This week Car Buyers Guide was at the launch of the all new Suzuki Swift in Manchester, England. The new Swift will be available to the Irish market from June 1st. Along with the obvious changes to the exterior of the Swift; Suzuki has also added the 1.0 litre three cylinder Boosterjet engine which first debuted in the Baleno and S-Cross last year.
This Boosterjet engine has an output of 111hp according to Suzuki and is also Direct Injection Turbocharged. Alongside this is a 1.2 litre Dualjet engine that boasts 90hp (standard for the entry model). Both variants of engine also now come with the option of a mild hybrid system known as SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki).This system works as both a generator and starter motor which assists the vehicle during take-off and acceleration. SHVS is available for the first time with the Boosterjet engine in the Swift, which means that CO2 emissions for the Swift can be as low as 97g/km. There is also a four wheel drive grade available known as the ALLGRIP available as an option on the SZ5 model with the 1.2 litre engine. Now, this four wheel drive option doesn’t mean that Suzuki wants you to take the Swift off-roading; instead it acts as more of a safety feature, transferring additional torque to the rear wheels when needed.
The Suzuki Swift is in direct competition with the likes of the Skoda Fabia, Seat Ibiza, Hyundai i20 and the Kia Rio in the Supermini segment. Suzuki is hoping to make the swift stand out from the crowd with a string of customisable aesthetics and accessories. These personalised featured are yet to be announced by Suzuki.
The Swift benefits from Suzuki’s new platform which is 30kg lighter than before, with the SZ3 model measuring in at 890kg, which is over 100kg lighter overall. This weigh loss translates to the Swift being 20% more powerful and outputting 10% lower CO2 emissions, according to Suzuki. The dimensions of the new Swift have also had some altercations, making it shorter, wider and lower than the previous model. The seating positions have been lowered to increase headroom while the front seats have been moved outwards by 10mm which has increased the centre on centre distance between them by 20mm. The longer wheelbase has been intelligently used to increase the boot space by 54 litres, which now measures in at 265 litres, addressing the common complaint that the out-going model’s boot was too small.
Overall the Suzuki Swift delivers on its intended aim of building a fun to drive and more comfortable and stylish model than the previous generation. It is competitively priced at just under €15,000 for the entry model and comes with some decent kit as standard, including; six airbags, air conditioning, DAB radio, privacy glass, daytime running lights and Bluetooth.
See used Suzuki Swift cars for sale here.
See more Car Buyers Guide Suzuki reviews here.
0 comments