Suzuki Swift Review

For quite a while now, the Suzuki Swift has been the one-stop shop for those looking for a surprisingly practical little hatch with a fun-loving nature and bargain-hunters alike. 

As the Swift’s competition grows, though, the latest generation needs to perform to stay atop the playing field. Let’s take a closer look and see how the new Suzuki Swift performs under pressure. 

Starting Price: $23,490

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Suzuki Swift (SPORT NAVI TURBO) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Suzuki Swift car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

Prices for the Suzuki Swift lineup depend on whether you’re living in QLD, or any other state or territory, due to an unusual means of distribution in Australia. 

For QLD buyers, the Swift lineup kicks off from $22,490 for the Swift GL Navigator with a manual transmission, while the GL automatic is priced at $23,490. Stepping up to the Swift GL+ brings the price up to $24,990, while the GLX Turbo is priced at $28,790. 

Opting for the range-topping Swift Sport manual in QLD comes with a $29,990 price tag, while the Swift Sport automatic is priced at $31,990. 

For the rest of Australia, the Suzuki Swift GL S manual is priced at $23,490, while the automatic costs $24,490 and the GL S Plus is priced at $25,990. 

Moving up the range to the Swift GLX Turbo brings the price to $28,790, while the Swift Sport manual and automatic are priced at $28,990 and $30,990 respectively. 

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What Features Does the Suzuki Swift Have?

The entry-level Suzuki Swift comes riding on a set of 16-inch alloys, and receives a set of LED daytime running lamps, cruise control, keyless entry, air conditioning, reversing camera, fog lights and a 7.0-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while the Swift GL upgrades the infotainment screen to a 9.0-inch display. 

Stepping up to the Swift GL S adds a climate control system, keyless entry & start, and a set of automatic LED headlights, while the GL+ receives an adaptive cruise control system, blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warnings. 

The GLX Turbo comes riding on a special set of 16-inch alloys with disc brakes for the rear wheels, power-folding mirrors and an engine upgrade, while the Swift Sport receives 17-inch alloys, a larger turbocharged engine and a dual exhaust system. 

Range Features: 

• 16-inch alloys 

• LED daytime running lamps 

• Fog lights

• Keyless entry 

• Reversing camera 

• Cruise control 

• 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto 

• 9.0-inch infotainment system (GL) 

• Automatic LED headlights (GL-S/Limited Edition)

• Climate control (GL-S/Limited Edition)

• Adaptive cruise control (GL+)

• Rear parking sensors (GL+)

• Blind-spot monitoring (GL+)

• Rear-cross traffic alerts (GL+) 

• 1.0-litre turbo engine (GLX Turbo) 

• Rear disc brakes (GLX Turbo) 

• 17-inch alloys (Sport) 

• 1.4-litre turbo engine (Sport) 

• Dual exhaust system (Sport) 

Suzuki Swift Colours 

The Suzuki Swift lineup is available in a range of colours, including Pure White, Burning Red, Mineral Grey, Premium Silver, Super Black, Speedy Blue, while the Swift Sport is offered with a Champion Yellow and Flame Orange as a special colour finish. 

Is it Fun to Drive? 

The Swift is a charming little hatchback that offers everything from no-frills motoring in the base model to a truly exciting little hatchback in range-topping Sport form. 

Keep in mind that Suzuki offers the Swift here in Australia with three different engines, with the entry-level Swift powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder pushing out 66kW of power and 120Nm of torque, which is paired with a five-speed manual or CVT automatic. 

Stepping up to the GLX Turbo throws a 1.0-litre three-cylinder into the mix, increasing power to 82kW and torque to 160Nm with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the flagship Sport receives a 1.4-litre four-cylinder kicking up 103kW of power and 230Nm of torque to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. 

Driving the base model is a refreshingly back-to-basics experience thanks to the Swift’s lightweight stature and the short wheelbase that means you don’t need a heap of power to get up to speed, and mimics the fun of a go-kart in the corners. 

Upgrading to the GLX Turbo and the Sport, in particular, gives the Swift a heap of perkiness off the line and offers all the power you really need while offering a hugely engaging driving experience when pushed, especially when coupled with a manual transmission. 

The steering is sharp, the front end darts around without much encouragement, and there’s a healthy amount of feedback through the wheel to keep every driver engaged. 

When you’re finished all your tyre-screeching, the Swift’s platform is happy to dial everything back and become a humble and comfortable little hatchback that lends itself perfectly to work commutes and even road trips.

It provides a user-friendly and fun experience while darting around the city with its sharp handling, nimble wheelbase and lightweight steering rack that makes navigating and low-speed parking manouvers a pleasure. 

All up, the Swift remains a great option for those looking for a no-frills commuter with a fun-loving nature, which is often a difficult task that the Swift manages with ease. 

Is it Practical and Spacious? 

As you can imagine, the Swift’s hatchback platform means that buyers need to be realistic about its true potential. Having said that, though, Suzuki has done a great job in the design and packaging of the interior that offers a surprising amount of space and practicality. 

Up front, the driver and front passenger have a huge amount of headroom that can comfortably accommodate a tall driver without feeling cramped and is impressive for the segment. 

The interior itself has been refreshed in recent years, and while it remains fairly simple in base form, it feels modern and not outshined by its rivals. 

Suzuki has, instead, focussed its attention more on engineering some clever and ergonomic features in the cabin that make it feel like a reliable little partner, while higher-spec variants gain some shiny textures and sporty two-tone accents. 

The front of the cabin offers a pair of cupholders, storage tray behind the gear lever, storage inside the folding armrest and a pair of decent-sized door bins on either side of the cabin that offer up more than enough options to eat up loose items. 

Move to the rear of the cabin and you’ll find a comfortable bench seat with a pair of inbuilt ISOFIX anchors and top tether mounts for child seats. 

The rear seats themselves are surprisingly adept when it comes to accommodating adults, with no issues for the majority of body sizes, although taller rear passengers might be a bit limited on legroom, while headroom remains excellent. 

At the rear, the Swift offers a compact 265L of boot space, which is out-performed by most of its peers, but thankfully this expands to 579L with the rear seats folded to help accommodate bulky cargo. 

Is it Safe? 

The Suzuki Swift has been awarded ANCAP’s maximum five-star safety rating, scoring 14.39 out of a potential 16 for front impact protection, and 15.74 out of 16 for side impacts. 

As standard, the base model receives front and curtain airbags, while the GL+ and above receive a handful of active safety technologies like autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alerts and lane departure warnings. 

Is it Fuel Efficient?

With three different engine options, fuel economy depends on which Swift variant you’re opting for, however, the small capacity lineup remains impressive when it comes to fuel efficiency. 

The entry-level Swift returns fuel economy figures of 4.6L/100km on a combined cycle in manual form, while the automatic rises to 4.8L/100km. Upgrading to the GLX Turbo brings fuel figures to 5.1L/100km while the flagship Sport is rated at 6.1L/100km on a combined cycle. 

Our Verdict: Is the Suzuki Swift Worth it?

The Suzuki Swift is a great little hatchback for a variety of buyers thanks to its fun-loving personality and surprising practicality for a vehicle of its size. 

The base model is perfect for those looking for a safe, simple and well-equipped hatchback while the GLX and Swift range-toppers provide a heap of thrills without breaking the bank. 

If you’re shopping around for a hatchback that can get the heart racing and double down on family duties, be sure to add the Suzuki Swift to your shortlist. 

On that note, if you’re in the market for a new car, you can get a free quote and see how much OnlineAuto can save you on your next car, or call us on 1300 719 925 

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year, unlimited KM warranty 
2. Three engine options 
3. Fuel economy between 4.8-6.1L/100km 
4. Five-star ANCAP safety rating 
5. 265L of boot space 

Pros 

• Surprising practicality 
• Fun-loving personality 
• Agile and user-friendly platform for sporty and casual drivers 

Cons

• No active safety tech in base model 
• Uninspiring engine in entry-level Swift 
• Limited cargo space in the boot 

OnlineAuto Rating: 9/10

Suzuki Swift Competition