Suzuki’s latest Swift remains small in size yet big on everything else

YOU got to love the egalitarian ways of British motoring programs. There, a haughty high-end logo doesn’t count for much, with cars flaunting such badges getting compared to cheaper ones that are similar in size and purpose. It is performance that matters; not price tags. And exactly on which premise does the Suzuki Swift gets pitted against image laden subcompact hot hatches from Mini, Fiat and VW.

Now consider this, too; the awesome Tiff Needell, host of the popular and credible UK television show Fifth Gear, loves this car. That says a lot about the Swift.

Well, make that Needell and numerous other people. Because Suzuki was apparently all too aware of the popularity and appeal of the previous-generation car that when it came time to build a new one the carmaker ensured little would change in the process. So the latest-gen model has sheetmetal that’s hardly distinguishable from the old car, wearing subtly redesigned pieces and minimal dimension changes—just enough to mark it as the new car. Once the changes have been spotted though, the freshness brought about by the update is quite welcome. There isn’t a line wrong in the styling of the present Swift, and the car can definitely hold its own looks-wise among a litter of designer hot hatches.

Matching the car’s perky styling is an equally bubbly driving personality. The new, locally sold Swift actually gets a displacement downgrade—from the previous model’s Toyota-sourced 1.5-liter engine to a 1.4-liter one—and yet still have enough oomph to scoot in city traffic, the engine’s seemingly paltry 94-horsepower (at 6,000rpm) and 130-Newton-meter (at 4,000rpm) torque outputs adequate in delivering bursts of grin-inducing acceleration. Which really is impressive, considering that the test car pictured on this spread (priced at P769,000) came with a power-sapping four-speed automatic gearbox, and that the figures cited a sentence back are lesser than those flaunted by the previous car. True, the engine note created when the go pedal is firmly pressed can’t be called a “source of joy,” but then it doesn’t sound like the engine is about to blow its variably timed 16 valves and two overhead cams into tiny pieces either.

Adding to the fun factor is the Swift’s agile handling—a huge part of the car’s attraction. Though there’s nothing fancy in the MacPherson struts and torsion beams and coil springs underpinning the Swift, Suzuki had tuned these to be stiff so the car stays relatively flat in spirited cornering, firm enough that changes in direction don’t upset it, yet retain a good amount of pliancy so passengers don’t get bounced about when the roads aren’t as choppy. The steering, though dampened by an electric power assist system, is quick and allows the car to dart around like an excitable and cute pup. Surely, the Swift’s large 16-inch alloys (with 185/55 tires) help here. Brakes are the usual ABS-fitted discs in front and drums at the rear—not an issue considering the car’s diminutive size and weight.

What could turn out an issue, especially for people intent on a family-duty Swift, is the car’s backseat room, which can’t match that on other hatchbacks like the Honda Jazz (in terms of leg- and headroom) and Toyota Yaris (headroom). I’d say the Swift splits the two when it comes to cargo space, with the rear seats down or up. The driver and shotgun passenger have no such space worries, though.

Cabin materials and kit, not a Suzuki strength, aren’t class-leading too, with too much plain plastic and a rudimentary entertainment unit that won’t threaten in any way the Bluetooth/voice-recognizing gizmo found on the top-model Ford Fiesta. That said, the Swift’s cabin is pleasantly nondescript, and I prefer that over the clutter on many subcompact hatchbacks out there—those with haughty high-end logos included.

In the Swift’s case, less really is more.