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Introduced to the public at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney last October, the latest generation Suzuki Swift has been fitted with a new powertrain and fuel efficiency that makes it the most economical naturally aspirated engine in its class.
Smaller and lighter than the engine it replaces, the new Suzuki 1.4-litre unit is 13 per cent more economical without compromising the zippy performance that has become a byword with the car.
Though the Swift had been around in Australia for many years, it wasn’t until 2004 that the third generation, with European styling and dynamics really took off.
Over the years, the Swift has undergone constant refinement and the latest version is no exception. Already this year the Swift has put Suzuki on the road to record sales in Australia.
While maintaining the Swift Euro look, the new model Suzuki has grown by 90 mm in length, with a 50 mm increase in wheelbase, while extensive use of ultra-high tensile strength steel has increased torsional rigidity by 15 per cent, providing an excellent basis for improved dynamics.
The Swift can carry up to five occupants in relative comfort and offers the driver a clear and easy-to-reach set of instruments and controls. Electric windows and door locking are standard, the latter with remote control key.
As we have come to expect from a car of today, there is the usual array of audio jacks and inputs for personal information and entertainment apparatus.
Suzuki’s Swift is big on accessories and storage with drink and bottle holders, plus coat hooks. However, size-wise it’s still a small car.
With fuel efficiency uppermost, engineers were constantly aware of the need to cut weight. They started with the new K14B engine which comes with a lightweight plastic cylinder head cover, lighter pistons and narrower crankshaft bearings.
The engine is mated with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, the latter with a straight shift pattern replacing the gated version of the old model.
Fuel consumption will be in the six to seven litres per hundred kilometres range when used on the open road, this will increase to seven to line litres per hundred in day-to-day use around town. That’s for a Suzuki Swift with the automatic transmission as reviewed by us. A manual gearbox correctly used can trim petrol use by about five to ten per cent.
With acceleration of zero to 100 km/h in a little over 14 seconds the Swift is no fireball. However it does accelerate in the smooth, measured manner of a larger, more expensive passenger vehicle. Good as was the previous model Swift, there’s an even stronger sense of agility and improved stability through wider track, short-wheelbase, increased body and suspension rigidity, as well as in greater roll stiffness, the last and a slightly lower centre of gravity further helping stability and handling.
Suzuki says the Swift’s improved dynamics are intended to deliver handling that reflects a ‘more mature kind of sportiness’. This plan has been a success and the new model is noticeably smoother and more refined.
Steering response has been improved with variable gear ratio producing a fast ratio when the rack is near the centre point to make the car respond quickly at the start of a turn, while a relatively slow ratio near the steering wheel’s turning limits reduces the effort required for bigger turns.
Greater roll stiffness, with no weight penalty, has been added both front and back with the ironed-out suspension doing likewise to uneven road surfaces.
The brakes on the Swift we reviewed were rather sharp when called on quickly but this was easy to accommodate with constant usage that made us more accustomed to the setup.
Comfort is good on normal to mediocre roads, but really bad surfaces can bounce the body around. Then again, this is meant to be a suburban runabout not a country road basher. Tyre noise is well isolated on almost all sealed surfaces and the amount of tyre roar that gets through to the cabin is less than average for an affordable car like the Swift.
New Suzuki Swift is top of the class for safety. A rigid body shell, seven airbags, including side curtain airbags and driver’s knee airbag, plus Electronic Stability Program has earned the car a maximum five-star NCAP rating.
All-in-all the latest Suzuki Swift is an impressive small car that builds on the excellent reputation on the model it supersedes. While styling isn’t quite as sharp and aggressive as previously it follows a similar theme and provides a more mature look. It seems certain to gain plenty of new friends on the showroom floor, as well as pleasing existing owners who want to move up a class in sophistication.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
GA 1.4-litre five-door hatch: $15,990 (manual)
GL 1.4-litre five-door hatch: $16,690 (manual), $18,390 (automatic)
GLX 1.4-litre five-door hatch: $18,990 (manual), $20,690 (automatic)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Automatic Transmission: Not offered in GA, $1700 option in GL and GLX
Cruise Control: Not offered
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Electronic Stability Program: Standard in all models
Rear Parking Sensors: Not offered
Reversing Camera: Not offered
USB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in all models
Bluetooth: Standard in GLX, not offered in GA and GL
Steering Wheel Mounted Controls: Standard in GL and GLX, not offered in GA
SPECIFICATIONS (Suzuki Swift GLX 1.4-litre five-door hatch)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.372 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 10.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 73.0 x 82.0 mm
Maximum Power: 70 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 130 Nm @ 4000 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Five-speed
Automatic Transmission: Six-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 4.105:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 3850 mm
Wheelbase: 2430 mm
Width: 1695 mm
Height: 1510 mm
Turning Circle: 10.4 metres
Kerb Mass: 1025 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 42 litres
Towing Ability: Not Supplied
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: MacPherson struts, coil springs
Rear Suspension: Torsion beam, coil springs
Front Brakes: Ventilated Disc
Rear Brakes: Drum
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 14.2 seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Petrol 91RON
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 5.5 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 8/10
Air Pollution Rating: 8.5/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000 km |
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