We Love: Price and fuel economy, great handling, Performace, all the hot hatch Feels
We Don’t Love: carbon vinyl might not wear well, exhuast tone could have been beefier to match.
Highlights:
- Retail:R347 900
- Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder Turbo charged Jet
- Power/Torque: 103 kW/220 Nm
- Transmission: 6-speed manual (is available in Automatic)
- Fuel consumption: 6.1 L/100 km (claimed) 6.2L/100 km (Achieved)
- Load capacity: 242-918 litres
- CO2: 174g/km (ADR Combined)
The Suzuki Swift Sport brings back fond memories of seeing the 1.6-Litre versions racing around Singapore. Up and down orchard road in the middle of the night where the locals would highly modify these little hatches to be extremely quick, nimble road racers. So we were very excited by the brand’s introduction of a new turbo petrol engine and so glad its found its way under the bonnet of this playful hatchback.
Designed and built on Suzuki’s popular Heartect platform, the Swift Sport now combines peppy turbo power, largely reduced weight, a revised chassis, and racecar-like suspension and with bigger brakes. All of which culminate in a potently fun-filled driving experience that’s hard to beat at this price point.
Performance, fuel economy and handling
The Swift Sport packs a 1.4-litre four-cylinder BoosterJet turbo engine offering up 103kW and 230Nm of torque. Those figures won’t blow your socks off, but when they’re hauling a car with a kerb weight of 970kg things become really interesting. Max torque arrives from a low 2500-3500rpm, before reaching top power at 5500rpm. Which means there is always enough pull at low revs and a reward for revving high.
It really is a special little engine, belying its size by sounding robust and satisfying at high revs rather than strained and whiny like the previous version of the sport.
Along with the short wheelbase and lightweight, the Swift Sport adds a stiffer, more performance-oriented suspension than the already nimble regular Swift variants. The very direct steering feel means you can absolutely throw this into corners — but the best part is you don’t have to go looking for roads to enjoy as every acceleration, roundabout or corner is fun! This car makes mundane daily driving enjoyable, which is another reason why cheaper, smaller cars might make more sense as the sporty option in the garage.
Over the course of a week, our fuel economy was a fair 6.8L/100km but we did have the automatic variant on test, these tend to be ever so slightly heavier but close to the claimed figure despite plenty revving of the engine out on each gear change.
Interior execution and features
bruising your kidneys. The driver’s seat is height-adjustable and the steering column can be adjusted for rake and reach, which means that finding your ideal driving position should be easily achievable.
There’s also a new digital driver display, which was clear and easy to use you can scroll through several screen options. Our favourite being the Boost gauge and the G-meter.
Given its body styling, there is sufficient headroom in both rows, while smaller adults will have enough legroom in the back larger ones might not be as comfortable on longer journeys. With a fair 265 litres, the boot won’t handle road trip luggage or a garden centre visit, but you can get 579L with rear seats folded and up to 947L if you pack items right to the roof.
Storage in the cabin is decent but largely limited to below the centre stack, meaning things can get awkward if using the cup holders.
Exterior styling
On looks alone, you can tell that it is something more special than a garden variety Swift. Muscular curves accented by carbon fiber-look trim, It has an aggressive front bumper with a large grill and air dam, the side skirts and rear bumper complete the look. The dual opposite side exhausts reminiscent of the previous generation Swift Sport. Sadly the Swift Sport is maybe not a beefy sounding as it could have been. 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, and the eye-popping Flame Red paint, top off a distinctive looking exterior on this test car!
The styling remains undoubtedly youthful, which some may find a tad immature. We say it helps to capture the joy of youth.
Verdict
The Swift Sport takes on two of the heavyweights from the small hot hatch segment, the Volkswagen Polo GTI, and the Ford Fiesta ST. While it cannot match either when it comes to power or torque, it can more than keep up in terms of fun factor and immersion and saving a big chunk of change, especially during these uncertain times. The Swift Sport is the plucky underdog just nipping at their heels and keeping the front runners honest.
If you are looking for something fun, practical, and fuel-efficient, give the 2020 Suzuki Swift Sport a very serious look. Able to cater to your city commute, it’ll leave you grinning at how much fun it is on the weekends.
