A few months back I attended the launch of the new Suzuki Swift and Dzire in Durban. Since then I have been lucky enough to spend a full week with each to really get a proper feel for each car.
First up is the Suzuki Swift. The Swift, now in its 3rd generation has already won awards overseas such as the RJC Car of the Year in Japan, the Scottish Compact Car of the Year and has been named a top three finalist of the World Urban Car of the Year. This is not surprising since the previous generation Swift is already a top seller for Suzuki.
The new Swift is nothing like the previous generation. The Swift is now bolder, more defined and sportier. There are new changes such as blacked out front and centre pillars, vertical headlamps, a new grille with a large Suzuki badge and a second narrow grille. The Swift now has rear door handles in the blacked out c pillar, creating a cleaner and sportier look.
If the new Swift looks slightly larger, that is because it is. The Swift has been widened by 40 mm but is also shorter by 10 mm. With an adjustment of the track and wheelbase, the Swift now has a more planted stance.
These adjustments have allowed Suzuki to increase interior space. Rear passengers will now have 23 mm of additional head room while front passengers benefit from 10 mm of extra shoulder room. For someone of my height (nearly 6 feet tall) this means I have more leg and head room and anyone that sits behind me when I am driving won’t be squashed.
The new Swift has even more boot space. With an increase of 58 litres to 268 litres, you can now carry even more. With a 60/40 split and on some models, a foldable rear bench seat, the Swift can be the perfect car for moving small goods. There is also ample storage space inside the car such as cup holders, side door pockets,a console tray box and a glove box.
The Swift comes in 6 colours such as solid fire red or lucent orange, so you can be stylish on the road and show off your personality.
The Swift unfortunately doesn’t come with alloy wheels. You either get steel wheels with a centre cap (on the GA model) or steel wheels with a full wheel cover on the GL model.
Interior
Like previous Swifts, the new Swift retains the driver first design philosophy. The centre console is angled towards the driver and is now fitted with an individual speedometer and rev counter. The D shape steering wheel, which is tilt adjustable, is comfortable to hold and features steering wheel controls for music, volume and calls (only on the GL model).
All models come with air conditioning, front and rear electric windows, power steering, central locking, an alarm and an immobiliser as standard. There is an info display that shows fuel consumption and range which is really handy to monitor your fuel costs.
If you go for the GL model, you also get an audio system with bluetooth, a usb port, steering wheel controls and electrically adjustable side view mirrors.
You also get some ambient lighting around the speedometer which adds a nice sporty touch!
Engines & Performance
Since the previous Swift’s K12M engine was so popular and well received, the Swift is continuing to use this engine. This engine has been known for its durability, reliability and low fuel consumption.
The K12M four-cylinder 1.2L engine is equipped with a relatively high compression ratio of 11:1, which in turn improves the engine performance and combustion efficiency, for lower fuel consumption. The engine delivers 61 kW at 6 000 rpm and 113 Nm at 4 200 rpm.
This nippy engine gives the Swift a very nippy drive with quick take offs and smooth handling. The Swift delivers a very comfortable drive with a fun and pleasant ride quality. While you may feel some bumps on the road, I really enjoyed the easy handling and maneuvering that the Swift provides which is great for city driving.
The Swift’s fuel consumption is rated at 4.9 litres per 100 km, giving it a range of over 750 km on its 37-litre tank! On the road, with a bit of a heavy foot I managed to achieve an average of 6.8L per 100KM, which is not bad at all.
The Swift comes with either a 5 speed manual gearbox or a 5 speed Automated Manual Gearbox (AMT). I only got to drive the Manual models but the gear changes were smooth and quick, just how they should be. Power delivery is very responsive, in low and high gears.
The body of the Swift now uses ultra high tensile steel to ensure that you are protected during an impact. To protect the driver and the front-seat passenger, both front seats come standard with SRS airbags. Together with ABS, occupant protective SRS airbags, pedestrian injury mitigation body and electronic brake-force distribution, the new Swift is safer than ever before.
The Swift comes with a spare temporary wheel, so you can’t use the spare wheel for lots of driving but rather to drive to get a new wheel.
Prices of the new Swift are as follows:
Swift 1.2i GA MT R160,900
Swift 1.2i GL MT R177,900
Swift 1.2i GL AMT R191,900
The Swift comes with a 2yr/30 000km service plan.
Verdict
The Suzuki Swift has entered a very competitive hatchback segment where price versus quality often suffer. Yet, the new Swift delivers a vehicle that is not only sporty and fun to drive, it is also well priced. The Swift puts some serious competition against the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Etios and the Ford Figo with its swiftness.
Find out more about the new Suzuki Swift here.
Review on the Dzire coming shortly..
