SUZUKI SWIFT SZ5 ALLGRIP

Suzuki Swift

1.2ltr Dualjet Hybrid SZ5 ALLGRIP

What is it?

Suzuki’s third generation Swift has been with us now since June 2017, and for 2021 it’s been given a facelift with a revised front-end styling, higher standard specifications and even more emphasis on safety equipment levels across the range, as well as Suzuki’s enhanced 12V Hybrid system.

That’s not all, the new Swift is smaller (10mm shorter, 15mm lower, although 40mm wider), and considerably lighter than its predecessor as it sits on the company’s ‘Heartect’ platform, the same used for the Baleno and Ignis. A 20mm-stretched wheelbase means you get more internal space, including a boot that’s bigger by 54 litres over the old car.

On the road

I covered a fair few miles in the Swift, from twisty roads in the Peaks, to a 3 hour motorway drive down to Eastnor Castle and back, and you know what? I wasn’t fazed.

Normally I would have pulled my face at doing those sort of miles in a small car, but the seats are ace, even for a fat lad like me! It’s roomy, moderately quiet on the engine and tyre noise front, and comes equipped with adaptive cruise control, all of which made a 7 hour round trip hassle free, and with a swept back windscreen and good sized windows, threading your way around town is also a doddle.

Weighing less than a tonne, the Swift always feels lively and alert, and around the twisty bits, not only is its body roll well-managed, but the firms ALLGRIP tech keeps everything surefooted and exactly where you want it to be.

Fuel wise, despite the amount of abuse I gave it, it still managed to average over 50mpg, so there’s no complaint there.

Off road

Like the Ignis I had the week previous, I didn’t venture too far off the beaten track, but I was invited to a remote quarry to report on another event. Getting to it wasn’t an issue, just a bit of a muddy narrow green lane. I wouldn’t have even noticed it in a larger 4x4, but in the Swift I had to be careful due to its lack of decent ground clearance. The muddy exit would have caused wheel spin in a 2wd, but the Allgrip tech kept me going.

On the subject of Suzuki’s ALLGRIP, no matter which model it’s been fitted to, it’s never let me down, whether that’s on snow, ice or mud. It’s a well proven and simple fully automatic and permanent four-wheel drive layout, which transfers additional torque to the rear wheels when required via a viscous coupling - ideal for customers who live in rural areas who don’t want the hassle of a ‘proper’ 4x4 during winter months.

Overall Suzuki’s ALLGRIP technology will take you where you want to go, you are only limited by the Swift’s approach angle, ground clearance and tyres.

Interior

Okay, it isn’t the height of luxury, but neither does it pretend to be. There are lots of sturdy charcoal-grey plastics, and fairly simple dials and surfaces, but they are all well laid-out and intuitive. You will also find plenty of space on board for four adults, though five might be pushing it.

Oddly, it felt a little more cramped in the back than the Ignis, which is much smaller. I mentioned at the start that due to the new platform, the boot now has an extra 54 litres, which means, with the rear seats still in place, you have a luggage capacity of 265 litres.

Safety gubbins

As I’ve mention many times before, Suzuki do like to cram their cars with all the latest safety spec, even the base SZ3 has air conditioning, six airbags, DAB radio and Bluetooth as standard.

The SZ5 adds adaptive cruise control, sat-nav, dual sensor brake support, lane departure warning and prevention, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and vehicle weave warning. Oh yeah, and traffic sign recognition.

Engine'n'Transmission

You have a choice of two engines, the 1.2 litre Dualjet normally aspirated four-cylinder petrol, and the 1.0 litre Boosterjet three-cylinder motor, both of which are mated to the Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki (SHVS) system.

The self-charging hybrid system is now powered by a new lithium-ion battery with capacity upgraded from 3Ah to 10Ah to improve energy recovery efficiency.

Available as standard equipment for all Swift models, the upgraded 12V Hybrid system is a compact and lightweight unit that incorporates an Integrated Starter Generator (known as ISG), which acts as both a generator and starter motor. The ISG is belt driven and assists the engine during vehicle take off and acceleration, and also generates electricity through regenerative braking. The ISG unit has a power output of 2.3kW with a torque figure of 50Nm, and the components of the system add just 6.2kg to the overall weight of the car.

Conclusion

Just like every other Suzuki I’ve tested over the years, the Swift feels dependable and well screwed together, though I do wish it was a bit more plush. It handled muddy tracks, city and country driving with ease, and it isn’t intimidated by a bit of green laning, either.

Overall, with agile handling, eager yet economical engines, generous levels of equipment and sensible pricing, the Suzuki Swift is a great car that won’t let you down.

more at » www.suzuki.co.uk Price from £12,999