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The latest-generation Suzuki Swift continues to be an enticing car for those who don’t want to follow the heard. Lawrence Allan reviews it in detail.
Things you'll like
- Enjoyable to drive
- Excellent fuel economy
- Plenty of standard equipment
Things to consider
- Not that refined out of town
- Cabin isn’t exactly premium
- Boot is smaller than rivals
What is the Suzuki Swift?
The Suzuki Swift is a small car that, decades later, is still riding the wave of one of the biggest glow-ups in modern automotive history.
The first-generation, 1988-2003 Suzuki Swift was a bit like automotive Spam. It was simple, long-lasting and affordable, but seriously undesirable, drab to look at and sit in and poor to drive.
Amazingly, it lasted until 2003, by which point it was hopelessly outclassed. But then in 2004, out of nowhere, a new Swift was unveiled that looked so different it’s hard to believe the two cars shared the same name. With a funky, fresh design and enjoyable driving experience, it finally put the Swift on the map as a genuine alternative to cars like the Ford Fiesta and Renault Clio.
Fast forward a couple of decades and the latest generation model, launched in 2024, hasn’t strayed too far from this successful formula. It’s striking to look at and packed with modern features, but also considerably smaller and lighter than most superminis that have bloated in size over the years.
With brands like Ford exiting the low-margin small car sector, and no Suzuki Swift Sport to draw in the enthusiasts, does this latest Swift still have a place in the market?
Verdict: is the Suzuki Swift a good car?
Overall, we reckon the Suzuki Swift is a refreshingly simple alternative to increasingly heavy and complicated small car alternatives. Its nimble handling and willing engine make it fun to drive, while it’s superbly efficient and comes with plenty of standard kit. Nevertheless, it’s hard to ignore the appeal of more comfortable and quieter rivals with better interior quality, easier-to-use tech and more space.
Pricing, specs & rivals
The Suzuki Swift doesn’t quite make it onto the list of the cheapest new cars on sale, but it isn’t too far off, undercutting a number of key rivals with a sub-£20k base price.
Crucially, with only two trim levels and no other engine options (bar an automatic gearbox or four-wheel drive) you can’t inflate the price of the Swift to uncomfortable levels like you can with some alternatives.
So, while that £19,699 starting price (as of July 2025) is slightly undercut by the Renault Clio, you get a good amount of kit for the money including keyless entry, LED headlights, heated front seats, a reversing camera, the full suite of infotainment and a reversing camera. You even get adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.
Motion trim adds £1,100 to that base price and mainly focuses on detail changes. The 16-inch alloys gain a polished finish, while you get electrically folding mirrors with integrated indicators, climate control and an air vent for the rear seats, along with other small upgrades.
Both trims are available with a manual gearbox or a CVT automatic for a £1,250 price increase. You can also spend £1,250 to upgrade to the Allgrip model, which gains part-time four-wheel drive and a 25mm increase in ground clearance. That gives the Swift a real USP in the supermini sector – many full-blown small SUVs don’t even offer four-wheel drive.
Rivals
The Suzuki Swift’s list of competitors is long and varied. It includes the usual suspects such as the Renault Clio, Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208, Skoda Fabia, Seat Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai i20.
Similarly Japanese alternatives such as the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris are worth considering, although they’re full hybrid only and considerably pricier as a result. You could also consider smaller models such as the Hyundai i10 and Toyota Aygo X which venture into the Swift’s pricing level in higher specs.
Interior comfort, quality & technology
Suzuki’s weight-saving approach to the Swift has meant it’s never had the most lavishly appointed of interiors, and the latest model is no different. You won’t find much at all in the way of soft-touch plastic or fancy ambient lighting, for example – a VW Polo this isn’t.
That doesn’t mean it’s an unpleasant place to spend time, however. Far from it, in fact, because the combination of different plastic textures and brighter trim elements make it more visually appealing than ever. Although it doesn’t exactly feel substantial inside, fit and finish is fine and it’s less sparse than a Dacia Sandero.
Suzuki has also nailed the fundamentals, with a sound driving position offering plenty of seat adjustment and a steering wheel that moves in and out as well as up and down. Combined with a good view out, it’s easy to get comfortable, and the lack of adjustable lumbar support isn’t a big issue for most.
Controls are sensibly placed, too, with plenty of physical buttons and a bank of climate control switchgear that’s easy to use on the move. Overall, though, a Renault Clio looks and feels considerably more modern and upmarket inside.
Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity
Every version of the Swift is fitted with a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system mounted on a separate bezel within the driver’s line of sight.
It’s an improvement on older systems but still feels dated, with gloomy graphics and a noticeable amount of lag when switching between menus. The screen itself isn’t very responsive, either, and next to the latest rivals (bar the similarly afflicted MG 3) it all feels antiquated.
You’ll probably find yourself using the standard fit wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring instead. There’s a pair of USB-A and a single USB-C connector up front for charging devices, but oddly wireless charging isn’t even an option, despite it being available in other markets.
A similarly old-school approach is taken with the instruments, which have analogue dials (increasingly rare these days) combined with a small central display with key info. We actually like this, though because both are easy to read and uncomplicated.
There’s no option to upgrade the Swift’s speaker system, but the standard system with its four door speakers and two tweeters does a decent enough job for a car at this price.
How practical is the Suzuki Swift?
The Suzuki Swift’s modest dimensions of just 3,860mm in length, 1,735mm in width and 1,495mm in height make it a mere 20mm longer than the outgoing version, and a vast 300mm shorter than a Skoda Fabia.
While that size makes it lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, it means that the Swift sits between a city car and full-size supermini in terms of practicality. You’ll have no complaints from up front, though, with plenty of headroom and enough seat adjustment for even the longest of legs to fit.
Things aren’t all that bad in the rear either. Sure, the Swift falls short compared to larger cars such as the Sandero and Fabia, but it’s vastly roomier than a Toyota Aygo X and ultimately provides enough space for the kind of occasional lifts that small cars tend to do.
Six-footers will feel a touch hemmed-in sitting behind someone of similar size, but four average sized adults will be comfortable – particularly with the generous headroom on offer. The tall side windows make it airy, too, and wide rear doors improve access. Our only real complaint is the unsupportive seat bench, and the fact that the narrow cabin means three adults sitting abreast is far from comfortable.
Storage and boot space
Storing odds and ends in the front of the Suzuki Swift isn’t too much of a hardship, with decent-sized door bins, a big glovebox, a phone storage tray and a pair of large cupholders.
Rear storage isn’t great, though, with small door bins, no centre armrest and only a single cupholder between the front seats. There’s also no rear USB-C device charging connections – there isn’t even any map pockets in the front seatbacks.
It’s also clear when you open the boot that Suzuki has prioritized passenger space. A capacity of 265 litres gives the Swift just about the smallest boot in its class – and it’s only slightly ahead of the smaller Kia Picanto.
There’s a sizeable load lip, too, because you can’t get an adjustable boot floor on the Swift, but at least the opening is a good size to make loading items in and out easier. Meanwhile a 60/40 split in the rear seatbacks allows you to easily expand that load space.
Performance & drive: What is the Suzuki Swift like on the road?
Suzuki has kept things simple with the new Swift, offering a single engine across the range. It’s a modest one; a 1.2-litre with three cylinders, no turbocharger in sight and just 82hp – albeit with an improved version of the old model’s mild hybrid system to help it along further.
82hp might sound weak in the context of alternatives, particularly with no turbo to provide a slug of torque low in the rev range. But the base version weighs less than 950kg – that’s less than a much smaller Kia Picanto, never mind supermini rivals – it’s enough to make decent progress.
Granted, those used to small capacity turbo units in other small cars will miss the ability to haul the car up to speed from low revs. The Swift needs revs and the right gear to extract meaningful performance, but it’s much less gutless than the non-turbo versions of the Skoda Fabia or VW Polo, for example.
There’s some fun to be had, too. Throttle response is good, the engine is smooth for a three-cylinder and willing to rev, and it even sounds good. Combined with a slick enough five-speed manual gearbox you’ll enjoy extracting what little power there is, although we expect the CVT automatic option will have the opposite effect despite a slight on-paper performance improvement.
Judging by the difference in 0-62 times between the 2WD and 4WD Swift, along with the reduced efficiency, we’d recommend steering clear of the latter unless you expect to regularly make use of its modest off-road credentials. You can’t order the 4WD model as an automatic, either.
Power and 0-62mph times
- Swift 1.2 Mild Hybrid manual: 82hp/ 12.5 secs
- Swift 1.2 Mild Hybrid CVT: 82hp/ 11.9 secs
- Swift 1.2 Mild Hybrid Allgrip: 82hp/ 13.6 secs
Ride and handling
The Swift feels ideally suited to town driving, and not just because of its compact dimensions. Light controls, good all-round visibility and an easy clutch on manual models means zipping about urban streets is no hardship, and although the reversing camera isn’t exactly high res the little Suzuki is easy to park.
It’s entertaining out of town, too, particularly on tighter country roads where its size and low weight comes into its own. It feels agile and keen to change direction, helped by accurate and well-weighted steering, while body roll is minimal and there’s plenty of grip. Allgrip models further add to that with added poor-weather stability and security.
The downside of the Swift’s keen cornering is a ride that isn’t as cossetting as some of the class-leaders. It’s never jarring or uncomfortable, but poorly surfaced faster roads see it bounce around more than we’d like. It’s better at dealing with low-speed potholes and speed bumps, however.
Noise and refinement
You might think that the Swift’s buzzy little engine becomes intrusive at motorways speeds, but it isn’t all the audible unless you’re flat out. More of a problem is the high level of road roar and wind noise at 70mph – it’s a lot less refined than a VW Polo, for example, but comparable to an MG3. Overall, there are far better small cars to tackle long journeys in.
Euro NCAP: is the Suzuki Swift a safe car?
The Suzuki Swift managed a somewhat disappointing three-star Euro NCAP rating when it was tested in 2024. However, it’s important to take that rating with a pinch of salt, as although rivals like the Skoda Fabia and Renault Clio boast five-star ratings, they were tested under the older test criteria a good few years back.
Nevertheless, the Swift was marked down for marginal chest protection of adult occupants and overall protection of older children, plus the absence of tech such as child presence detection.
At least standard safety assist features are good, with forward autonomous emergency braking, lane assist, driver monitoring, traffic sign recognition and blind-spot monitoring as standard across the range. That beats the Dacia Sandero, which scored just two stars when tested by Euro NCAP.
Running costs and fuel economy
The Swift’s relatively light weight combined with its efficient mild-hybrid petrol engine means exceptional fuel economy – both in official tests and the real world.
Under the combined WLTP testing standard the most economical model – the two-wheel drive manual variant – manages 64.2mpg combined. That’s enough to match many more expensive full hybrid alternatives, and ahead of pretty much every petrol rival.
Opting for the automatic version reduces that combined figure to a still strong 60.1mpg, while the manual-only Allgrip four-wheel drive version promises 57.6mpg.
Low CO2 emissions also make the Swift cheaper to tax than many rivals, with the most efficient version sitting in the £350 car tax band for the first year. That’s baked into your list price, however, while all cars have the same £195-a-year standard rate after that first year.
You’re unlikely to be surprised that no version of the Swift strays over the £40k list price Expensive Car Tax barrier, as with rivals.
How much does the Suzuki Swift cost to insure?
The Suzuki Swift may not be the cheapest car to insure if its insurance groups are anything to go by. All versions sit between group 20 and 22 depending on spec, which is slightly lower than an MG 3 but above several close rivals – many of which start below group 10.
It’s not clear what exactly causes the Swift’s insurance groups to be so high for what isn’t a fast or expensive car, but it could be to do with the brand’s relatively modest presence in the UK increasing repair costs.
Suzuki Swift FAQs
Is the Suzuki Swift a good car?
We reckon the Suzuki Swift is a likeable small car that’s fun to drive, easy to park and very efficient. It’s well-equipped, too, and reasonably spacious for passengers, but it lacks the comfort, boot space and interior quality of the best small cars.
Is the Suzuki Swift bigger than a Kia Picanto?
Yes, the Suzuki Swift is bigger than the Kia Picanto, with dimensions of 3,860mm in length, 1,735mm in width and 1,495mm in height versus the Kia’s 3,670mm length, 1,625mm width and 1,500mm height.
What is the best small car to buy?
We reckon the Renault Clio, Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo are some of the best small cars available on the market right now, but the Suzuki Swift isn’t far behind.
