SWM G01 F test drive: an SUV with LPG that looks the part and has an unbeatable price

A 4.61-metre SUV body, five seats with a good boot, very complete equipment, a sporty look… and a 1.5 Turbo bi-fuel engine running on petrol and LPG, ECO label… All of this from 27,400 euros is what the SWM G01 F offers. You can also get it from 24,000 if you settle for the entry version, the G01 without the “F” finishing details.

We will go into the prices in detail later. But before getting into it, a short introduction to SWM won’t hurt, for those who find the brand sounds “Chinese”.

SWM: a Chinese brand with Italian design and presence in more than 40 countries

You have probably not heard of SWM before. They have only just arrived in our market, and they don’t spend much on advertising, so it’s normal that it doesn’t ring a bell. It is a Chinese brand distributed in Spain by Grupo Invicta since late 2021.

Its initials come from Speedy Working Motors; in its origins, back in the 1970s, SWM was an Italian manufacturer of field motorcycles. The company closed in 1984, but three decades after production ceased it was revived by the Chinese giant Shineray Holdings, which, among many other things -such as industrial machinery or agricultural vehicles- builds models for BMW and the Renault Group for the local market.

From 2016 onwards, in addition to motorcycles, it began manufacturing cars. To do so it relies on engineers with experience in the European automotive industry, and on design and R&D centres in Italy and China. The main factory is located in Chongqing (China), and has an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles and as many engines. They currently sell their vehicles in more than 40 countries.

SUV body and sporty design, though a little overdone

Focusing now on the SWM G01, it is a compact SUV that, by size, competes in the category of the Ford Kuga, Citroën C5 Aircross or Nissan Qashqai: it measures 4.61 metres long, 1.85 wide and 1.74 high, with a wheelbase of 2.75 metres and a ground clearance of 20 cm. Compared with all of them, it stands out for its low price… and because, overall, it gives a sense of lower quality than European or Japanese cars, which feel more modern and advanced, both when driving them and when examining them.

That said, the SWM G01 can still be a good alternative for those looking for a practical and versatile car, one that meets the travel needs of an average family, without giving up wide equipment or even a “good-looking” design. And that is the case of the SWM G01, a car that can go completely unnoticed in its basic versions… or catch the eye if it is the F version, the star of this test.

The “F” costs 1,700 euros more with the same equipment, in exchange for a series of details that set it apart from the rest of the range, seeking a sportier image. And it achieves this, although the result may even look overly busy, depending on how you look at it. For example, the front features a specific honeycomb-design grille finished in black, with a large lower air intake even bigger than the grille itself, and two additional intakes under the headlights that are actually fake, as they are closed.

The bumpers have been oversized –perhaps too much– to the point that the total length increases by 6 cm. The front incorporates a lower lip in glossy black, the same colour as the mirror housings and the side skirt mouldings. Glossy black appears again on the “hint” of a rear diffuser, which integrates a fog light and a double exhaust outlet more typical of a sports car with many more cylinders and horsepower. This was not the case of our test unit, but a black finish for the pillars and roof can also be optionally specified.

Depending on the body colour chosen, the result can even look like a “tuned” car, compared with the SWM G01s without this F finish. But tastes differ, and the best thing is that you can choose. My recommendation, in any case, is to see both versions before choosing, the G01 and the G01 F.

The SWM G01 F interior

Inside it offers a design that is more modern and even more technological than the exterior. The other thing is the loud colour combination our test unit had, with contrasting yellow in the synthetic leather upholstery (synthetic, at this price don’t expect quality leather) and in some decorative elements of the dashboard that could not be better described with any other word. Contrast could not get any more extreme.

Don’t look for luxurious materials, because you won’t find them. That said, they are pleasant both to look at and to touch, although the fit is clearly improvable, something noticed in the form of some creaks, especially when driving over potholes. Taller drivers may miss a double-adjustment steering wheel, as it only adjusts for height. Even so, it is not hard to find a comfortable position.

The interior space is very good for the exterior size of the car, with rear seats where there is no lack of centimetres in any dimension. As for the boot, the 570-litre capacity is also a good figure, in line with the category average, and with very usable shapes. Under the floor we find the tank for the LPG conversion. On the downside, only a somewhat raised loading lip, which makes it difficult to load heavy objects.

Another pleasant surprise in the G01, always bearing its price in mind, is the dual digital screen, one of seven inches for the instrument cluster, and a touchscreen with ten inches for the multimedia system. They are by no means of the graphic quality or speed we are used to in European cars, although they work correctly. The worst part is that, depending on how light hits them, it becomes so difficult to read the images that it can be maddening. The same goes for the button panel under the central screen, for controlling the climate system.

Petrol or LPG? I wouldn’t hesitate

The engine of the SWM G01 is a 1.5 petrol four-cylinder of Mitsubishi origin, which features turbocharging. It produces 131 CV and a maximum torque of 215 Nm, and you can choose a torque-converter automatic transmission as an alternative to the six-speed manual. Drive is always to the front wheels.

SWM offers the option, for 1,800 euros, of installing the LPG kit, which does not change the power or the maximum torque. An option I recommend 100%, because fuel consumption is, without doubt, the most negative point of this car. It is true that the engine is somewhat rough in operation, but it is forgiven. And it isn’t a “rocket”, but it moves the car well if you handle the gearbox with determination.

To put it in context: running on petrol alone, it is very hard to get below 10 l/100 km on average. It is not that it consumes less on LPG; it is still an engine that needs a lot of fuel (whether petrol or gas) because, among other things, its responsiveness also means you have to keep it high in the rev range and use the gearbox frequently. But you will recoup the price difference quickly, and with LPG the cost per kilometre will no longer be a headache.

Remember that, in addition, converting to LPG means enjoying the advantages of the ECO label. The gas tank replaces the spare wheel, and has a capacity of 52 litres. Together with the petrol tank, the official homologated range exceeds 1,100 km, although in real driving it is more sensible to expect something closer to 800 km, emptying both tanks and driving calmly.

Very comfortable on the road and off it

When driving the SWM G01 you get the same feeling as when using its multimedia systems: it is not the most advanced technologically, nor the fastest, nor the most efficient. But it does the job. It is easy to drive, thanks to an ESP that cuts short any hint of fun behind the wheel.

The steering offers enough precision and composure not to require excessive concentration while driving, and the suspension absorbs potholes well, without reacting badly when it has to work in the most complicated situations: with the car in the middle of a bend and the surface uneven. Even on some excursion along tracks or country roads, if they are not in very poor condition, the G01 proves very capable.

On motorway journeys you can notice another effect that is normal in a car at this price: the sound insulation is not as well achieved as in more expensive cars.

SWM G01 range and prices

The G01 range includes two versions, the G01 and the G01 F, and in both cases you can choose between the petrol engine or the LPG conversion. For the G01 there is a Basic trim, in addition to the Luxury and Premium, which can be chosen with both versions.

Equipment is one of the strong points, along with the price, especially in the better-equipped versions, with LED headlights, a video camera, heated and ventilated electric seats and a complete set of safety features. It can be fitted with lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, city emergency braking… what is missing, though, is the option of active cruise control, the kind that automatically maintains the distance from the car in front.

Prices start at 22,495 euros for the G01 Basic, 23,895 for the Luxury and 27,595 for the Premium, already applying the discount for financing with the brand, which reaches up to 2,500 euros. From here, you can add the surcharge for the F versions, or for the LPG installation.

Another point in favour of the G01 is its warranty, which goes up to five years or 100,000 km.

SWM G01 F image gallery