The third generation Suzuki Swift Sport became my editorial car of the week last week .
At the outset, I must state that I was really looking forward to the test of this car. This was my first experience with a car of this brand. Full of expectations and absorbed information from the handover of the car, I "back out" of a quiet Holešovice yard, where the Swift Sport was also accompanied by a new, great-looking Jimny model, but maybe we'll talk about that sometime next time.
I'm curious to see how the Swift Sport will impress me in the first few kilometers. The first sensations appear quite immediately, the chassis is stiffer, the steering steeper and the brakes have an immediate onset. In other words, the expected insights from a car that bears the name Sport.
A very nice surprise for me is the performance of its power unit. Thanks to its turbocharging, the engine has enough power in a wide range of revolutions. When driving calmly, it does not force you to constantly shift gears and it takes a lot of work. Daily use of the Swift Sport therefore appears to be trouble-free.
The tested Sport version is powered by a turbocharged 14-litre petrol engine, which has not improved much in terms of performance between generations, but has significantly strengthened its torque. Compared to the previous naturally aspirated 16-cylinder engine, the output increased from 100 to 103 kW, and the torque increased significantly to 230 Nm, which is available from 2500 to 3500 rpm.
We have already talked about the user-friendly driving behavior during quiet drives. But how will this "yellow guy" do when you start stepping on his neck?
I'm sure I won't surprise anyone when I say excellent. One of the main ingredients of its excellent driving performance was its low weight. The new platform brought him both lower weight and greater rigidity. The game of numbers then speaks quite convincingly, as follows: 140 horses for a car weighing 1045 kg with a driver. Add to that the drive unit, which has great flexibility and continuous thrust. Furthermore, its well-functioning cooperation with a six-speed manual, which offers short and precise shifting paths.
The Suzuki Swift Sport loves curves and so will you. The compact and light body in combination with 140 horses can easily entertain.
The only thing he lacks for perfection is the "self-lock". In the course of my editorial week, which was rich in showers, I experienced many situations where the inner wheel slipped when exiting a corner more sharply.
A pleasant surprise for me was the consumption of the car, which after a week's test stabilized at 6.8 l / 100 km.
The new Swift Sport will surprise you with its versatility in terms of driving performance. It can be fast and agile, yet usable on a daily basis. Perhaps only the sound of the car is so unremarkable, here the body is quite deceiving.
Yellow "Champion Yellow" in the main role
The tested piece, which was equipped with a deep yellow color, became definitely unmissable in the everyday gray of car traffic.
Sharp elbows were then added to the Sport version by changes concerning mainly the lower parts of the car. The front part received a new radiator grille and, together with the front bumper, they clearly show the ferocity and dynamism of the car. The lower part of the front bumper is additionally equipped with a "spoiler" with dark carbon decor. This part is then elegantly followed by the sill extensions in the side part of the car. A similar principle is also applied to the back. Here, the lower edging of the bumper appears again, which is complemented by dark surfaces, from which two chrome exhaust tips "peek out" very effectively. A centrally located fog light is a matter of course. The car stands on very decent seventeen-inch wheels, which complete the overall good and confident exterior impression.
The Suzuki Swift Sport is a pleasing car in terms of exterior design. Discreet dynamic elements of the Sport version contrast beautifully with the distinctive yellow color. Perfect combination for me.
The interior is dominated by a red-black color combination
Traditionally, let's start the interior with the dashboard, I like the discussion of the instrument panel in front of the driver. The classic analog circular indicators of the speedometer and tachometer have very pleasant graphics, while the tachometer has a red underline. Between the alarm clocks there is a 4.2-inch digital display, whose displayed information can be switched directly on the multifunction steering wheel. The multifunctional steering wheel then offers a pleasant width of the peripheral ring and a flattening in its lower part.
The dashboard is also equipped with a 7-inch touch screen. Graphically, the initial screen is then divided into four main fields, which you control the radio, calls, navigation and phone connection.
The aforementioned red accents also appear in the interior in the stitching on the steering wheel, the stitching on the sports seats or around the gear lever, then on the center panel, the dashboard and also in the door panels.
The front, anatomically shaped seats look very effective in the interior. As is often the case with small hot hatches, the seats are quite high in the body, but unfortunately they are also quite narrow.
The luggage compartment, which offers a basic 265 liters of volume, is also logically cramped.
In conclusion
With the purchase price of the car, it is very simple and you will definitely not worry about it. The Suzuki Swift Sport is offered only in one full equipment, and then with a single motorization and transmission. The price of this car is logically only one, and according to the current price list, you can buy the Swift Sport for an interesting 479,900 CZK including VAT.
As a result, I have to evaluate the new generation of Suzuki Swift Sport unequivocally positively, driving it can be very diverse, it handles both edge positions and everyday driving to work with great overview. So it definitely does not lack the universality of its driving performance.
Its external appearance is quite dynamic, yet decent, in the context of the tested distinctive yellow color it has a very balanced and stylish impression.
