SWM G01, a well-equipped SUV at a popular price

The SWM brand was founded in 1971 in Milan as an Italian manufacturer of off-road motorcycles, specialising in trials and enduro, but it was not until 2016 that it began producing cars, after joining the Chinese consortium Brilliance. SWM cars are designed at the Milan Style Centre (Italy) and manufactured in Chongqing (China), with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles. The brand is currently present in more than 40 countries and, in Spain, has chosen Grupo Invicta Motor as the distributor of its cars.

The new model, called G01, has been designed jointly by the R&D and design centres in Milan (Italy) and Chongqing (China), and is built exclusively at the Fuling plant (China). In Spain it has already gone on sale in two versions, G01 and G01F, the latter with a sportier look, although both share the chassis and mechanics. The main differences between them lie in their styling and equipment, as they share all their mechanical components.

Very spacious

With a total length of 4.61 metres, that is, very close to the upper-end models of the C-segment, such as the Ford Kuga, Nissan X-Trail, Mitsubishi Outlander, Peugeot 5008 or Skoda Kodiaq, the SWM G01 is even longer than a Citroën C5 Aircross, a Hyundai Tucson or an Renault Arkana, although the SWM has opted for an interior layout with five seats only.

Nevertheless, the boot offers 570 litres of capacity, in line with the segment average, and features 40/60 split-folding rear seats to extend the load capacity to 970 litres when required.

For now it is offered exclusively with a 2-litre four-cylinder in-line engine, turbocharged, available in petrol or LPG versions (with an ECO label). The LPG conversion is carried out in Spain at an associated workshop, which installs an LPG tank in the boot, the gas lines to the engine, and adapts the ignition system so that it can run on either fuel without the driver having to carry out any operation.

This version, running on liquefied petroleum gas as well as petrol, is capable of a combined range of up to 1,100 km. In both cases the engine delivers 131 CV and a maximum torque of 215 Nm, with a choice of manual or automatic gearbox of six speeds on the higher trims of the range.

The new SWM G01 and the F variant, with a more dynamic appearance, are based on the modular G platform, on which a new family of SUVs will be built, as well as a compact MPV, prepared to accept petrol, plug-in hybrid or electric powertrains, as well as front-wheel or all-wheel drive versions and manual or automatic gearboxes.

Simple and practical

It maintains a very practical vocation and approach; it is not a high-performance model, as it weighs more than one and a half tonnes in its manual gearbox variant, which is powered solely by a 131 CV engine. That said, the SWM can be a very interesting option for those seeking a spacious and comfortable, well-equipped model at a price clearly below that of its European-built rivals.

The layout is very conventional, with a self-supporting chassis, McPherson front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. It offers suspension with a soft calibration, which is generally comfortable and filters road irregularities well without transmitting harshness to the occupants. It has plenty of travel, and only during hard cornering is a noticeable body roll apparent.

For its part, the steering, which offers a lot of assistance, is somewhat slow, which ends up requiring greater effort on winding mountain roads. It has rather long gear ratios – at least in the manual version – to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels, although the latter aspect is not as refined as in most of its competitors. To get the most out of the engine it needs to be revved high, a circumstance that also brings greater noise.

Complete equipment

Where there is no doubt is in its capacity, since in addition to the generous space in all seats, the boot volume is very satisfactory, with a flat floor, a wide loading aperture and the possibility of extending the load capacity by folding the asymmetric rear seat backrests –in a 60/40 split– .

It includes digital instrumentation and a 7-inch LCD screen in the instrument cluster, as well as a central 10-inch unit for the multimedia system, compatible with smartphones via Carlife through a cable.

Nevertheless, it has Bluetooth wireless connectivity and allows the creation of a WiFi hotspot to provide connection for the occupants. On the centre console it can have a wireless charging system for mobile devices (on the higher trims), and two types of electric sliding sunroofs are offered, a conventional one and a panoramic one of large dimensions with an electrically operated sun blind.

Other comfort features the SWM G01 may include are the keyless entry and start system, USB ports or the front cup holders – which can heat or cool drinks in the holder itself.

Driver assistance and driving aids have also been a focus on this model; they include forward collision warning systems, proximity alert with the vehicle ahead, blind-spot monitoring, and lane departure warning. It also has cruise control on versions fitted with an automatic gearbox, as well as a hill start assist, tyre pressure monitoring and a rear-view camera for parking assistance.

The 6AT Premium variants add electrically folding mirrors, dynamic rear indicators, a heated driver’s seat, a 360º panoramic view system, tyre pressure sensor, among other features.

The G01 F version, with a more dynamic appearance, does not change mechanically, but it does feature a front with a black grille, larger bumpers, mirrors and side skirts painted in black, twin exhaust outlets and a rear diffuser. Optionally it can have a black-painted roof.

Affordable prices

The G01 is sold in Basic trim, exclusively with manual gearbox, or in Elite trim, with manual or automatic gearbox, while the G01 F variant is offered in Luxury trim, with manual gearbox, and in Premium trim, equipped with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

In all cases the warranty covers 5 years or 100,000 km, extendable to 7 as an option. The price range starts at 22,095 euros for the Basic manual version (19,595 euros, financed), up to 29,877 (27,377 euros financed) for the G01 F Premium ECO Automatic. The financing offered by the dealership must cover a minimum amount of 20,000 euros and a minimum term of 60 months, excluding registration, processing and financing costs (commissions and interest).