Suzuki Swift Sport 1.4T Boosterjet
Discussion
Picked up over the Christmas period, brand spanking Swift Sport in metallic grey (there is an official fancy name for the colour, can’t remember it). Had it out for a decent drove today and got a couple of decent photos, but only a couple:
I will come clean now and tell you that this isn’t actually my car, but belongs to my girlfriend. My one looks like this:
I also have a Suzuki motorcycle so it’s fair to say we like the brand.
Not sure where to go with this thread, just wanted to let you know that someone has actually bought one! Might be different elsewhere but I’ve only ever seen two on the road. Guess I’ll start with my first impressions of the car, having only driven it a couple of times....
There are too many driver aids. The brake assist thing is at best annoying and at worst dangerous and has to be turned off every time you start the car. I’m undecided on the adaptive cruise control. The lane keep assist is also pointless and is kept off, but stays off and doesn’t have to be turned off every time. Apparently it also has hill hold assist but can’t say I’ve noticed, not really needed in my opinion. Stop-start is fine.
The infotainment is as good as it needs to be, the only issues I have is there is no knob for the volume and is adjusted via a touch-screen slider. I also found entering satnav post codes annoying as you have to put the spaces in the correct place for them to register, only an issue the first time you use it though. The speakers seem good but that’s not really my thing, so for all I know they might be s
t. The seats are brilliant, properly supportive and comfortable. They don’t seem to be quite as low as the previous model and even those weren’t very low, but I find them good at a slim 6’. All the controls seem to fall to hand very nicely. It sounds daft but the stalks are really nice in terms of their weighting and positive ‘click’. There is also plenty of space in the car, especially compared to the previous model.
The gear change, as you would expect, is brilliant. Properly short and perfectly weighted. The actual shape of the knob I’m not a massive fan of, prefer a round shape. The engine is a peach. It’s responsive, torquey and everything you ask of it seems effortless (if you remember it’s a 1.4, four cylinder with 140bhp. It’s obviously not going to set your hair on fire, although apparently they put out around 155bhp in reality). I’ve hit the limiter twice now due to forgetting that it doesn’t rev like the old car, which is something that I prefer, but I’m sure I’ll get used to that. Based on today’s drive, the car has ample grip with good body control. It’s softer now but still handles well while being more comfortable. The steering is very accurate and so, so easy to place.
Also forgot to mention, I love the info display on the dash. Shows you torque, power and boost, as well as oil temperature and a few other performance measures. Not sure how accurate they all are, but pretty cool nonetheless.
The car replaces a 2015 1.2 SZ2 (low spec) Swift, and my girlfriend is very happy with the upgrade it seems.
Not much to go off there, and sorry for the lack of pictures. Will provide a few updates to the thread when I can think of a way to articulate a decent comparison to it’s predecessor. Please let me know if you have any questions, happy to oblige.
I will come clean now and tell you that this isn’t actually my car, but belongs to my girlfriend. My one looks like this:
I also have a Suzuki motorcycle so it’s fair to say we like the brand.
Not sure where to go with this thread, just wanted to let you know that someone has actually bought one! Might be different elsewhere but I’ve only ever seen two on the road. Guess I’ll start with my first impressions of the car, having only driven it a couple of times....
There are too many driver aids. The brake assist thing is at best annoying and at worst dangerous and has to be turned off every time you start the car. I’m undecided on the adaptive cruise control. The lane keep assist is also pointless and is kept off, but stays off and doesn’t have to be turned off every time. Apparently it also has hill hold assist but can’t say I’ve noticed, not really needed in my opinion. Stop-start is fine.
The infotainment is as good as it needs to be, the only issues I have is there is no knob for the volume and is adjusted via a touch-screen slider. I also found entering satnav post codes annoying as you have to put the spaces in the correct place for them to register, only an issue the first time you use it though. The speakers seem good but that’s not really my thing, so for all I know they might be s
t. The seats are brilliant, properly supportive and comfortable. They don’t seem to be quite as low as the previous model and even those weren’t very low, but I find them good at a slim 6’. All the controls seem to fall to hand very nicely. It sounds daft but the stalks are really nice in terms of their weighting and positive ‘click’. There is also plenty of space in the car, especially compared to the previous model. The gear change, as you would expect, is brilliant. Properly short and perfectly weighted. The actual shape of the knob I’m not a massive fan of, prefer a round shape. The engine is a peach. It’s responsive, torquey and everything you ask of it seems effortless (if you remember it’s a 1.4, four cylinder with 140bhp. It’s obviously not going to set your hair on fire, although apparently they put out around 155bhp in reality). I’ve hit the limiter twice now due to forgetting that it doesn’t rev like the old car, which is something that I prefer, but I’m sure I’ll get used to that. Based on today’s drive, the car has ample grip with good body control. It’s softer now but still handles well while being more comfortable. The steering is very accurate and so, so easy to place.
Also forgot to mention, I love the info display on the dash. Shows you torque, power and boost, as well as oil temperature and a few other performance measures. Not sure how accurate they all are, but pretty cool nonetheless.
The car replaces a 2015 1.2 SZ2 (low spec) Swift, and my girlfriend is very happy with the upgrade it seems.
Not much to go off there, and sorry for the lack of pictures. Will provide a few updates to the thread when I can think of a way to articulate a decent comparison to it’s predecessor. Please let me know if you have any questions, happy to oblige.
Colour 'Glistening Grey'? Edit: 'Mineral Grey Metallic.'
Nav unit volume control is also on the steering wheel. :-)
They are attractive cars, having sat in a display model at the dealers. On the short list for Dec 2019 when the 1,1L Baleno gets replaced.
I don't have the driver radar assist malarky in the Baleno SZ-T but do miss the cruise control. 1.4 Boosterjet should be fun.
Great to see Suzuki getting some attention.
Nav unit volume control is also on the steering wheel. :-)
They are attractive cars, having sat in a display model at the dealers. On the short list for Dec 2019 when the 1,1L Baleno gets replaced.
I don't have the driver radar assist malarky in the Baleno SZ-T but do miss the cruise control. 1.4 Boosterjet should be fun.
Great to see Suzuki getting some attention.
Edited by Slushbox on Sunday 6th January 12:04
tom2502 said:
Snap!!
We have a new and previous shape swift sport (mine's the new one).
I do find the new car rolls a bit more than the old one, however once you get used to it the grip is there and it's easy to judge the limit. I find the brakes are much better on the new car, however, at first they can feel a bit like an on/off switch.
I find the improvements on the new car are general everyday useability, the engine is just much more flexible.
A couple of minor points I've noticed that they improved from the previous car, engine warm up time and the capacity of the windscreen washer bottle. Small things but they do annoy me on the old car.
Look forward to reading your updates and seeing how your experience compares.
Good choice, good to see you went for the decals. Daft on most cars but suit the Swift. We have a new and previous shape swift sport (mine's the new one).
I do find the new car rolls a bit more than the old one, however once you get used to it the grip is there and it's easy to judge the limit. I find the brakes are much better on the new car, however, at first they can feel a bit like an on/off switch.
I find the improvements on the new car are general everyday useability, the engine is just much more flexible.
A couple of minor points I've noticed that they improved from the previous car, engine warm up time and the capacity of the windscreen washer bottle. Small things but they do annoy me on the old car.
Look forward to reading your updates and seeing how your experience compares.
Edited by tom2502 on Saturday 5th January 18:58
The car is definitely more ‘wallowy’ on undulating roads, but nothing is sacrificed in the corners (albeit at relatively sensible road speeds) in my opinion. Good shout on the brakes, proper sharp especially at low speed (obviously), hopefully they’ll bed in and become a bit more linear.
On the engine warm-up, I was quite surprised how long it took actually. We drove in the direction of our place of work, and by the time we passed there the oil still wasn’t up to temperature. It’s about 11 miles, and by about half way I would normally have been comfortable that the car was sufficiently warm. Maybe just my ignorance at play there.
Couple more observations on the car....
The tank is even smaller than the last car, so it’s being filled up more frequently which is a minor inconvenience. Currently reading 44.*mpg which I’m confident will improve as the engine gets a few more miles on it. My car reads 46. Not sure how well calibrated they are.
The carbon effect trim looks good on the grey because it blends in but I found it to look quite cheap on the yellow, although I do love that colour. Haven’t had a close look at any other colours, but the black I think looks very nice in photos.
In terms of the looks of the car, I find the rear quite ugly really, whereas the old car is very good looking in that respect IMO, but I think the front of the car is improved and looks sufficiently sporty and modern. Obviously a hybrid of both would be dreadful.
Can’t remember if I mentioned the lack of engine and exhaust noise in my OP but there’s none. Allows the car to feel mature and comfortable on longer drives but that’s not really what it’s about, needs a bit of a growl and something to let you know the turbo is there.
I’m going to endeavour to take the cars on back to back drives on some decent roads to get a decent comparison. If I’m allowed, anyway.......
I have one of these. In 'Speedy Blue'. I've been driving it since August. My previous car was a 3-door 2016 Swift Sport in the same colour as yours.
Since the 2018 model was announced, I've done a lot of comprehensive research into the car. I've done about 4,300 miles in the 2018 model now. I did about 20K miles in my old Sport. My old Sport is still in the family, it's driven by my wife on a daily basis. So my driveway consists of a Pearl white 2016 Sport, and a Speedy Blue 2018 Sport - parked cosily alongside each other.
I've driven both hard on occasion, and have a very good understanding of the differences between the cars.
First up - talk about exclusivity. I've been driving my 2018 for 5 months and have not seen one other on the road. Not driving about, parked up, etc. Not one. The only other cars I have seen are in the showroom!
So yes - not many about!
Driver aids. Personally doesn't bother me. I've done a couple of 150+ mile trips in the car - and it hasn't gone off once. But then the next day, I can just be pottering about and it goes off a few times. It really depends on your driving. It tends to go off if you come up behind at a fair pace, and you're not already on the brakes. I don't turn anything off in my car. You get used to it and 'switch off' yourself. Yes, the car had hill hold. The car has to be at a certain gradient for it to 'kick in'. It works with the car facing downhill if you're reversing too - which is great. The automatic high beam headlamps are awesome.
As regards the ICE. The unit is definitely better than the one in the previous Sport (also NAV). But I don't tend to use the units built in phone / music / NAV. I use Android Auto via the unit - and with this, it's brilliant. Importantly, all of the buttons on the steering wheel - including phone / Google Assistant - all work on the unit via Android Auto. So how the unit works / performs is a non-issue because just do it with Android Auto (or Apple Carplay). What I will say is that the speakers / sound quality is better than the previous Sports. A bit more clarity, and heavier bass. It's sufficiently good enough that I don't feel there is a need to improve upon it - unless you really want a big bass tube in the boot!
I agree, the seats are good. I don't think they are necessarily any better than the previous Sports. What I can tell you is that the front seats are mounted 20mm lower than the old Sport. The rear bench seat is 45mm lower than the previous Sport. The biggest change is the weight - each seat is 7.6kg lighter than in the old car. No doubt that helped Suzuki get the weight loss they required in this car.
Steering column stalks - I've got to agree, they feel better than in the old car.
Gear shift - for me, feels better than my 2016 Sport. The throw is 5mm shorter in the new car (10%). The shape of the knob doesn't bother me - I'd say it was no better or worse than the old Sport's knob though.
Engine. Totally agree, the engine is absolutely fantastic. I know some moan about the loss of an NA powerplant, and I'm a big fan of NA myself. But this engine feels practically 90% NA anyway. It starts producing boost at approx. 1,500 RPM and about half of the available boost is still being generated at the red line. Some have said the engine is uncharimastic, I don't believe that at all. It allows the car to rocket out of corners, with its initial punch and when VVT cuts in at circa 4,000 RPM it develops a little more shove. Millenials obsessed with fakery - pops and bangs, sound tubes and noises through their speakers don't like the noise. But, I spent my youth bombing around in hot hatches during the late 80's and early 90's. When virtually all hot hatches made noise like the Swift Sport. To be honest, I prefer the stealth of a quieter car - and it doesn't attract plod. What sound there is, is really not that bad. It has a bassy thrum near idle, and whilst not as tuneful as the outgoing Swift Sport throughout the rev-range, I find it suitably good sounding enough - that I have no urge to change the stock exhaust. What I will say though, the new cars tail pipes do look that little bit more substantial compared to the old car.
Yes, the limiter in this car is 6,000 RPM. Down 1,000 RPM over the old car. But, if you drive the car like the old car - you will bump into that limiter. You soon adjust though. Before long, you realise that this new car has muscle that the old car just doesn't have. It makes full boost only in 3rd gear and up. 3rd gear is a fantastic gear. The car has a genuine turn of speed that will take you from 30 MPH in 3rd all the way to the limiter at around 85 MPH in the same gear.
Of note, and typically of Suzuki. Their ECU programming is very 'protective'. The car will not let you get on it until everything is well warmed up. I believe this changes with miles. I've also heard that in the initial running in period (1,000 km), the ECU will not give the engine full boost. So if you do put your foot down with very low miles (under 600 miles), be aware that the car might not be giving its best yet. Personal experience with Suzuki engines - they don't give their best until more than 15K is on the clock. Again, likely due to ECU programming and engine tolerances when new.
Yes, many independants have tested the K14C engine in the Swift Sport for true output. Most believe the 140 HP given by Suzuki is the 'at the wheels' figure. Suzuki are typically (historically) conservative when it comes to engine power outputs and performance figures. Yes, most have found that the car develops at least 155 HP at the crank. But it's actually better than this. An independant Japanese tuner tested the engine using regular and premium fuel. They found that when the car is running on premium fuel it develops another 10 HP. Putting the power output at around 165 HP (when running premium). The turbocharger is made by Mitsubishi Turbo and according to them, the engine makes 120 kW (163 HP) in stock form. Lastly, HKS (well known Japanese tuner) have just released a boost controller specifically for the new Swift Sport. According to their website the stock engine makes 169 HP!
I run my own car exclusively on premium fuel. So I'd like to think that I'm getting around 165 HP out of mine too. It certainly feels like this is the case - compared to other performance cars I've owned in the past. Ok, 165 HP still isn't a huge output... but when you factor in the cars weight (975kg), it's actually nigh on 170 HP per tonne. No wonder it's quick in gear for a tiny turbo 1.4!
Handling / grip, etc. When the car was new, I thought it was softer too. But I have driven this car hard on the exact same roads that were used in the old Sport. I don't think it's softer at all now. This car feels stiffer to me, because it jiggles about more than the old car did - the driver gets thrown about in the seat just that bit more compared to the old car. Suzuki have stated that the car is stiffer anyway - so it can only be. In my opinion, Suzuki have refined the car quite a bit from the old car, and that extra refinement gives the perception that the car is softer. Suzuki redesigned / refined some major suspension parts... and that has become evident in the drive. Grip is up considerably over the old car. Drive the car hard in summer conditions and it 'hangs on' that much harder than the old car. In my opinion, cornering speed has increased somewhere between 5 to 10 MPH before 'letting go'. Which makes sense considering Suzuki stated that they 'improved wheel location during hard cornering', basically improving the relationship of tyre and contact patch during hard compression of the suspension.
As regards roll. Technically I don't believe the car does roll more than the old car. Suzuki have stated that the roll stiffness of the car is up 5% over the old car. So in theory, it rolls less than the old car. However, the new car does grip more, so even though the car is 5% stiffer, it actually has more grip before 'letting go' which means it is able to load the chassis more in a roll condition. Which gives the apparent - 'rolls more than the old car'.
Steering. In my opinion, no better or worse than the old car. Although I'm not a big fan of 'D' shaped steering wheels. So as regards the actual steering wheel - I think I prefer the 2016 models wheel. It does load up more during high speed cornering. Considerably more when cornering hard at 70 to 80 MPH. This new car has a variable ratio rack - whereas the old car is linear. To me it feels like the new cars steering wheel needs slightly more angle off centre to make a difference at the wheels. So the old car feels a tad busier when using small inputs at the wheel. But go beyond that point, and the new car feels more responsive to input. I guess that's the benefit of the variable ratio - apparently 'turning response has been improved by 10%'. Agility is much improved over the old car in my opinion. The new car is considerably lighter, and I think a lot of that is weight loss in the nose of the car. The engine is lighter - but only by 0.2kg. That's one of the immediate things I noticed about the car, when I began driving it hard - the agility is step up compared to the old car. That nose is really pointy. The whole car inspires more confidence for me over the old car. Some corners I know well that I have taken at high speed in the new car, I'd be backing off in the old car.
Steering feel. For me, both appear similar. Both cars are great to helm!
What else. Aerodynamic performance of the new car has been improved by 10%. The new car has a lot of aero panelling underneath. That helps keep the engine bay clean as well. The panelling likely helps with lift and fuel efficiency.
The 2018 Swift Sport chassis has 12 extra spot welds over the standard Swift. To improve rigidity obviously.
Brakes, 10mm bigger at the front compared to the old car. The pad material has been revised too. That's another one of those things I immediately noticed between the cars - braking performance. The new car has some seriously good stoppers! Another benefit of lightness of weight!
Styling. I prefer the new car. It just looks that little bit more aggressive. Don't get me wrong, I like the styling of both cars, but the new one just feels a little more 'hot hatch' to me.
Engine warm up. Agreed, it does take a bit longer. But it does have an oil temperature gauge. I don't 'get on it' until it's close to 90 degrees. As it's turbocharged - always a good idea to get the oil nice and warm before giving it beans.
My car is averaging 44 MPG - even with hard use. My old NA car got around 38 MPG with hard use.
Lastly, going back to the handling. Both cars are extremely neutral in a slide. Steering / throttle input allows the driver to 'balance' the slide between the front and rear. The new car is more composed than the old car in this respect. The old car getting ragged earlier. But both are great cars to helm. Generally, the only difference is the cornering speed. The new car can go just that bit faster before invoking a manageable slide. In hot weather this is more obvious.
I'd say the new car is the more driver confident car. Speeds are higher, in every metric - it's just more composed for me. It's a more precise machine compared to the old car. Agility when chucking the car into a bend is definitely a step up.
But don't get me wrong, I love the old car just as much. It may be a little less precise, and gives up grip at lower speeds. But that can make a car fun too. I guess it depends on the individual's driving talent. If a driver is a little bit nervous at higher speeds / hard cornering - then something like the old Swift Sport could be more fun for them. Because it allows you to 'play' at more comfortable speeds. If you're a more confident driver, the higher speeds / harder cornering afforded by the new car can mean that such drivers will have more fun in the more accomplished car.
Conclusion for me then. The new car is better in every way - that includes the turbocharged engine. For the most part it feels like a powerful NA engine anyway. I still love the old car. I think it's fantastic. But the new car - for me - is a considerable step up in every department. Anyone missing the old NA engine - just needs to drive this turbo variant for an extended period. Once that turbo torque hooks you in, and you can still use all of the available rev range - you'll not worry about the passing of the NA unit. The engine is a gem, and in my opinion - just as charismatic as the old NA unit, just - obviously - in a different way.
Oh and one last thing. Don't gauge the chassis until you've got at least 750 miles on the clock. That gives enough time / miles for the suspension to settle, the brakes to bed in and take the edge off the new tyres. After that, it will feel much sharper.
Since the 2018 model was announced, I've done a lot of comprehensive research into the car. I've done about 4,300 miles in the 2018 model now. I did about 20K miles in my old Sport. My old Sport is still in the family, it's driven by my wife on a daily basis. So my driveway consists of a Pearl white 2016 Sport, and a Speedy Blue 2018 Sport - parked cosily alongside each other.
I've driven both hard on occasion, and have a very good understanding of the differences between the cars.
First up - talk about exclusivity. I've been driving my 2018 for 5 months and have not seen one other on the road. Not driving about, parked up, etc. Not one. The only other cars I have seen are in the showroom!
So yes - not many about!
Driver aids. Personally doesn't bother me. I've done a couple of 150+ mile trips in the car - and it hasn't gone off once. But then the next day, I can just be pottering about and it goes off a few times. It really depends on your driving. It tends to go off if you come up behind at a fair pace, and you're not already on the brakes. I don't turn anything off in my car. You get used to it and 'switch off' yourself. Yes, the car had hill hold. The car has to be at a certain gradient for it to 'kick in'. It works with the car facing downhill if you're reversing too - which is great. The automatic high beam headlamps are awesome.
As regards the ICE. The unit is definitely better than the one in the previous Sport (also NAV). But I don't tend to use the units built in phone / music / NAV. I use Android Auto via the unit - and with this, it's brilliant. Importantly, all of the buttons on the steering wheel - including phone / Google Assistant - all work on the unit via Android Auto. So how the unit works / performs is a non-issue because just do it with Android Auto (or Apple Carplay). What I will say is that the speakers / sound quality is better than the previous Sports. A bit more clarity, and heavier bass. It's sufficiently good enough that I don't feel there is a need to improve upon it - unless you really want a big bass tube in the boot!
I agree, the seats are good. I don't think they are necessarily any better than the previous Sports. What I can tell you is that the front seats are mounted 20mm lower than the old Sport. The rear bench seat is 45mm lower than the previous Sport. The biggest change is the weight - each seat is 7.6kg lighter than in the old car. No doubt that helped Suzuki get the weight loss they required in this car.
Steering column stalks - I've got to agree, they feel better than in the old car.
Gear shift - for me, feels better than my 2016 Sport. The throw is 5mm shorter in the new car (10%). The shape of the knob doesn't bother me - I'd say it was no better or worse than the old Sport's knob though.
Engine. Totally agree, the engine is absolutely fantastic. I know some moan about the loss of an NA powerplant, and I'm a big fan of NA myself. But this engine feels practically 90% NA anyway. It starts producing boost at approx. 1,500 RPM and about half of the available boost is still being generated at the red line. Some have said the engine is uncharimastic, I don't believe that at all. It allows the car to rocket out of corners, with its initial punch and when VVT cuts in at circa 4,000 RPM it develops a little more shove. Millenials obsessed with fakery - pops and bangs, sound tubes and noises through their speakers don't like the noise. But, I spent my youth bombing around in hot hatches during the late 80's and early 90's. When virtually all hot hatches made noise like the Swift Sport. To be honest, I prefer the stealth of a quieter car - and it doesn't attract plod. What sound there is, is really not that bad. It has a bassy thrum near idle, and whilst not as tuneful as the outgoing Swift Sport throughout the rev-range, I find it suitably good sounding enough - that I have no urge to change the stock exhaust. What I will say though, the new cars tail pipes do look that little bit more substantial compared to the old car.
Yes, the limiter in this car is 6,000 RPM. Down 1,000 RPM over the old car. But, if you drive the car like the old car - you will bump into that limiter. You soon adjust though. Before long, you realise that this new car has muscle that the old car just doesn't have. It makes full boost only in 3rd gear and up. 3rd gear is a fantastic gear. The car has a genuine turn of speed that will take you from 30 MPH in 3rd all the way to the limiter at around 85 MPH in the same gear.
Of note, and typically of Suzuki. Their ECU programming is very 'protective'. The car will not let you get on it until everything is well warmed up. I believe this changes with miles. I've also heard that in the initial running in period (1,000 km), the ECU will not give the engine full boost. So if you do put your foot down with very low miles (under 600 miles), be aware that the car might not be giving its best yet. Personal experience with Suzuki engines - they don't give their best until more than 15K is on the clock. Again, likely due to ECU programming and engine tolerances when new.
Yes, many independants have tested the K14C engine in the Swift Sport for true output. Most believe the 140 HP given by Suzuki is the 'at the wheels' figure. Suzuki are typically (historically) conservative when it comes to engine power outputs and performance figures. Yes, most have found that the car develops at least 155 HP at the crank. But it's actually better than this. An independant Japanese tuner tested the engine using regular and premium fuel. They found that when the car is running on premium fuel it develops another 10 HP. Putting the power output at around 165 HP (when running premium). The turbocharger is made by Mitsubishi Turbo and according to them, the engine makes 120 kW (163 HP) in stock form. Lastly, HKS (well known Japanese tuner) have just released a boost controller specifically for the new Swift Sport. According to their website the stock engine makes 169 HP!
I run my own car exclusively on premium fuel. So I'd like to think that I'm getting around 165 HP out of mine too. It certainly feels like this is the case - compared to other performance cars I've owned in the past. Ok, 165 HP still isn't a huge output... but when you factor in the cars weight (975kg), it's actually nigh on 170 HP per tonne. No wonder it's quick in gear for a tiny turbo 1.4!
Handling / grip, etc. When the car was new, I thought it was softer too. But I have driven this car hard on the exact same roads that were used in the old Sport. I don't think it's softer at all now. This car feels stiffer to me, because it jiggles about more than the old car did - the driver gets thrown about in the seat just that bit more compared to the old car. Suzuki have stated that the car is stiffer anyway - so it can only be. In my opinion, Suzuki have refined the car quite a bit from the old car, and that extra refinement gives the perception that the car is softer. Suzuki redesigned / refined some major suspension parts... and that has become evident in the drive. Grip is up considerably over the old car. Drive the car hard in summer conditions and it 'hangs on' that much harder than the old car. In my opinion, cornering speed has increased somewhere between 5 to 10 MPH before 'letting go'. Which makes sense considering Suzuki stated that they 'improved wheel location during hard cornering', basically improving the relationship of tyre and contact patch during hard compression of the suspension.
As regards roll. Technically I don't believe the car does roll more than the old car. Suzuki have stated that the roll stiffness of the car is up 5% over the old car. So in theory, it rolls less than the old car. However, the new car does grip more, so even though the car is 5% stiffer, it actually has more grip before 'letting go' which means it is able to load the chassis more in a roll condition. Which gives the apparent - 'rolls more than the old car'.
Steering. In my opinion, no better or worse than the old car. Although I'm not a big fan of 'D' shaped steering wheels. So as regards the actual steering wheel - I think I prefer the 2016 models wheel. It does load up more during high speed cornering. Considerably more when cornering hard at 70 to 80 MPH. This new car has a variable ratio rack - whereas the old car is linear. To me it feels like the new cars steering wheel needs slightly more angle off centre to make a difference at the wheels. So the old car feels a tad busier when using small inputs at the wheel. But go beyond that point, and the new car feels more responsive to input. I guess that's the benefit of the variable ratio - apparently 'turning response has been improved by 10%'. Agility is much improved over the old car in my opinion. The new car is considerably lighter, and I think a lot of that is weight loss in the nose of the car. The engine is lighter - but only by 0.2kg. That's one of the immediate things I noticed about the car, when I began driving it hard - the agility is step up compared to the old car. That nose is really pointy. The whole car inspires more confidence for me over the old car. Some corners I know well that I have taken at high speed in the new car, I'd be backing off in the old car.
Steering feel. For me, both appear similar. Both cars are great to helm!
What else. Aerodynamic performance of the new car has been improved by 10%. The new car has a lot of aero panelling underneath. That helps keep the engine bay clean as well. The panelling likely helps with lift and fuel efficiency.
The 2018 Swift Sport chassis has 12 extra spot welds over the standard Swift. To improve rigidity obviously.
Brakes, 10mm bigger at the front compared to the old car. The pad material has been revised too. That's another one of those things I immediately noticed between the cars - braking performance. The new car has some seriously good stoppers! Another benefit of lightness of weight!
Styling. I prefer the new car. It just looks that little bit more aggressive. Don't get me wrong, I like the styling of both cars, but the new one just feels a little more 'hot hatch' to me.
Engine warm up. Agreed, it does take a bit longer. But it does have an oil temperature gauge. I don't 'get on it' until it's close to 90 degrees. As it's turbocharged - always a good idea to get the oil nice and warm before giving it beans.
My car is averaging 44 MPG - even with hard use. My old NA car got around 38 MPG with hard use.
Lastly, going back to the handling. Both cars are extremely neutral in a slide. Steering / throttle input allows the driver to 'balance' the slide between the front and rear. The new car is more composed than the old car in this respect. The old car getting ragged earlier. But both are great cars to helm. Generally, the only difference is the cornering speed. The new car can go just that bit faster before invoking a manageable slide. In hot weather this is more obvious.
I'd say the new car is the more driver confident car. Speeds are higher, in every metric - it's just more composed for me. It's a more precise machine compared to the old car. Agility when chucking the car into a bend is definitely a step up.
But don't get me wrong, I love the old car just as much. It may be a little less precise, and gives up grip at lower speeds. But that can make a car fun too. I guess it depends on the individual's driving talent. If a driver is a little bit nervous at higher speeds / hard cornering - then something like the old Swift Sport could be more fun for them. Because it allows you to 'play' at more comfortable speeds. If you're a more confident driver, the higher speeds / harder cornering afforded by the new car can mean that such drivers will have more fun in the more accomplished car.
Conclusion for me then. The new car is better in every way - that includes the turbocharged engine. For the most part it feels like a powerful NA engine anyway. I still love the old car. I think it's fantastic. But the new car - for me - is a considerable step up in every department. Anyone missing the old NA engine - just needs to drive this turbo variant for an extended period. Once that turbo torque hooks you in, and you can still use all of the available rev range - you'll not worry about the passing of the NA unit. The engine is a gem, and in my opinion - just as charismatic as the old NA unit, just - obviously - in a different way.
Oh and one last thing. Don't gauge the chassis until you've got at least 750 miles on the clock. That gives enough time / miles for the suspension to settle, the brakes to bed in and take the edge off the new tyres. After that, it will feel much sharper.
DazzaSport said:
I have one of these...
Wow. That was obviously a well researched and well considered post, thanks for that. Some of that conflicts with my first impressions of the car so I’ll try and get back to you on those points. Don’t do much driving these days mind, never mind driving for fun. It’s nice to see someone so passionate about the car, says a lot about the quality of the product. Similarly, interesting to see plenty people running both cars, against says a lot about the car.
For now though, I will have to disagree on the noise front. I think we can all agree that popping, farting and banging your way to the corner shop for a pint of milk is, frankly, ridiculous. However, the engine and exhaust provide absolutely no aural pleasure. Compared to a similar car with a similar engine and similar output, an Abarth for example, it’s night and day and it adds character to that car that a lot of people like. Now, I can admit that some of the exhausts on those cars are a bit OTT, but a happy medium would be nice. Or if you want to talk old school hot hatches, Renault 5 Turbo. Same engine configuration, similar output, much better sound (or so YouTube tells me). Anyway, the whole subject is completely subjective, everyone is different. I’d just like the occasional flutter and crack from the exhaust.
I must also give you top marks for shoehorning in a shot at millennials, we really are awful and deserve everything we get and worse
Looks really nice in the grey. I’ve just picked up a previous gen in the cool white and was having a look at the new shape in the dealership. I thought the interior looked a step up but didn’t really like the look of it in the yellow tbh but looks so much better in the grey. If the new models a better drive it must be a blast as I’m loving mine! It’s the complete opposite of what I’m used too but just so much fun to thrash about in (gear change excluded, not 100% convinced on that yet!)
Interesting post Dazza and there’s tons of interesting stuff in there although isn’t the JDM mapped differently for their fuel? Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong, just what I’ve read online.
A friend has one and it looks fantastic, he was talking about the CTC remap which takes the car from 150bhp(ish depending on dyno) to 167bhp which should be fun!
As an aside CTC say they see 1 to 1.5bhp increase on 99 fuel vs 95 fuel in the comments on their mapping video: https://youtu.be/nXhFQYeiQwo
The MPG you’re getting giving you’re driving it hard is fantastic and with the turbo motor you’ll have a lot of tuning options. I’m very interested in this little car, I think it’s fantastic for city duties and I would be tempted to track it if I had one!
A friend has one and it looks fantastic, he was talking about the CTC remap which takes the car from 150bhp(ish depending on dyno) to 167bhp which should be fun!
As an aside CTC say they see 1 to 1.5bhp increase on 99 fuel vs 95 fuel in the comments on their mapping video: https://youtu.be/nXhFQYeiQwo
The MPG you’re getting giving you’re driving it hard is fantastic and with the turbo motor you’ll have a lot of tuning options. I’m very interested in this little car, I think it’s fantastic for city duties and I would be tempted to track it if I had one!
Scobblelotcher said:
Interesting post Dazza and there’s tons of interesting stuff in there although isn’t the JDM mapped differently for their fuel? Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong, just what I’ve read online.
A friend has one and it looks fantastic, he was talking about the CTC remap which takes the car from 150bhp(ish depending on dyno) to 167bhp which should be fun!
As an aside CTC say they see 1 to 1.5bhp increase on 99 fuel vs 95 fuel in the comments on their mapping video: https://youtu.be/nXhFQYeiQwo
The MPG you’re getting giving you’re driving it hard is fantastic and with the turbo motor you’ll have a lot of tuning options. I’m very interested in this little car, I think it’s fantastic for city duties and I would be tempted to track it if I had one!
Okay interesting stuff.A friend has one and it looks fantastic, he was talking about the CTC remap which takes the car from 150bhp(ish depending on dyno) to 167bhp which should be fun!
As an aside CTC say they see 1 to 1.5bhp increase on 99 fuel vs 95 fuel in the comments on their mapping video: https://youtu.be/nXhFQYeiQwo
The MPG you’re getting giving you’re driving it hard is fantastic and with the turbo motor you’ll have a lot of tuning options. I’m very interested in this little car, I think it’s fantastic for city duties and I would be tempted to track it if I had one!
So pump fuel in Japan. Regular is 90RON to 94RON and premium is anything above 95RON but most places sell about 97/98 as their premium. So the long and short of it is that there is nothing special about their pump fuel
The difference in power probably comes from the way emissions are measured with JC08 cycle it maybe allows a slightly different output? Although that is a guess haha!
I got one of these back in June, in white, have done around 8k miles so far!
So far i'm enjoying it, for the money its a good car, the engine is small, and definatley pokey enough to overtake with ease and sometime forget what speed your doing.
In the summer it had great grip, but have noticed in the last few weeks it has been struggling and is not as confidence inspiring.
The forward warning collision is bad, it has saved my on one occasion, but it goes off at stupid times and is more likely to cause a crash one day.
I find the adaptive cruise control is good on A roads (my commute) but not too good on motorways.
I must say i havent really noticed it struggling in the morning on first start up, my old shape one definately did, but new one seems ok to me!
They are rare,ive seen 4 i beleive since June, 3 in yellow, 1 in black.
So far i'm enjoying it, for the money its a good car, the engine is small, and definatley pokey enough to overtake with ease and sometime forget what speed your doing.
In the summer it had great grip, but have noticed in the last few weeks it has been struggling and is not as confidence inspiring.
The forward warning collision is bad, it has saved my on one occasion, but it goes off at stupid times and is more likely to cause a crash one day.
I find the adaptive cruise control is good on A roads (my commute) but not too good on motorways.
I must say i havent really noticed it struggling in the morning on first start up, my old shape one definately did, but new one seems ok to me!
They are rare,ive seen 4 i beleive since June, 3 in yellow, 1 in black.
I got one of these back in June, in white, have done around 8k miles so far!
So far i'm enjoying it, for the money its a good car, the engine is small, and definatley pokey enough to overtake with ease and sometime forget what speed your doing.
In the summer it had great grip, but have noticed in the last few weeks it has been struggling and is not as confidence inspiring.
The forward warning collision is bad, it has saved my on one occasion, but it goes off at stupid times and is more likely to cause a crash one day.
I find the adaptive cruise control is good on A roads (my commute) but not too good on motorways.
I must say i havent really noticed it struggling in the morning on first start up, my old shape one definately did, but new one seems ok to me!
They are rare,ive seen 4 i beleive since June, 3 in yellow, 1 in black.
So far i'm enjoying it, for the money its a good car, the engine is small, and definatley pokey enough to overtake with ease and sometime forget what speed your doing.
In the summer it had great grip, but have noticed in the last few weeks it has been struggling and is not as confidence inspiring.
The forward warning collision is bad, it has saved my on one occasion, but it goes off at stupid times and is more likely to cause a crash one day.
I find the adaptive cruise control is good on A roads (my commute) but not too good on motorways.
I must say i havent really noticed it struggling in the morning on first start up, my old shape one definately did, but new one seems ok to me!
They are rare,ive seen 4 i beleive since June, 3 in yellow, 1 in black.
Fletchie said:
In the summer it had great grip, but have noticed in the last few weeks it has been struggling and is not as confidence inspiring.
What tyres do these come on?Must admit, they've grown on me massively recently, the red and grey examples above look great. I was followed by a yellow one before Christmas and it did look quite menacing in my rear view mirror.
andrewparker said:
What tyres do these come on?
Must admit, they've grown on me massively recently, the red and grey examples above look great. I was followed by a yellow one before Christmas and it did look quite menacing in my rear view mirror.
Continental Sport Contact 5s I believe. Old car was 3s, I just put the 5s on the front of the old car, can’t say I’ve noticed a difference bar lack of rim protector. Like I say though, don’t do much driving for fun these days. Must admit, they've grown on me massively recently, the red and grey examples above look great. I was followed by a yellow one before Christmas and it did look quite menacing in my rear view mirror.
horsemeatscandal said:
Wow. That was obviously a well researched and well considered post, thanks for that. Some of that conflicts with my first impressions of the car so I’ll try and get back to you on those points. Don’t do much driving these days mind, never mind driving for fun.
It’s nice to see someone so passionate about the car, says a lot about the quality of the product. Similarly, interesting to see plenty people running both cars, against says a lot about the car.
For now though, I will have to disagree on the noise front. I think we can all agree that popping, farting and banging your way to the corner shop for a pint of milk is, frankly, ridiculous. However, the engine and exhaust provide absolutely no aural pleasure. Compared to a similar car with a similar engine and similar output, an Abarth for example, it’s night and day and it adds character to that car that a lot of people like. Now, I can admit that some of the exhausts on those cars are a bit OTT, but a happy medium would be nice. Or if you want to talk old school hot hatches, Renault 5 Turbo. Same engine configuration, similar output, much better sound (or so YouTube tells me). Anyway, the whole subject is completely subjective, everyone is different. I’d just like the occasional flutter and crack from the exhaust.
I must also give you top marks for shoehorning in a shot at millennials, we really are awful and deserve everything we get and worse
Haha. Yes. Maybe I'm old! ;o)It’s nice to see someone so passionate about the car, says a lot about the quality of the product. Similarly, interesting to see plenty people running both cars, against says a lot about the car.
For now though, I will have to disagree on the noise front. I think we can all agree that popping, farting and banging your way to the corner shop for a pint of milk is, frankly, ridiculous. However, the engine and exhaust provide absolutely no aural pleasure. Compared to a similar car with a similar engine and similar output, an Abarth for example, it’s night and day and it adds character to that car that a lot of people like. Now, I can admit that some of the exhausts on those cars are a bit OTT, but a happy medium would be nice. Or if you want to talk old school hot hatches, Renault 5 Turbo. Same engine configuration, similar output, much better sound (or so YouTube tells me). Anyway, the whole subject is completely subjective, everyone is different. I’d just like the occasional flutter and crack from the exhaust.
I must also give you top marks for shoehorning in a shot at millennials, we really are awful and deserve everything we get and worse
In all seriousness, I actually like the noise it makes. But totally agree, it's not even close to loud by any stretch.
Around and above idle, the exhaust does emit a bassy thrum. When the car is nice and hot, tickling the throttle between buildings / walls, the thrum can be heard. It's a nice noise to me. But yes, when the revs climb, the bass disappears and you largely hear whats going on under the bonnet.
Whilst I might be happy - I can agree some might want a bit more anger from the exhausts.
Rsdop said:
Looks really nice in the grey. I’ve just picked up a previous gen in the cool white and was having a look at the new shape in the dealership. I thought the interior looked a step up but didn’t really like the look of it in the yellow tbh but looks so much better in the grey. If the new models a better drive it must be a blast as I’m loving mine! It’s the complete opposite of what I’m used too but just so much fun to thrash about in (gear change excluded, not 100% convinced on that yet!)
How many miles on your Sport? I ask because my 2016's gear change wasn't great when new. 20K miles later it was a much better change. I guess it wore in to how I like to use it.The 2018 Sport though - the shift was great right from the off.
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