The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Getting to grips with the new Suzuki Swift supermini
With the sixth generation version of their Swift supermini, Suzuki have stayed true to the design principles that have long served them in the small car sector: low running costs, high quality and a spacious cabin being the highlights.
The car is now lighter and more spacious, plus there’s the option of mild hybrid technology. As for the road-going experience, you can expect the same kind of entertaining drive the Swift has always specialised in delivering.
And engine-wise? Well, these days there are no diesel options, Suzuki limiting Swift buying choices to two main petrol engines. There’s an 90bhp, 1.2-litre, four cylinder Dualjet unit mated to a five-speed gearbox or a 1.0-litre, three cylinder turbocharged ‘Boosterjet’ powerplant, which offers 111bhp and can be ordered with auto transmission.
The ‘Boosterjet’ powerplant can be had with the option of mild hybrid assistance. Suzuki calls it ‘SHVS’ – or ‘Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki’ – technology and it’s based around the use of what’s called an Integrated Starter Generator powered by a tiny 0.2 kWh lithium-ion battery that sits under the driver’s seat. This set-up harvests kinetic energy when you brake and converts it into electrical energy.
As for the looks, well, this is still recognisably a Swift, familiar cues including the wraparound windscreen, the upright headlamps and the smiley lower air intake. This five-door-only MK6 model is 40mm wider than its predecessor but also 10mm shorter and 15mm lower. More significantly, thanks to its new platform, it’s also significantly lighter, tipping the scales at a mere 890kgs in entry-level trim. Even the hybrid version is just 925kg.
Prices start at around £11,000 for the SZ3 variant, but most models will be sold in the £13,000 to £15,000 bracket.
The Swift has always been known as the thinking person’s supermini selection – and very little has changed in that regard with this sixth generation version.