ON THE ROAD- IAN LYNAS DRIVES THE NEW SUZUKI SWIFT

The Swift has been a major player for Suzuki, a supermini which, since its launch back in the 1980s, has been quite a challenger for the competition; after all this is a busy sector of the market. With cars such as the Fiesta exiting, this must surely open the way for more to take a look at what the new Swift offers. While there be an abundance of EVs entering this area, there are still many who want to remain with petrol power.# I have driven various members of the Swift family and I recall one occasion when the press launch was staged in Ireland and the highlight was to take in a few laps of Mondello Park, then it proved ideal to discover the sporting side of the small hatchback which down the years has established a strong following. The Swift nameplate was introduced in the mid1980s, an export name for the Cultus, certainly a name that rolls off the tongue with ease.

Suzuki had the new Swift Concept at the Japanese Mobility Show in Tokyo late last year; the fourth generation model of a global supermini had arrived and by the way, the new model is built in Japan. How do you improve a car that to date has satisfied the needs of many buyers; its stylish exterior remains and at under four metres in length and despite these modest dimensions, a spacious cabin awaits and for a car in this sector luggage space is ample. The good news, the standard specification is higher than the outgoing model, performance is improved, lower emissions and the much welcome improved fuel economy; all of this will be much appreciated. Engine size has been reduced from 1.4 litres and a new 1.2 litre three cylinder mild hybrid which is up to eight percent more efficient than the third generation version and with the manual gearbox, expect real wallet pleasing economy. This is simply a wee gem and it delivers, rest to 100kph (62mph) in 12.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 165kph (103mph); perhaps not earth shattering; but it has a sporty feel to it and a great sound when pressed on; it is just perfect for this small hatchback.

My test car had a five speed manual transmission, very smooth in operation; however there was the odd occasion when I felt I could have enjoyed a further gear. Hopefully in the not too distant future the opportunity will arise to get behind the wheel of a new Swift with the CVT auto transmission. In this motoring world the odd surprise comes my way and with the new Swift it came with the level of specification and I refer to the entry level model – the Motion. For a car in this sector of the market it rivals and equals many other cars which cost considerably more. I will name but a few of the highlights, 16 inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, navigation, rear view camera, rear parking sensors, Adaptive Cruise Control, wireless smartphone link display audio, keyless entry & start, Driver Monitoring System, Dual Sensor Brake Support (upgraded), Lane Departure Warning and Weaving Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor and enhanced Traffic Sign Recognition. There are two grades, moving to the Ultra 16 inch polished alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning, rear passenger heater outlet and electric folding door mirrors incorporating side turn indicators. Colour choice is key to many when purchasing a new car and this time round Suzuki offer Swift in eight metallic colours with a further four dual tone colours available optionally incorporating either a Black Pearl or Grey metallic roof depending on the chosen body colour. During development of the colour choices attention and effort was given to the formulation of Frontier Blue Pearl metallic; this new shade has a very vivid depth of colour thanks to a new three layer coating process which involved a paint technician in Japan taking ten years to develop and Burning Red Pearl metallic is also formulated in this way. Behind the wheel, improved suspension and steering play a role with the handling qualities; yes the newcomer is a joy to drive, a car which does deliver affordable mobility.

Ian Lynas