► Suzuki’s latest Swift hatchback lands on our fleet
► Lightweight, mild hybrid power and weird looks
► Ben Barry reports on life at the cheap end
The latest Swift finds Suzuki emphasising simplicity. Forget any ideas of plug-in hybrids, and bid farewell to the Sport variant. Here, rather, is a sub-£20k car that is not trying to be premium or hot.
The ‘Heartect’ platform (the what?) is tweaked for better crash protection, cabin space and refinement, the suspension is updated (thicker front anti-roll bar, longer damper stroke at the rear, revised bumps stops) and the design is an evolutionary progression.
While the powertrain sounds much the same, Suzuki says it’s new and has given it a new code: Z12E, replacing K12D. This 1.2-litre mild-hybrid triple fitted to all models is good for a huge 64.2mpg with 99g/km CO2 in our manual front-wheel driver. It makes a meagre 81bhp, but has to lug only 984kg.
Suzuki has revised the gear ratios and shift quality of the five-speed ’box, and there are new fluid-filled engine mountings to damp down the thrummy three.
Jump in and immediately the basic-car vibe kicks in – hard plastics, squishy seats with fabric that I hope will turn out to be both durable and wipe-down-able, and a high roof and vertical door casings for a surprisingly spacious feel inside a car measuring just 3860mm from tip to toe. Even the rear seats are unexpectedly habitable for a car so tiny.
The trade-off for all this inner space is an exterior that looks like a spare-tyre belly spilling over a too-tight belt. Add in the big front overhang, lofty ride height and tiny-looking 16-inch wheels and it’s visually very awkward.
The range starts with Motion trim, which gives you sat-nav, a 9.0-inch screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, LED headlights and many three-word assistance systems (blind-spot monitor and traffic-sign recognition among them) for £18,699.
Our test car is the range-topping (ie the only other trim) Ultra, bringing polished 16-inch alloys, auto air-con, electric folding mirrors and a heater vent for rear-seat passengers. It bumps pricing to £19,799.
I will always struggle with the fat Nemo looks, but the first few miles suggest there’ll be much low-cost satisfaction and perversion to be had in chucking the Swift about for months.
Logbook: Suzuki Swift Hybrid Ultra
Price £19,799 (£19,799 as tested)
Performance 1197cc turbocharged three-cylinder, 81bhp, 12.5sec 0-62mph, 103mph
Efficiency 64.2mpg (official), 58.4mpg (tested), 99g/km CO2
Fuel cost 11.1p per mile
Miles this month 598
Total miles 2336