REVIEW | '24 Suzuki Swift drops a cylinder but gains other perks

When Suzuki relaunched locally in 2008, the Swift was one of two offerings that spearheaded its new mission.

At the time, the B-segment hatchback market was a busier category, with crossovers not as ubiquitous as they are today.

The Swift presented a nifty alternative to players such as the Toyota Yaris and Volkswagen Polo. Fully imported from Japan, it boasted spiffy looks, a high-quality interior, fun-to-drive dynamics and a frugal engine.

In 2011, the subsequent generation was released, boasting much of the same lauded attributes, but with a slight gain in dimensions and refreshed aesthetics. It too was imported from Japan, but during its life cycle, a more cost-conscious 1.2 GA model was added which was produced in India.

In 2017, the SA market received its third iteration of the model, now fully imported from India, built at the Maruti-Suzuki facility. At this point, it was repositioned, less of a direct rival to the Volkswagen Polo, instead a more suitable sparring partner to the Polo Vivo, Renault Sandero and Toyota Etios – the latter two are nameplates that are no longer available new.

This emerging market flavour was quite apparent, in contrast to the Eurocentric sensibilities of its predecessor. Particularly in the area of safety, where its credentials in Global NCAP crash tests were less than favourable.

From launch in 2018, the model was equipped standard with anti-lock brakes, dual front airbags and ISOFIX child seat anchors, while electronic stability control was added in the latter part of its life cycle.

Securing more competitive pricing was the chief benefit behind the rationale for sourcing the Swift from India. And it was this 2018 iteration that truly elevated fortunes for the Japanese automaker, playing a crucial role in propelling it to the top of the sales charts, nipping at the heels of Volkswagen, which occupies second place.

In November, Suzuki launched the latest version of the Swift – the fourth generation for our market, though the nameplate traces its roots to 1984.

The latest Swift is likely going to give a further boost to Suzuki from a sales perspective. Not only is pricing hard to ignore, but it also rectifies certain shortcomings of the previous model.

While Global NCAP is yet to assess the hatchback derivative, the near-identical Dzire sedan achieved a five-star rating when it was evaluated in the latest round of Safer Cars for India tests.

In terms of safety, the new Swift packs six airbags right from the base model – which is an impressive bragging right, considering the starter GL goes for R219,900. Consider that the entry-level Polo Vivo comes in at R266,600 and with that, you get two airbags and a thin specifications list which includes steel wheels with drab plastic wheel covers.

Comparatively, the sum of R264,900 gets you into the high-grade GLX version of the Swift, which is generously equipped. A reverse camera, leatherette-clad, multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, automatic climate control, LED headlamps, keyless-entry and keyless-start are on the list. Infotainment is handled by a nine-inch touchscreen, compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The new dashboard design seems to have taken inspiration from the larger Baleno hatchback. While the dark-hued cabin of the new Swift may not be particularly interesting from a visual standpoint, it exudes a well-built, durable aura.

A thorough testing regimen for the new Swift included a drive over dirt roads in Randfontein and a freeway stint caught in one of the worst thunderstorms in recent memory.

These conditions revealed that the newcomer brings a marked improvement in road manners. Though still a featherweight (945kg in its heaviest form); the Swift feels planted on its feet, with confident road manners, riding on 185/55/15 wheels. It retains the Heartect platform as before but with improvements made to the suspension. The compact Suzuki takes shoddy road surfaces in stride, but can also handle enthusiastic cornering with nary a squeal from the tyres.

It has the demeanour of a cheerful puppy, which has always been a Swift hallmark, but now it has a little more in terms of refinement. Cabin insulation is good – and even the windscreen wiper motor is not as audible as it was before.

As before, the manual deploys a five-speed gearbox. But unlike before, the Swift makes use of a three-cylinder engine. This new Z12E engine is one aspect of the car that left me ambivalent. One fewer cylinder brings a claimed benefit in economy, but it also makes for different characteristics to get acclimated with.

One finds that it must be worked a tad harder than the K15B four-cylinder, to achieve desired pace. Initially it seemed prone to stalling with a lighter foot on take-off. Cruising in fifth on the freeway, the little Swift felt like sputtering out when speeds dropped to 100km/h and just below. It produces just 1kW and 1Nm less than the predecessor, now 60kW/112Nm. After a full week of testing, the fuel economy readout indicated 5.7l/100km.

The engine downsize might be negligible to most and it is perhaps justifiable since the model gains benefits in every other metric that matters.

With improved safety, a well-sorted feel on the road, trendy styling and attractive pricing, the new Swift is an easy car to recommend.