Back then
The original 2006 Swift Sport was a revelation: nimble, exciting, good looking and cheap. It meant Suzuki attracted new buyers to a brand that had made its name with rugged 4x4s and tremendously dreary city cars. A small Suzuki was on the radar of enthusiasts for the first time since... well, the Cappuccino? Maybe the Ignis Sport, then - but the Swift was better. Much better.
The Mk2 of 2011-2017 was better again. Introducing a sixth gear made it more refined on the motorway and more efficient, for starters, with a claimed 44mpg. It was more powerful, too, nudging 140hp from its 1.6-litre, 'M16a' 16-valve four-cylinder thanks to intake tweaks and revisions to the valve timing. Despite this, a group 18 rating made the new Swift cheaper to insure. It was also larger and more practical than the Mk1, while being lighter. And little more expensive. The Swift Sport Mk2 wasn't so much a have-your-cake-and-eat-it car as a being fed your cake, given seconds and then sent home with more in a doggy bag type of car. Seemingly, it didn't have a weak spot.
Its obvious array of abilities beguiled people to the SSS pretty quickly; for £13,500 at launch there was precious little to find fault with. A few suggested its additional maturity robbed the Mk2 of some of the original's flighty agility, but in the context of anything else on sale that complaint evaporated. There was also the Twingo 133 problem, perhaps even more energetic and exciting to drive; it was a less well-rounded proposition overall, though, as well as uglier. When it was culled in 2013 the junior hot hatch market was pretty much left to the Swift until it was replaced by the BoosterJet model in 2018. Suffice it to say that car, despite staying admirably lightweight, didn't endear people to it in quite the same way.
Nowadays
In 2020 the Swift Sport remains an almost unmitigated joy; we knew even back on the five-door's arrival in 2014 that the days of such simple pleasures were numbered, a point reinforced by running a long-termer at the end of the production run. People say they want small, fast, affordable cars - but don't actually buy them. No ones in the Suzuki Swift mould at any rate.
A paucity of on-demand performance hobbled the Swift towards the end of its life, its 118lb ft maximum (from 4,400rpm) easily countered by the regular superminis and their downsized turbo torque troughs. The majority didn't (and don't) want to put work in to go quickly; whatever is said about the Swift Sport, it does require some effort for the eventual reward.
Not only is the Suzuki perfectly configured for that effort - sweet driving position, fine damping, slick gearshift, decent steering - the reward is easily worth it. There's no contrived sense of agility here, only the authentic eagerness that comes with a kerbweight around 1,000kg. The Swift is engaging, honest and predictable to drive fast: no second-guessing, no mode anxiety, no sense of barely scratching the dynamic surface.
There's challenge, too. The Swift is more than willing to have its cornering attitude adjusted with throttle and brakes; turn the ESC off (with just one button!) and Swift can continue its old school tribute act just nicely. It isn't edgy or dangerous, however, simply well engineered, balanced, ever-so-slightly-naughty fun.
That the little 1.6 essentially required 7,000rpm for peak power should tell you a lot about its character, needing every last rev to properly motor along. While the gearbox is a good accompaniment, it could do with slightly shorter ratios to really make the most of its power source. On the other hand, tinkering with the gears would have harmed the Sport's refinement and usability - buzzing along at 4,000rpm should stay the Mk1's party trick, thanks very much. Moreover, while newer superminis may well have plusher cabins, the Swift's remains perfectly usable and logical - if a touch uninspiring - for longer journeys.
Should you?
Why haven't you already? It sounds glib and predictable, but with a different badge on the front the Swift would surely have been more successful. That it was relatively expensive to lease harmed the Swift's appeal also. Might a turbo have helped? Perhaps in terms of mainstream success, though the danger would have course been in having the Sport's sweet balance of power, grip and chassis spoilt along the way. As it is, the Swift remains an utter joy to those in the know.
Suzuki always does well in reliability surveys, and the Swift Sport of this era should do nothing to tarnish that reputation. Ensure the service history is comprehensive, as it needs a check over every year or 9,000 miles. There have been recalls, as well, for leaking brake fluid and a rear axle bolt defect, so it would be wise to ensure they have been completed on any prospective purchase.
Other than that? It's choose between three doors or five, then a colour, and that's it: the Sport didn't have any other options from new, and is more than well-equipped enough a few years later. Perhaps the lack of smartphone mirroring ages it, though the Bluetooth and auxiliary connectivity is more than good enough for the asking price.
High mileage cars are now available from less than £5,000; spend around £6k and Swifts like this 2014 car are available with just 40,000 miles showing. On PH currently it's impossible to spend more than £10,000 on a Mk2 Swift Sport, with this five-door registered in 2017 and only coming up to 14,000 miles; an Up GTI, registered the year after and with more miles, is £3,000 more expensive. And, vitally, it's not as entertaining. Seemingly the message didn't get through when it was new, so perhaps it will seep in with the Sport having gone turbocharged (and now hybrid) since the Mk2's demise. The Swift is fantastic. If you need cheap, fast(ish), reliable fun - and, let's face it, we all do - it's hard to think of much better.
SPECIFICATION | SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT
Engine: 1,586cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 136@6,900rpm
Torque (lb ft): 118@4,400rpm
0-62mph: 8.7sec
Top speed: 121mph
Weight: 1,045kg
MPG: 44.1mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 147g/km
Price new: £13,999 (2014)
Price now: from £4,500
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