Suzuki's Swift has been with us for over a year now and, as Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo would have us believe, offers a playful little motor at a very reasonable price. Playful it may be but, with a maximum of 100bhp, it’s not going to get us fooling around with it too often. Thankfully the lack of power won’t be a problem for much longer; Suzuki has just announced a Sport Version, set for UK release in October.
The sporting Swift has a decent, if rather unsung heritage. The Swift GTi of the late eighties and early nineties was one of the better hot hatchbacks of its time. Its 1.3-litre 16v engine produced a seemingly diminutive 100bhp (compared with the healthy 123bhp of the new Sport), but in fact the ultra lightweight original had a superior power-to-weight ratio. Performance figures are almost identical though, with the new Sport managing 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds and a 124mph top speed. The 1.6-litre VVT produces peak power at a dizzy 6800rpm, and its rev-happy nature, and subsequent lack of torque (109lb.ft) suggests that the baby Suzuki needs a good thrashing to get the best from it.
That might explain the slightly disappointing fuel economy of 37.7mpg on the Combined Cycle. To put this into context, the larger, heavier and significantly more powerful
2-litre Fiesta ST manages 38.2mpg. The estimated £11,500 price tag should more than make amends, however; undercutting the Fiesta by around £2k.
The Suzuki Swift actually looks pretty funky, too, which is rare for a Japanese supermini. The European cues are obvious - the
MINI and Citroen C2 appear more than an inspiration - but that’s more preferable to borrowing from, say, the bulbous
Nissan Micra. The deep front bumpers and ten-spoke 17-inch alloys fitted to the Sport version further add to its charm.
Elsewhere, specification is impressive for a car in this price bracket. Keyless entry and ignition, ESP traction control system, and automatic air conditioning are all fitted as standard.
The Swift Sport makes its public debut in
Paris later this month. We’ll be there, so watch out for the latest updates.
Will Nightingale - 19 Sep 2006
