At the wheel of the new Suzuki Swift: sportier, safer and with an ECO label

Suzuki has thoroughly renewed the Swift to make it even more interesting than it already was. In the road test of the Suzuki Swift Sport, the sportiest version, we were able to confirm many of its advances. Now we have driven the new Swift with the 1.2 Dualjet Mild Hybrid engine, and we know all the details regarding the range configuration.

We can tell you in advance that it is a car to seriously consider for anyone looking for an alternative to the best-sellers in this category. And it is, first of all, for its design. But also for the fun-to-drive feel of its driving, for its magnificent engine performance and for its value for money.

Slight changes to keep up to date

Externally, the small Japanese model did not need many changes. Even so, the grille has been modified and a few decorative details have been added. But the most striking are the new four eye-catching two-tone colours: blue, red and orange with a black roof, or yellow with a silver roof. Any of the four combinations looks very attractive.

The interior continues to display a very sporty design. There are no concessions to luxury or refinement, but all the materials and fabrics have a solid and pleasant feel. The Swift is one of those cars designed to be fun behind the wheel, and this is noticeable at the driving position, although comfort and versatility, which a city car must offer for everyday use, have not been neglected. The seats hold you well and are very comfortable at the same time, and there are multiple storage spaces spread around the cabin for placing objects.

The 4.2-inch colour LCD screen between the instrument dials lets us move through different menus to check driving information with very simple graphics. You can see, among other things, the g-forces, indications of the torque or power delivered by the engine, the energy flow of the Mild-Hybrid system…

Connectivity is covered by the 7-inch touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link. And among the safety and driver-assistance systems, the Swift adds a lane change assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert to those it already had.

1.2 Dualjet MHEV engine, ECO label

The Swift’s engine is a “rara avis” for what is currently offered in this category at these power levels. Where the norm is a 1-litre three-cylinder with forced induction, Suzuki still relies on the naturally aspirated 1.2 Dualjet 4-cylinder. The previous range also offered a 1.0 three-cylinder with a turbocharger.

The 1.2 delivers 83 CV at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 107 Nm at 2,800 rpm. The difference from the previous Swift is that it now comes with a mild hybrid MHEV system as standard, whereas it used to be optional. In addition, this system has been improved, with a new 10 Ah lithium battery. It works like all systems of this type, with a small electric motor that acts as a starter motor and assists the combustion engine when setting off or accelerating. During deceleration or braking, it recovers energy by generating electricity which is stored in the battery.

The truth is that the result behind the wheel is very good. For the torque figure it quotes, it is surprising how well it pulls and, above all, how smooth it is. If you want to drive around town without using the gearbox frequently, it makes this much easier than you would expect from an engine without a turbocharger, with a Start-stop system that continues to stand out for how well it works.

Also available with 4×4 traction

And if you decide to go out and see how the Swift still shows the agility and sporty feel on winding roads that have always been associated with this model, both the manual gearbox and the engine keep up. You simply need to make the 1.2 work in the upper part of the rev counter, which won’t be too difficult.

The best part? Fuel consumption is very low, and it does not soar – as happens with other smaller turbo engines – when you raise the pace. Keeping around 5.5 l/100 km is perfectly possible without much effort, something that is not within reach of the Swift’s rivals with similar power outputs.

If you are going to use the Suzuki Swift mainly in the city, you may be interested in the version with the new CVT continuously variable automatic gearbox. What will be hard to justify is choosing the AllGrip all-wheel drive that Suzuki offers. It is a simple system, with a central viscous coupling that distributes torque automatically. But except for driving in very adverse conditions (snow or ice), it is not worth it, despite not being an expensive option: the car weighs more, consumes more fuel and has poorer performance.

Range, prices and equipment of the new Suzuki Swift

The new Swift range is structured around two trim levels, GLE and GLX. In both cases the automatic gearbox can be chosen, which carries a surcharge of 1,400 euros. For the manual 1.2 GLE, all-wheel drive is available, costing 1,500 euros more than the front-wheel-drive version.

These are all the prices of the versions available, including in every case the 2,000-euro promotional discount applied by Suzuki:

• Swift 1.2 GLE: €15,270
• Swift 1.2 GLE Auto: €16,670
• Swift 1.2 GLE 4WD: €16,770
• Swift 1.2 GLX: €16,270
• Swift 1.2 GLX Auto: €17,670

The price is very competitive, considering that the GLE versions already include LED headlights, light sensor, 16-inch alloy wheels, touchscreen, rear camera, air conditioning, parking sensors, adaptive cruise control and heated front seats.

For 1,000 euros more, the GLX versions add polished wheels, indicators integrated into the wing mirrors, keyless entry, climate control, a navigation system and an audio system with more speakers.

Like the rest of the range, the warranty is five years. Suzuki also has a plan under way that lets you buy the vehicle now and not start paying until 2021.

Suzuki Swift image gallery

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackSuzuki Swift6 versions · from 20,905 €