help ward off any feelings of claustrophobia.

The Swift has 265 litres of boot space (measured below the parcel shelf), which is less than many small cars. It can take more luggage than an Aygo X, but less than a Clio or Fabia. We managed to fit in five carry-on suitcases.

There’s a big drop down from the entrance of the boot to the floor of the load bay, and no height-adjustable floor to help mitigate this.

The rear seatbacks split 60/40 and fold down to make more space for luggage, but you're left with an annoying step in the floor of the extended load bay (another thing a height-adjustable floor would help counter).

"I found that despite the Swift being a little smaller than the MG3, it actually has a little more space for your knees. Access is a bit better too." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

The starting price of the Suzuki Swift is a little higher than you might be hoping. Indeed, you can buy a Renault Clio or Toyota Aygo X for less, and the Dacia Sandero is thousands of pounds cheaper.

There are some mitigating factors – not least how much equipment the Swift has as standard. Entry-level Motion trim includes 16in alloy wheels, LED headlights, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, a reversing camera, blind-spot monitoring and touchscreen infotainment.

With all that in mind, we don’t think it’s worth forking out extra for Ultra trim, but if you do you’ll get a polished finish to the alloys, automatic (rather than manual) air-conditioning and power-folding door mirrors.

For those planning to take out a finance agreement, the Swift makes more sense than it does to cash buyers. This is thanks to relatively slow predicted depreciation, along with some very competitive APR rates (at the time of writing it offered cheaper monthly repayments than the MG3).

The Swift's mild-hybrid tech is designed to cut fuel consumption, and the model certainly has some impressive fuel-economy figures. The 2WD with a manual gearbox officially averages 64.2mpg, and in our real-world testing proved more frugal than the full hybrid MG3. For context, the best an Aygo X can do is 55.8mpg, while the most efficient Skoda Fabia returns 55.4mpg.

The Swift also makes plenty of sense to company car drivers paying BIK tax thanks to CO2 emissions as low as 99g/km. Just be aware that going for the CVT automatic gearbox or four-wheel drive (or both) cuts efficiency.

There’s more standard safety kit than on most budget rivals, but the model was given a disappointing three stars out of five for safety after being tested by the experts at Euro NCAP. Its lowest score was 62%, in the Safety Assist section, followed by 65% for Child Occupant protection. The Sandero did even worse with two stars but most new cars have five-star safety ratings.

You shouldn't have to worry about reliability though. Suzuki came an impressive third out of 31 brands in the manufacturers section of our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, below only Mini and Lexus. Plus, the previous-generation Swift came top for dependability in the small cars category the previous year.

"Because the Swift is fairly simple and light, I found it can deliver spectacular fuel economy in the real world." — Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

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