Suzuki Swift Sport: PH Fleet
Hang on, wasn't that car blue last month? Matt explains all...
Three doors or five, it's still brilliant out here
To all intents and purposes bar the obvious addition of doors, the white Swift is identical to the blue Swift - it even weighs the same 1,045kg - so it was no surprise to find it equally likeable. There's some really clever suspension tuning going on in these little Suzukis, with far greater compliance than you may credit a small Japanese car with. It's not at the expense of control either, the balance struck ideal for maintaining speed on a B-road; it absorbs the bumps and it isn't deflected, but neither is it lazily squishing out imperfections and undermining confidence. It's brilliant. The drive back from Lotus for the Evora Sport 410 drive down the B1077 is one I'll remember for a while in the Swift, its compact dimensions, eager nature and well sorted dynamics perfectly suited to the road.
Furthermore, and rather frustratingly, I grew to enjoy the convenience of five doors. See I disagree with Dan on five-door hot hatches, and feel that small ones in particular should be exclusively three-door (primarily on styling grounds), but the Swift might be wearing down my resistance. I still think it's sharper looking as a three-door, but not significantly worse with five, and the ability to just throw things on the back seat (with the intuitive keyless entry, a feature lacking from Dan's £70K Jag) is very useful. If I had enough friends to use those back seats I'm sure they would appreciate not clambering over a folded chair. And the five-door premium is only £500. Hmm...
Blue one is back; white comes recommended too
When I do finally get the car back, it would be great to see how the Swift fares on track. Goodwood may not be the ideal location for something with 136hp, but then neither is mid-November the best time to be looking for track days! However it works out, hopefully next month I can report on some meaningful, enjoyable and incident free miles in the Swift. I'm really looking forward to it.
FACT SHEET
Car: Suzuki Swift Sport
Run by: Matt (well, it's meant to be...)
On fleet since: October 2016
Mileage: 937 (delivered on 300)
List price new: £14,399
Last month at a glance: Biffed by a Range Rover, back in business soon after
Previous updates:
It's the last N/A hot hatch on sale, of course we had to run one!
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Photos: Luc Lacey
With a bit of haggling I can basically get a brand new swift. I've seen some polo gti with the 1.8 with a few miles on more or less in my grip.
But I can't stop looking at the swift, it's not got the badge or perhaps as fancy inside. But it just feels honest as the day is long and sooo simple. Straight petrol manual box.
People keep saying vw has better resale etc, the swift just keeps calling me. Ahh what to do !
I love these cars but I'm strangely drawn to the standard 1.2 swift as it has 95bhp. I'm sorry but I think 95bhp from a 1.2 engine is pretty decent.
Most needed tyres etc. (I know tyres don't cost 3 grand).
Plus got 3yrs warranty. .
Never thought I'd consider brand new. But on a car like this we are not talking massive figures, and after a recent death of someone at 60 yrs old I could be over halfway through my life already. So I kinda think f it TBH
With a bit of haggling I can basically get a brand new swift. Ahh what to do !
k it TBH Yeah it's a bit slower but N/A is a lot of fun
Yeah it's a bit slower but N/A is a lot of fun
Since purchasing I have found loads of tuning parts can be had if you wish.
I'll let you know my progress, I intend to keep stock until out of warranty out (well most parts) then have a play.
Yeah it's a bit slower but N/A is a lot of fun
Since purchasing I have found loads of tuning parts can be had if you wish.
I'll let you know my progress, I intend to keep stock until out of warranty out (well most parts) then have a play.
If i got one id want to somehow make it look a bit more fierce, and improve the engine note with an induction kit and a good backbox.
It clearly is a slower car, I looked at the fn2 civics, almost all had slight bubbling between windscreen and top of roof, the rubber seal rubs and causes rot. Nothing major but I was looking at spending say 9 grand on one and I'm not having that, also very few have nav cruise, Bluetooth etc. The swift has all that and you can have reversing sensors fitted if you want.
They do look nice with a bit of a lower and a different exhaust, I'd just be concerned about turning it into a chav car rather than a small fun slight power superminis which is what it is.
Reading people's reviews, I'm expecting 40 mpg on a long run, something I don't think you'd get with the civic, and was almost what I got from my 1.9tdi A3 real world.
Another contender for me was the ds3 however the loan Citroen I have has already had some issues whilst I've Been using it, put me off TBH.
https://youtu.be/CR37RcEHWVQ
https://youtu.be/CKxVBSHWXEw
Watch some vids of them at Nurburgring, yes not super quick but look great fun.
Curious how you find the throttle reaction to blipping in various situations and falling down of the revs during upshifts. Also I would like to point out that the factory fill is 0W-20, so for tracking or wringing the heck out of it for prolonged time i would opt for thicker grade next change. Curiously enough even API SG class is allowable to use.I don't have a great understanding of the oils, should I not keep to what Suzuki put in it ?
I've never owned a car so universally praised and the status of last naturally aspirated pocket rocket makes it that much more special than yet another turbo car. I didn't explore the rev range or the handling, but it felt like a sweet drive and got up a long uphill slip road well enough. I'll give it the berries on Monday for sure.
This is mine
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=163...
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