Read Caroline’s Suzuki Swift Hybrid review for everything you need to know about buying Suzuki’s popular small car.
Earlier in 2024, I was in Bordeaux with Suzuki to drive the new Swift. Now I’ve had more time to spend with the Swift on Irish roads and really put its efficiency to the test. Priced from just €21,995, it’s easily one of the best value small cars on sale.
While it doesn’t look radically different from the model it replaces, it does have a new mild hybrid engine. Hybrid is something that Suzuki has been championing in its range of cars over the last few years. Every model now has some sort of hybrid assistance, including the ever popular Vitara and the Swace Hybrid.
The Swift still uses a 1.2-litre engine with mild hybrid assistance however it’s gone from being a four cylinder to a three cylinder unit. Power is similar to before at 82hp. There is a little bit of extra torque but really the Swift is not a fast car. Around town it feels nippy but it feels slow when getting up to motorway speeds.
Yet there is appeal to its simplicity. Paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, the Swift is a joy to drive. There is the option of a CVT, but unless you really need an automatic, the manual is the one to go for. The Swift is not a heavy car, still weighting less than a tonne. It corners with gusto and the steering is weighted nicely, not feeling too light or heavy.
It’s comfortable by small car standards and well suited to all sorts of Irish roads. It doesn’t feel quite as home on the motorway, where something like a Peugeot 208 is a more quiet and refined vehicle. But for its price point, it’s absolutely fine.
Where the Swift really shines, is for efficiency. Over a week of driving my average consumption was 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which is just as good as rivals like a Toyota Yaris Hybrid, Renault Clio Hybrid and MG3 Hybrid.
It comes in at a great price too, with the entry level Motion retailing from €21,995. That’s excellent value these days for a small car. It has loads of equipment including a new touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reversing camera, heated front seats and advanced driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and traffic sign recognition. The Ultra model retails from €23,195.
The standard wheel size is 16-inch across the range. Like before, you can opt for a contrast roof. There’s a great selection of colours including new Cool Yellow. But the Swift really looks good in Frontier Blue, a metallic option for just €475.
The boot is on the small side at 265 litres but will still swallow two small suitcases and a few bags. You can also let down the rear seat and it split folds 60:40 as standard. Legroom is generous in the back though there are few creature comforts. There’s Isofix on the two outer seats.
Suzuki has massively improved the cabin design and quality. There are still hard plastics but it comes in an attractive two-tone colour scheme with different materials and textures to add a bit of variety. It’s built in Japan and feels very well put together.
The brand’s first fully electric model will launch in 2025, the e Vitara, but the Swift proves that even a small petrol car can be very efficient to run. The Swift has also just been awarded Irish Compact Car of the Year 2025, so it’s the critic’s choice too of all the new small cars released in the last 12 months.
For more on the new Swift, watch my video review:
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Written by Caroline Kidd
Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year
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