Suzuki Swift Sport Review 2024

Suzuki Swift Sport At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The biggest problem for the Suzuki Swift Sport is its price, which just looks too much next to faster, better handling rivals, even if they don’t offer hybrid power.

+Powered by impressive and spirited 1.4 BoosterJet engine, economical for a sporty hatch, good fun to drive.

-List price for fully equipped Swift Sport only £1000 less than base model Ford Fiesta ST, lots of road noise at motorway speeds.

On average it achieves 90% of the official MPG figure

Suzuki is bang on trend with its latest Swift Sport, which was first launched in 2018, as it now has hybrid power. This is the third incarnation of this car since it made its debut, so we cannot accuse Suzuki of sitting on its laurels. The Swift Sport is an engaging warm hatch when taken on its own, offering decent performance and running costs allied to good handling and a practical cabin. 

There have been two significant changes for the Suzuki Swift Sport since this generation arrived in 2018. Firstly, the car was launched with a turbo petrol engine, so saying goodbye to the older non-turbo motor that did so much to endear this mildly warm hatch to so many.

The new engine may have been smaller in capacity, toting 1.4-litres to the previous motor’s 1.6-litre size, but the addition of the turbo boosted power to 140PS. 

As a result, the Swift Sport was a much better drive without the need to thrash the engine just to access the power. It was far nicer at everyday speeds too with a less frantic nature and much stronger in-gear acceleration.

On paper it accelerated from 0-62mph in around 8.1 seconds, so wasn’t quite a hot hatch, but did compete alongside 'warm' alternatives like the SEAT Ibiza FR 1.5 TSI Evo and Ford Fiesta ST-Line 1.0 EcoBoost 140.

So far, so good. Then Suzuki got all zeitgeist-y and made the Swift Sport a petrol-electric hybrid. Not a plug-in hybrid or one with an enormous electric motor, just a mild hybrid. Overall, it means power for the Swift Sport has dropped to 129PS while mid-rev shove has risen by a modest 5Nm to 235Nm at 2000rpm.

Fortunately, Suzuki has kept the six-speed manual gearbox as fitted to the old Sport, but performance has suffered and the Swift Sport now takes 9.1 seconds to get from a standing start to 62mph, while top speed is 130mph. Neither is going to blow the socks of performance car fans, especially when the Sport’s price jumped by £3500 with the addition of hybrid tech.

Suzuki argues the latest Swift Sport comes with more standard equipment and that it’s cleaner and more economical. All of this is undoubtedly, unequivocally true, but it’s also a fact the far superior Ford Fiesta ST can be had for the same sort of money.

Take a look at the Swift Sport as a range-topping version of the Suzuki supermini and it’s a more appealing prospect as it does have a lot of enticing kit as standard. It also looks good in a gently sporting manner and it still deals with corners in an enthusiastic fashion.

There’s also the fact the Swift comes as a five-door only model, so it’s more practical than other supermini-derived hot hatches.

Yet the problem remains that on scale of bang for buck, the Suzuki Swift has got worse not better with its latest revision. It’s hard not to miss the earlier 1.4-litre non-hybrid model for its chirpily uncomplicated approach and appeal.

Ask Honest John

My Suzuki Swift Sport has been called in for a software update, what is this?

"My 23 plate Swift Sport has been called in for as I understand a software update, what's this all about? Secondly reading about new cars, there is no mention of an upgrade of a Swift Sport 2023 / 2024 are you aware if this is this on the cards?"
There is no safety recall currently outstanding for the Suzuki Swift Sport, which would suggest that this is not a safety-critical issue. Your dealer should have communicated to you the reason for this service action, but if they have not done so you should ask them to clarify if you have any concerns. A new generation Suzuki Swift is expected to arrive in showrooms at some point in 2024, but Suzuki has not given any official confirmation as yet.
Answered by David Ross

What are the best tyres for Suzuki Swift Sport?

"What tyres would you recommend for the Suzuki Swift Sport? I have been disappointed with the fitted Continentals, the fronts have only lasted 14,000 miles."
Assuming your Swift currently has 195/45R17 tyres, there are plenty of options to choose from as an alternative to the Continentals. We'd suggest a premium tyre on a car like this, and a quick search on blackcircles.com brought up options like the Yokohama Advan Felva V701, which has an A rating for wet grip, a C rating for fuel consumption - which is decent for a performance tyre - and a low noise rating of 67dB. It also appears to be cheaper than the Continental Sport Contact 5. Alternatives include the Goodyear Eagle F1 and the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 It's also worth mentioning that if you drive your Swift Sport enthusiastically, it's not out of the question that the front tyres could be worn out after 14,000 miles, but when you do get new tyres we'd suggest having your wheel alignment checked at the same time.
Answered by David Ross

What's the best first car to buy that's also fun?

"I'm looking to buy my first fun car as a 24 year old graduate with a budget of £5-6k. I'm looking for a petrol, manual, hatchback ideally but an estate body is not an issue. I'd like space in the back for a suitcase and pedal bicycle. I've had a Ford Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost and that's fun but not pokey enough! I was thinking of a circa 2010 MINI Cooper S but worried about the reliability. I'm an engineering graduate so mechanically minded but can't really afford plenty of big bills for a couple of years! "
When buying a used car, it's important to note that the vehicle's repair and servicing costs will always reflect the car's price when new (and not today at £6000 or £5000). If you want to avoid hefty bills, avoid premium cars (these are very expensive to fix and maintain). I would recommend the Suzuki Swift Sport - it's very reliable, cheap to run and great fun to drive: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/suzuki/swift/2010/
Answered by Dan Powell

Should I replace my 2015 Renault Twingo with a newer car?

"I currently own a 2015 Renault Twingo Dynamique S with 35,000 miles on the clock. I have owned the car from new and it has always been serviced by a Renault dealer. I am more than happy with the car but want to avoid any big bills as the car is now seven years old and I'm aware that things might need replacing despite the low mileage. I'd also like to take advantage of the high second-hand car prices at the moment. I am quite taken with either a Volkswagen Up GTI or a Suzuki Swift Sport as I want something smallish, fun and sporty. I'm not ready for an electric car just yet. I'd happily consider something else to the Up or Swift but not a Ford or a MINI. I'd appreciate some advice as to whether you think I should sell my Twingo now and replace it with a new car or hang onto it? If I do sell the Twingo, what would you recommend that I get instead?"
Used car prices are starting to drop so now might be the time to sell your Twingo: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/buying-and-selling/2022-04/car-owners-urged-to-sell-as-record-used-car-prices-start-to-drop/ We rate both the Suzuki Swift Sport and Volkswagen Up GTI highly – they're two brilliant little cars. We'd recommend shopping around, test driving both and seeing if you can get a deal you're happy with. Don't be afraid to bide your time if you can't... the cost to change from your Twingo will probably remain the same (as your Twingo's value drops, so will the cars you're looking at replacing it with).
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

What does a Suzuki Swift Sport cost?