Suzuki Swift or Honda Civic

[Grayedout]

Starting the process of looking for a new car and got up to £4000 to spend and like the look of the Honda Civic 1.6 VTEC and the Suzuki Swift 1.5 in about the 2006 vintage.

Looking for the usual parameters of reliability, good fuel consumption but a bit of fun when the road allows!

Any suggestions? Experience? Horror stories?

[Rochellc01]

for that kind of money i would be looking at the equivalent Golf 1.9 TDI.

[balders118]

No experience of either but I just wanted to chime in with my fondness of the Swift. I was just saying yesterday to my OH as we followed one through Leeds that it was a lovely looking car and would she be interested in one. Purely on looks though, and especially compared to the awkward Civic.

[mattball]

You could pick up the 1.6 Swift Sport for that sort of money, which would be much more of a hoot compared to the 1.5. Most of the aftermarket stuff is aimed at the 1.6 if that might be something you're interested in doing.

The 01-05 1.6 Civic is a nice car (it isn't 'proper' VTEC by the way), I can't comment on the newer one though. It's probably more refined than the Swift but I'm not sure it's as much fun

[Grayedout]

mattball said:

You could pick up the 1.6 Swift Sport for that sort of money, which would be much more of a hoot compared to the 1.5.

True but forgot to add that really it needs to be a 5 door !!!

[excel monkey]

Swift is small and fun to drive. Civic (particularly the 5 door) is bigger, has much more interior space, but probably not as much fun.

Both good cars and should be good on fuel and cheap to run. Choice depends on your priorities.

[Mr Gear]

Rochellc01 said:

for that kind of money i would be looking at the equivalent Golf 1.9 TDI.

The OP asked for reliable and fun.

[welaye]

For a bit over that amount I picked up a 58 plate Mazda 2 "sport" 1.5 which is equally as good as the swift IMO.

No experience with the civic unfortunately.

[Willy Nilly]

excel monkey said:

Swift is small and fun to drive. Civic (particularly the 5 door) is bigger, has much more interior space, but probably not as much fun.

Both good cars and should be good on fuel and cheap to run. Choice depends on your priorities.

This really. The Civic will be very reliable

[EDLT]

I've got an 03 Civic Type S, it gets 35mpg (its a 2.0 rather than a 1.6) and it doesn't have any rattles despite having done over 90,000 miles. I've driven a few Suzuki Swifts too, they are better to drive than other superminis but if I was choosing between the two I'd have the bigger car.

[Fubar1977]

We had almost exactly this dilemma.
The Mrs needed a new car and had always fancied the Civic.
We found a nice 07 plate at a Honda dealer and took it out for a drive.

Honestly, I don`t think I`ve ever been as disappointed with a car! Nice interior and well put together but just the most gutless thing and this was a 1.8VTec (yo).
Even once warmed up it was just sluggish and awful, handling was vague and wooly, just crap.
She bought a Swift and we both love it!
Honda does have a much nicer interior though.

Edited by Fubar1977 on Monday 11th February 11:33

[Wigeon Incognito]

If you don't need the space then the Swift is a fantastic little car, that'd definitely be my pick.

The other car to consider at that price is the newer shape Skoda Fabia, this shape:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Skoda-Fabia-MANUAL-...

I was buying a car for my sister and tried the Swift, Civic etc but the Fabia was the car that surprised me the most. The little 1.2 was a really sweet engine (although bigger engines are available) and it was far more spacious than the Swift. There was a certain honesty about the car that really appealed and unexpectedly it very nearly became the car that was chosen.

In the end she was taken with the Panda 100hp but I imagine that's too small for your requirements.

[Tc24]

I've got the Civic (1.6 VTec on a 53 plate) and really can't grumble about it. Built well, doesn't rattle and is good on fuel. Only had to replace tyres so far.

Bit revvy at motorway speeds though - not as exciting as a 1.6 Sport Swift either, but definitely a nicer place to be on long journeys.

[T3LLIOTT]

I learned to drive in a Swift (06 plate, 3door, 1.2) and although it is a nice looking car the build quality wasn't the best in my opinion and my instructors as well! The car just frustrated me a bit and I much prefer the Nissan Micra I currently drive now.

Basically after driving one, I wouldn't really want to own one in my honest opinion (the sport might change my mind though!)