2012 Suzuki Swift Review [w/ video]

Made in Japan. Three words you're likely to see over and over again around your crib. I mean house. Fact of the matter is, most of the stuff us consumerist sods tend to purchase originates from overseas in the nether regions of the Far East. The Suzuki Swift is one such consumer delight.

What exactly is it? Simply put it's a supermini to end all superminis. Cheap, reliable, practical and most importantly fun. That's the sales website speaking, not me. But does the car actually deliver on these buzzwords or is it more likely to face swift extinction via stiff competition. Guffaw.

To find out, we pitted Japan versus Japan to help out a market we feel this Swift SZ4 (that means top level trim) is squarely aimed at - first-time drivers. What do we mean pitted? Well in the name of science, your humble author took one for the team and made a solo visit to The Entertainer in Staines Town to buy another Japanese export in the form of a R/C car, the kind you might find tucked up under your Christmas tree. Glares and stares were duly received and after parting with my hard earned cash, I made for the exit and snuck both Swift and Remote-Control Car into a deserted car park. The fun and head-to-head games resulting in a video review can be seen in the embed above or on YouTube:

Car Throttle: 2012 Suzuki Swift vs. R/C Car Review

2012 model? Give me a break

Whilst the MY12 version we tested in Galactic Grey Metallic may bear total resemblance to the outgoing Swift, in reality the folks from Hamamatsu are keen to point out that changes have been made everywhere. The car gains width (5mm) and length (90mm). And despite growing in height over the year by a single centimetre it still looks as low to the ground as ever. Some may point out "similar" design cues to the popular Mini Cooper and with the squared off roof towards the rear window, we can't disagree.

Certain things do stand out though. That's a matt black honeycomb grille insert you can see in full HD, and SZ4 trim blesses you with 16" alloy wheels. And if you opt for the 5 door variant not only will you be thanking your lucky stars whenever you're giving lifts to "clingers-on" but the liberty will only set you back £470. If we were on Twitter, this would fall under the hashtag #wellworthit.

Give me some action

For visual kicks, hit play on the video above and skip through to 4 minutes where you'll see me putting the Suzuki Swift through its paces. And fortunately here is a car that loves to make full use of its perky 1.2-litre petrol engine. No qualms about it, this car doesn't pack a lot of heat - in fact it has 93 "heats" (horses, whatever) under the hood and a low 87lb-ft of torque on offer. But like the old adage goes, "it's not the size that matters, it's how you use it". And like a phallically-challenged gigolo the Swift rises to accept this challenge.

Accelerate hard in first gear and the car has no issue with any of that torque steer nonsense you tend to find with cars possessing over 150bhp. Slot the relatively short-shifted gearknob down into second and you can actually feel the mechanical movement - hacks who moan about "feedback and communication" would be pleasuring themselves over the feel that the Swift emits from its transmission. Stay in second and wind the engine all the way through to 6,000rpm to get the most from peak power before changing to third. The 0-62mph sprint is claimed at 12.3 seconds but in reality you'll feel you're going faster.

Go-kart like handling is another plus and there is plenty of grip on offer. The steering is well-weighted until you really chuck the Swift into a corner, at which point it becomes light and nervous, but it quickly regains composure before you have a chance to really think that there's something seriously wrong. Nay, there's something seriously right about this car, and with a combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg (we managed sub-50mpg but still decent) there's even more of a reason to raid your bank account to buy one.

A few nagging niggles

This wouldn't be a Car Throttle review without some pet peeves. The first of which is the dated look of the radio. I mean for heaven's sake, add in some graphics and make this thing look like it's from the 21st century! Even the Toyota Yaris does a better job at selling to the "youffs" - don't think we're impressed with your dot matrix technology, Suzuki!

Oh, and those wing mirrors. They're rather large and seem to create some swirling rain effects when at motorway speeds in tragic weather. I did capture a picture, but it seems to have gone walkies. Rear legroom is surprisingly decent as from the outside you'd be excused for thinking this car has Mini levels of rear comfort, but the cabin isn't particularly luxurious and longer journeys are arduous for passengers.

But wait, what about the Swift Sport?

A good point my dear rhetorical reader. What about the 1.6-litre, 136hp Suzuki Swift Sport that is seemingly the better-looking, faster car? Well it totally depends on who you are. If you are the stereotypical first-time driver, then at a starting price of £11,130, this is fantastic value for money. Granted a 5 door SZ4 trim variant can balloon to £13,000 but for that money you get keyless go, cruise control, Bluetooth, fogs, climate control and more.

But what if you're the slightly older lad with a few more quid to spend on insurance and petrol? Unfortunately I'm not in the position to give you the definitive answer...yet. Our Car Throttle 2012 Swift Sport is arriving in the CT Garage in a couple days time, after which I will be able to give you a conclusive opinion.

In the meantime, suffice to say that Japanese exports have never felt so good. Globalisation for the win, I say.

2012 Suzuki Swift SZ4 1.2 Full Gallery