Suzuki Swift (2010 – 2017) Review

The Suzuki Swift is one of the best of the ‘other’ breed of small hatchbacks. What we mean by that is that it must fight for supremacy in a playground occupied by the small cars that aren’t the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa. The chances are, if you’re in the market for a supermini, you’ll look at three: the Fiesta, Corsa and one other. The Suzuki Swift is good enough to be the third car on the shortlist. It’s good looking, well-equipped, nice to drive and affordable. You can even opt for a racy Swift Sport or a rugged Swift 4x4. Just occasionally, choosing the other direction can be a rewarding experience.

This is one of the best value small cars you can buy. The Suzuki Swift looks good, is great to drive, comes with a generous level of equipment and should be cheap to run. Only a small boot and a cheap interior stop it from pushing for class honours.

Let’s get those negatives out of the way first. The boot is far too small for a car of this size, so it’s not the ideal supermini if you’re hoping to drive home with a big grocery shop. Although the rear seats split and fold 60/40, they don’t fold flat, so it’s not great for making an impromptu trip to the Swedish furniture store.

As for the interior, some of the plastics feel cheap, while others are bordering on nasty. It’s hard-wearing and robust, but the Swift lacks the soft-touch plastics and plush materials you might find in some rivals. Everything should be viewed in the context of price. Excellent value when new translates to even better value on the second-hand market.

Besides, the Swift impresses in other areas. Its boot might be small, but the cabin offers plenty of headroom and legroom for four adults, and there’s an option for three or five doors. Even the entry-level version comes with a generous level of equipment, but the absence of air conditioning means that you’ll want to upgrade to the mid-range model.

Regardless of the engine or trim level, the Suzuki Swift is brilliant to drive. Whether you’re in the city or on a country road, the Swift changes direction like a housefly and corners without any body-roll. The flipside is that ride quality is a little firm, but the raised ride height of the 4x4 version makes things a little more comfortable.

Alternatively, the Swift Sport offers junior hot hatchback levels of enjoyment, with power sourced from a 1.6-litre petrol engine. It’s like a cut-price Ford Fiesta ST, with upgraded styling, supportive seats and a good level of kit. That said, even a Swift with the 1.2-litre engine is fun to drive, while the 1.3-litre diesel offers excellent fuel economy.

Used prices start from around £2000, but a budget of £3000 will secure a low-mileage example in the right spec. Swift Sport prices start from £4500, while the rare Swift 4x4 will cost at least £5,500. The latter is ideal if you live in a rural area or in a region with less than perfect roads.

It’s not the most practical car in its class, and because it dates back to 2010, it’s certainly showing its age. But if you’re after a safe, reliable and good looking supermini, the Swift should be on your shortlist.

The Swift changes direction like a housefly, with a level of agility and lightness that’s absent from many modern cars. It’s great to drive in the city, but just as much fun when you exit the urban sprawl. Sharp steering, limited body-roll and decent pace are just three of the highlights.

There are some negatives. The steering is too light, while the ride is too firm, with the Swift lacking the suppleness of some of its rivals. It can be uncomfortable on pitted roads, although the Swift 4x4 could be the answer if you’re after something more comfortable.

Alternatively, the Swift Sport is a little cracker. The ride is good for a hot hatchback, and only the overly light steering stops it from being a class-leader. Not that you’ll care, because the Swift Sport is a huge amount of fun.

Although it produces a mere 94PS and 118Nm of torque, the 1.2-litre petrol engine is superb. It thrives on revs, so while this might be tiresome to anyone used to the effortless pace of a turbocharged engine, it’s a huge amount of fun to push hard.

Avoid the automatic transmission, which robs the 1.2 engine of power and makes the driving experience a little frustrating. The 4x4 uses the same 1.2-litre engine, but the extra weight only serves to blunt the performance.

The old 1.3-litre DDiS diesel offers excellent long-legged economy, but it doesn’t suit the style of the Swift. Which isn’t something you could say about the 1.6-litre in the Swift Sport. It gives the car proper fizz, turning the Swift Sport into a miniature hero. Whisper it, but it’s possible to have 90 percent of the fun in a Swift with a 1.2 engine

The Suzuki Swift was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was crash-tested in 2010. The safety features are more focused on keeping you safe should the worst happen, with all models getting seven airbags, brake assist, electronic stability control, Isofix points, a temporary spare wheel (not Sport) and side-impact protection beams.

If you live in a rural area or a region that isn’t graced with smooth roads, the Swift 4x4 makes a lot of sense. The car features a 25mm increase in ride height, front and rear skid plates, black wheelarch extensions and black side skirts.

With a maximum towing capacity of 1000kg, you’re not going to tow too much with a Suzuki Swift. The Swift 4x4 is probably the best option, as you’ll benefit from the four-wheel-drive system.

The Suzuki Swift isn’t the most practical small hatch. The boot is too small for a car of this size, with the likes of the Fiesta, Corsa and Clio offering far more luggage space. Yes, you can fold the rear seats, but because they don’t fold entirely flat, you may have to get used to travelling light.

On the plus side, there’s loads of headroom and legroom in the back, while there are plenty of storage options throughout the cabin. There are two body styles: three-door and five-door. We’d recommend the latter, especially if you’ve got children, as it’s much easier to strap a child into a car seat. There are two Isofix points in the back.

In fairness to the Swift, you wouldn’t get the same amount of space in the back if the boot was larger. If you want the best of both worlds – a large boot and good rear-seat accommodation – buy a Nissan Note or a Honda Jazz.

It’s worth viewing things in the context of the price. Besides, looking at the interior on used examples shows that it’s able to withstand 100,000 miles of use.

Many of the plastics feel hollow, the fabric used on the backs of the seats is nasty, while the boot carpet feels like a large piece of kitchen towel. Still, a leather-trimmed steering wheel is standard across the range, which helps to raise the level of perceived quality.

Entry-level models come with a radio, CD player, USB socket and a pair of tweeters. This was about as good as things got in 2010. Early top trim levels featured a Pioneer system with phone connectivity and sat-nav. It’s not worth hunting down in 2020, because a modern aftermarket unit would make more sense.

DAB digital radio and sat-nav became standard equipment on the Swift Sport in 2014. It’s also worth tracking down an updated version of the SZ-L trim, introduced in 2016. Thanks to DAB and sat-nav, it offers a semblance of modernity in 2020.

Prices start from around £2000. For this money you’re looking at a basic spec, with up to 100,000 miles on the clock, with an advert that includes ‘good runner’ in the description. Adding £250 to the budget should mean that you can drive away in a Swift in a more desirable trim and with fewer miles on the clock.

We’d recommend pushing the budget to £3,500. This gives you the pick of the early models, so you'll be able to find one with the right kit and with full Suzuki dealer history.

For an extra £1000, you can buy a Swift Sport. This is one of our favourite junior hot hatchbacks of the last decade, making this a used car bargain. Five-door versions cost an extra £1,000 on top, so you’re looking at £6500. They’re outnumbered by three-door models by about four-to-one, so you might have to be patient when looking for the more practical Sport.

The Swift 4x4 is even rarer than the Swift Sport, but it’s possible to find one for around £5000. Although it’s unlikely that a Swift 4x4 has ventured too far off-road, check for dents and scrapes, especially on the underside.

The most you’ll pay for this version of the Suzuki Swift is £8000. It’s possible to find examples with up to 10,000 miles on the clock and just one owner from new.

Monthly hire purchase (HP) deals on an early Suzuki Swift start from around £35 a month. Alternatively, £100 a month is enough to secure an early Swift on a PCP contract. This is based on a car costing £5700, a deposit of £1000, and 48 monthly payments.

Opt for the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel and you’ll be a stranger at your local filling station. Although you’re unlikely to achieve the claimed 72.4mpg, the Honest John Real MPG test suggests 61.1mpg is possible.

Unless you intend to spend a lot of time on the motorway, a petrol engine makes more sense. The 1.2-litre petrol engine could return 56.5mpg on a combined cycle, but this drops to 50.4mpg if you opt for the automatic transmission. There’s a penalty of around 5mpg if you drive the Swift 4x4.

The Swift Sport offers a claimed 44.1mpg. Although this is backed up by the Honest John Real MPG figure of 42.3mpg, you’re probably missing the point of the Swift Sport if you get close to this.

The Suzuki Swift isn’t as cheap to insure as many of its mainstream rivals. The group ratings range from nine for a basic 1.2, to 11 for something more desirable. All versions of the Swift 4x4 slot into group 11. There’s better news if you buy a Swift Sport, because group 19 is reasonable for a car that’s this much fun to drive.

Although the entry-level SZ2 is reasonably well-equipped, we’d opt for the mid-range SZ3 when buying used. Tall drivers should buy the SZ4, as this comes with a steering wheel adjustable for height and reach. Even better, consider the 4x4, which is based on the SZ4 but offers the reassurance of four-wheel-drive and a more comfortable drive.

If you’re after an affordable and reliable supermini that’s great fun to drive, the Suzuki Swift is a brilliant alternative to the Ford Fiesta.