Review of the new Suzuki Swift 1.3 DDiS - The Day-To-Day Choice

It's easy for a small car to loose its fun factor. That too often happens in the quest for the greater sophistication and comfort that have become de rigueur these days but Suzuki's Swift is one model that seems to have had a certain effervescence engrained into its being from the outset. Fun will only get a car so far, of course, and we've been taking an extended look at the Swift on a long term test in order to see how it measures up in all areas.

The Swift is quite small for a supermini. It wasn't noticeably so when it was launched but, as has been the way in the wider car market over recent years, subsequent rival models have crept up in size and left it looking rather compact by comparison. This doesn't affect the Swift's agile handling and alert feel but it does have an impact on its ability to perform the mundane tasks that a successful small family car must.

From a comfort point of view, the seats are firm, if lacking a little in lateral support, and there's plenty of adjustment to allow even taller drivers to get comfortable. Despite it's stocky external appearance, there's a huge amount of headroom for front seat passengers and plenty in back so long as you're not well over six-foot. Legroom in the rear is more of an issue than in some other superminis. A six-foot passenger can just about sit behind a six-foot driver with their feet tucked under the seat. Travelling with three across the rear bench would be a bit of a squeeze.

The boot area is unusual. It doesn't offer too much outright space by the standards of the supermini class but then the Swift is 250mm shorter than a Ford Fiesta and something had to give. Suzuki has addressed the volume shortcomings with a double floor arrangement. There's a flat load floor when you open the tailgate, but by lifting a cover, you can access some useful extra space below. The rear seats split 60:40 and fold down with the release of just one catch to form a surface that's flush with the load floor cover. Big shopping trips may require the rear seats to be pressed into service but Suzuki has made the most of what it's got.

"Swift diesel does the job and is as likely as any car at the price to leave you smiling after a stint behind the wheel"

The Swift's compact dimensions also tell in the lack of storage space in the cabin. The thin doors leave room for only the most measly of door pockets and the glovebox is already at bursting point with only the owner's manual shoved inside. It leaves a couple of cup holder pots and a shelf below the centre section of the dash, so if you're the sort of person who keeps a lot of stuff in the car, there may be issues.

The Swift isn't a bad looker. Rather than being an amorphous blob, the Swift has a pronounced bonnet line and a very shapely contour along its shoulders. A wide air dam and big headlamps give the car a distinctive 'face' and the big wheels at each corner of the car give the impression that it's solidly planted to the road. The black pillars produce a floating glasshouse effect and the wraparound glazing helps to promote better all round visibility. Whisper it, but the styling bears more than a passing resemblance to BMW's MINI.

The interior designers adopted an uncomplicated approach, with slabs of dark plastic that are sturdy but don't have the tactility of the soft touch trim employed in the class leaders. Some will see the clean, uncluttered lines as boring and overly simplistic. Others will be impressed by the pared-down feel and the absence of gimmicks. What's certain is that the Swift is as easy to operate as any car on the market.

The engine in our 1.3-litre DDiS Swift is a 74bhp one. It's the least powerful in the Swift range but being a diesel, it has a good hit of torque on offer and feels stronger than the figures suggest when powering up hills or overtaking. Refinement isn't an issue, either. This is a very smooth-sounding diesel engine that only really makes itself heard higher up in the rev range and the advantages of venturing there are negligible.

So, the engine is generally a good one but the main reason for the Swift's popularity on our long term test has been its ride and handling. There are plenty of larger and supposedly more sophisticated superminis out there that have nothing like the Swift's fun factor. If driven quickly on a twisty road, it displays exemplary body control and the firm suspension refuses to be unsettled by changes in direction or undulations in the road.

The pedal weights and the snappy gear change are very well judged, bringing an urgency to the experience. The small, chunky steering wheel feels good in the hands and although a little more feel and weight from the helm would be a bonus in extra urban driving, its light weight does simplify urban journeys. The Swift's small size and stubby bonnet also help around town, even if seeing out of the back isn't always easy, especially with the rear headrests extended.

Suzuki's Swift is a simple little car that's also great fun. It doesn't feel like it's trying as hard to impress as most of the mainstream supermini models. Instead, it's content with being well-built, good-looking and fun to drive. With those boxes firmly ticked, it's hard to mark the diesel Swift down as anything but a success on our long term test. There are alternatives with greater range of abilities but as a small family runabout, the Swift diesel does the job and is as likely as any car at the price to leave you smiling after a stint behind the wheel.

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