Suzuki Swift review

Although all its major controls fall to hand and the gearlever’s location feels natural, getting comfortable behind the wheel of the Swift isn’t quite as easy as you might think. Although all models offer plenty of movement in the driver’s seat, including height adjustment, SZ3 and SZ-T only provide height steering wheel height adjustment. Only on range-topping SZ5 models can you make in-and-out adjustments for steering wheel reach. Most alternatives, including the Fiesta, have such adjustment as standard across the range.

At the top of the range, SZ5 also adds Suzuki’s own sat nav, but we did find that there was noticeable lag when inputting an address. We suggest sticking with the smartphone mirroring found on lower grades.

Interior quality has never been one of Suzuki’s strong points and the new Swift does little to change things there. Everything inside is solidly screwed together, but the plastics are all hard, shiny and unattractive. Sure, hard plastics are common in this class – the Skoda Fabia only just outshines the Swift here – but we’ve come to expect nicer textures and soft-touch surfaces at common contact points such as the top of the dashboard.