Suzuki Swift Review 2022 | Top Gear

The Swift Sport, meanwhile, uses a 48V mild hybrid system allied to a 1.4-litre turbo engine for 128bhp and 173lb ft peaks and a 9.1-second ... AdvertisementCloseadvertisementCarReviewsSuzukiSwiftOverviewDrivingInteriorBuyingSpecs&PricesCarReviewSuzukiSwift£13,574-£18,774610TopGearTeamPublished:08Jul2021Skip10photosintheimagecarouselandcontinuereading1/10Advertisement“Suzuki'sfunkiestproducthashadthefunkdialeddownabitbynewlypragmatichybridversions”GoodstuffLooksgood,driveswellandispackedwithkitBadstuffIt'snolongerquitesoswiftOverviewWhatisit?You’relookingatsomethingthat,inrecentyears,hasbeenabitofaTopGearhero.WheretheSuzukiSwiftdawdledthroughtheNinetiesascheap,dependablebutultimatelycharmlesstransport,amid-Noughtiesrevolutionsuddenlymadeitoneofthemostappealingsmallcarsonsale.Suddenlycharmwasitscurrency. Launchedaroundthetimeas therebornFiat500,itwasjustthatbitmoreforwardthinking.Andloadsbettertodrive,especiallyinvivaciouslittleSwiftSportform.Oneofthediddiestperformancecarsonsalealsomanagedtobeoneofthemostgratifying.Quitethetrick.Advertisement-Pagecontinuesbelow Sowherearewenow? Well,tworeinventionsandahandfuloffaceliftslater,thisiswhatthemodern-daySwiftnowlookslike.Stillapunchilystyledcar,implementingtheslightlyoverdone‘hiddenreardoorhandle’trickbetterthanalmostallitsrivals.Thisremainsadeftlydesignedsupermini,onethatpacksanuncommonamountofspaceandpracticalityintoatitchyplatform. TheSwifthasalsovastlyoutliveditsBalenostablemate.Severalyearsago,Suzukidecideditwouldtackleseveralcornersofthecarmarketwithtwomodelsapiece:onethatwasfunandfunky,onethatwasstudiousandsensible.TheSwift,youmighthaveguessed,wastheformer.Thefactit’sstillonsalewheretheBalenoisadistantmemory(goon,justtrypicturingwhatitlookslike)suggeststhebuyingpublicappreciateasenseofhumour. You’venotmentionedenginesyet. There’sachancewemayhavebeenavoidingthesubject.WhilethisgenerationofSwiftlaunchedwithachoiceofengines,amongthemagamelittle1.0-litrepetrol,thingshavechanged.Suzukihashybridiseditswholerangeandmadethatasellingpoint,perhapstothedetrimentofoneofthekeenestlittlecarsontheplanet. Thesearen’thybridsyouplugin,noronesyou’llekeadozenortwomilesofswishy,silentrangefrom.Insteadthey’remildhybrids,chippingawayatfuelconsumptioninthebackgroundwithoutimpactingonhowyoudriveorrunthecar.Butthey’veaddedcostanddentedperformanceintheprocess.Advertisement-Pagecontinuesbelow Tellmemore. TheSwiftnowcomeswithtwoengineoptions.TheregularSwiftusesonlya1.2-litre12Vmildhybrid,withademure82bhpand79lbftdrivingeitherthefrontorallfourwheels.Yep,a4x4versionisanoption,thoughitstretchesoutthe0-62mphtimefrom13.1to13.8secs.Butadmirablystillweighslessthanatonne. TheSwiftSport,meanwhile,usesa48Vmildhybridsystemalliedtoa1.4-litreturboenginefor128bhpand173lbftpeaksanda9.1-secondambleto62mph.It’sfront-wheeldriveonly,andunlikethebaseSwift there’snoautomaticgearboxoption.Givenit’sadinkylittlehothatch,we’recoolwiththat. NaturallythempgandCO2figuresaremoreimpressivethanever–57.2mpg/111g/kmasstandardand50.1mpg/127g/kmfortheSport.Butpricesarealsoup;themostbasicSwiftisnowaround£13,000(fine)buttheSwiftSporthasballoonedtoover£20,000(lessfine).Perhapsoodlesofstandardequipment–whichyoudoget–cancompensate. What'stheverdict?“Suzuki'sfunkiestproducthashadthefunkdialeddownabitbynewlypragmatichybridversions”HastheSwiftpassedtheprimeofitslife?It’scertainlyabitlessspunkythanitusedtobe,itsperformancedumbeddownabitbymoreefficientmild-hybridpowertrains.InsomethingsensiblelikeaJazzorYaris we’dnotmindasmuch,butthefeatherweightSuzukistillhasanagilelittlechassisjustbeggingtobethrownaround.Thelethargicperformanceofthebase1.2isadisappointment,whiletheSwiftSportisahothatchthat’sbeenlefttocoolontheworktopalittletoolong. Butbothremainnicelyputtogetherandbrimmingwithequipment.They’llbeadoddletolivewithandyou’lllikelynotwalkoutofaSuzukishowroom(orshutdowntheSuzukiwebpage)withoutahealthydiscount.Itmaynotbethepluckyheroofold,buttheSwiftstillhasacoupleofUSPsupitssleeve.Itsperformancejustnolongertallieswiththebadgeonthebootlid. 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