by Seán Creedon
In the past a lot of people used to ‘pigeonhole’ car owners. Mercedes were traditionally reserved for Managing Directors of companies, the Ford Cortina was for farmers, Minis for young females etc. I suppose it did make sense at one time and I agree that Suzuki cars are ideal for first-time buyers or old timers like myself, who may be downsizing.
In the week that I tested the mild hybrid version of the Suzuki Swift, a young girl on our road bought her first car, a 12-D registered Swift. A car salesman once told me that red was the best colour when you are thinking of trading in.
And the eight year-old red version with the Swift with the ‘L’ plates down the road, almost looked as fresh as the ‘Burning Red’ version that I drove.
Suzuki has given the mild hybrid treatment to the Swift which was first launched as a compact supermini in 2000, replacing the Cultus. They have sold over 1.2 million units of the Swift in Europe since 2005.
At the launch of the new version of the Swift near Manchester in 2017, I remember driving the car in the gorgeous Peak district, where the scenery was captivating and roads similar to those we have in Ireland.
Austin, my co-driver, said we should return another time with our partners some time to this beautiful part of England. It’s still on our bucket list, maybe when this coronavirus passes.
Last week around Dublin I did a lot of urban driving and there was a fair bit of road noise. Maybe the scenery in the Peak district took our minds off the noise. But really it’s not too noisy and this is a neat and lively motor.
The 1.2-litre engine had only 89 brake horse power, but it was fast enough for me. We are not talking Ferrari here, but believe me it was much more frugal than a Ferrari; approx 55mpg.
At first glance you might think it’s only a two-door car as the handles for the back doors are very discreet. I first saw that style of door handle used in an Alfa Romeo many years ago.
Inside the radio controls are located in a seven-inch touch screen on the dash. The controls are easy to use. I would have preferred a knob to adjust the radio controls, but I survived and my version had Apple Car play and reversing camera. And you get a good old-fashioned type hand-brake.
In the back seat there is plenty of room for two adults or maybe three at a squeeze, but probably more comfortable if you are carrying three children. Ideal as a city car, but it can find its way in the country also.
The boot is small and no spare wheel, just a repair kit. However, there is huge ‘well’ in the boot where a full-size spare can be stored. So again the motto is, haggle for a spare wheel if buying new.
You won’t regret it, especially if you are unfortunate enough to get a puncture on a dark, wet, Monday night, or indeed any night.
Prices for the Swift start at a very reasonable €16,025 for the SZ3 version, while my SZT test model with a few extras, cost €17,395. The top of the range SZ5 costs €19,360. Ten different colour variations available, but I don’t think you will go wrong with that ‘Burning Red’ colour.
