Suzuki Swift Sport review – the back-to-basics drivers' hatch

Honest, simple and mature, the Swift Sport remains an affordable evo favourite. More standard kit ups value for money · 1. Suzuki Swift Sport review – the back- ... SkiptoContentSkiptoFooterFindacarreviewMakeMakeAbarthAlfaRomeoAlpinaAlpineArielAstonMartinAudiBentleyBMWBugattiCadillacCaparoCaterhamChevroletChryslerCitroenCorvetteCupraDodgeDSElementalFerrariFiatFiskerFordGinettaGMAHennesseyHondaHyundaiInfinitiJaguarJeepKiaKoenigseggKTMLamborghiniLandRoverLexusLotusMaseratiMazdaMcLarenMercedesMINIMitsubishiMorganNissanPaganiPeugeotPiechPolestarPorscheRenaultRimacRolls-RoyceSaabSEATSkodaSmartSubaruSuzukiTeslaToyotaTVRVauxhallVolkswagenVolvoZenosModelModelReviewsHomeSuzukiSwiftSwiftSportSuzukiSwiftSportreview–theback-to-basicsdrivers'hatchHonest,simpleandmature,theSwiftSportremainsanaffordableevofavourite.Morestandardkitupsvalueformoneyby:SamSheehan4Jul20161SuzukiSwiftSportreview–theback-to-basicsdrivers'hatch-currentlyreading2Performanceand0-62time3Engineandgearbox4MPGandrunningcosts5RideandHandling6Prices,specsandrivals7Interiorandtech8Design15EvoratingPricefrom£13,999Old-schoolpocketrocketLessefficientthanturborivalsevoVerdict Nowinitssecondgeneration,theSuzukiSwiftSportmanagestomixeffervescentperformancewitheverydayuseability.Whenitarrivedin2011,itsarchrivalwastheRenaultsportTwingo133,buttheFrenchwarmhatch’sdemisemeanstheSwiftispartofadyingbreed– recentrivalsfromRenault,Ford,Peugeot,Miniandmorehaveallbeenturbocharged.It’samongthereasonsthat,despiteitslesseconomical(onpaper)andlessefficientnaturallyaspiratedengine,we’refansoftheSwift.Forthoseseekinganexperiencemoreakintothatofhothatchesofyesteryear– notnecessarilyhigh-performance,butinteractive,revvyandfun– theSwiftisarguablythestrongestcontenderonsaletoday.Thatit'salsorelativelyinexpensivenexttoevenbasicmodernsuperminis,withpricingfrom£13,999,makesitevenmoreappealing.For2015SuzukigavetheSwiftDABradioandsatellitenavigationasstandard.Thetouch-screenunitnotonlyaddsanotherlayeroffunctionalpracticalitytothewarmhatch,itmeansthecarisprobablythebestvalueofferinginthissegment.evoComment ‘Ifyouweretogoonanormalten-minutetestdrivefromadealerineachcar,thentheSuzukimightleaveyoualittlecoldaftertheexuberantTwingo.Ithascertainlymaturedabitcomparedtotheprevious-generationSwiftSport,which,let’sfaceit,soundsquitedull.But…ifyoudigalittledeeper,pushthechassisharder,yousuddenlystarttorealisewhatatalentedlittlecaryou’redriving.ThesuspensionissomeofthebestIhavecomeacross–it’shardtosingthepraisesofthedampinghardenough.Thewayitsoaksupbumpsandletsyouattackanyroadisquitesimplyextraordinary.’–HenryCatchpole,featureseditor(RenaultsportTwingo133vSuzukiSwiftSport,evo175) evoTipWhendriversjumpoutofoldhothatchessuchasthePeugeot205GTIorCitroënAXGT,they’lloftenproclaimthat‘theydon’tmakethemlikethisanymore’.Welltheydo,becausewhiletheSuzukiSwiftSportisvastlymorerefined,reliableanduseable,itshandlingandethosisnottoodissimilartothatofthosepioneeringmodels.MorereviewsGrouptestsSuzukiSwiftSportvs£15khothatchrivalsIn-depthreviewsSuzukiSwiftreviewReviewsSuzukiSwiftSportHybrid2020review–notquiteaFiestaSTrivalCTCSuzukiSwiftSportreview2018SuzukiSwiftSportreviewSuzukiSwiftreview-MorefunthanaFiesta?2013SuzukiSwiftSportSZ-RreviewandpicturesOkay,in2015it’sfarfromhot– somedieselsuperminisgetclosetotheSwift'sperformancethesedays– butforanhonestwarmhatchexperience,we’dlooknofurther.It’salsofarmorematurethanthelipstick-wearingFordFiestaZetecSRed/BlackEdition…15>Performanceand0-60mphtime - Refinedasitis,theSwiftSport'snaturallyaspiratedfour-cylindercan'tbeatsmallerturbochargedrivalsforoutput.ButtheSport'sskinnykerbweighthelpstokeepthingsfairly...swift.ReadmoreabouttheSwiftSport'sperformancehere.>Engineandgearbox - Itmightlackthegruntofitsturbochargedrivals,buttheSwiftSport'snaturallyaspirated1.6-litreenginethriveswhenthrashed. ReadmoreabouttheSwiftSport'sperformancehere.>Rideandhandling - Maturedampingmakesforapliantridethatmatchesthecar'soverallold-schooldemeanour.Ontrackyou'dwantsomethingfirmer,butoncountrylanesit'sacapablesetup. ReadmoreabouttheSwiftSport'srideandhandlinghere.>MPGandrunningcosts - Alackofboostensuresclaimedmpgcan'ttoptheclass,butalowinsurancegroupopensthedoortoyoungerandhardertoinsuredrivers. ReadmoreabouttheSwiftSport'sMPGandrunningcostshere.>Prices,specsandrivals - TheSwiftSportundercutsallofitskeyrivalsforprice,offeringmorebangforyourbuckandpunchingaboveitsweight. ReadmoreabouttheSwiftSport'sprices,specsandrivalshere.>Interiorandtech - LotsofstandardkitandacleandashmaketheSwiftSportapleasantplacetospendtime.Wejustwishthatseatwouldgoalittlelower... ReadmoreabouttheSwiftSport'sinteriorhere.>Design - Totheuntrainedeye,theSwiftSportmightblendinamongstothersuperminis,butthoseintheknowwillrecognisearearroof-spoilerandtwin-exitexhaustsassignalsforitsperformance. ReadmoreabouttheSwiftSport'sdesignhere.SharethisonTwitterSharethisonFacebookEmailContinueReadingPerformanceand0-62timeInthisreview1SuzukiSwiftSportreview–theback-to-basicsdrivers'hatch-currentlyreading2Performanceand0-62time3Engineandgearbox4MPGandrunningcosts5RideandHandling6Prices,specsandrivals7Interiorandtech8DesignMostPopular2022HondaCivicTypeRshowntestingonvideoHondaCivicType-Rhatchback2022Hond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