Road Test: Suzuki Swift 1.3 DDiS

Price as tested: €17,500

+ Smart looks, peachy chassis, grunt, economy
– Needs better refinement, cabin feeling a little dated already, small in the back
= Proves that diesel can expand a small car’s repertoire

Although sales of diesel engined cars in Ireland are booming, there is still a reluctance for the buyers of small cars to plump for the black pump when it comes to purchase time. And it’s not hard to understand why. Diesel models tend to be significantly more expensive to buy than petrol ones, and thanks to ever improving economy and emissions, there’s rarely any significant tax of running cost advantage in going for diesel over petrol, unless you do monster miles.

And the new Suzuki Swift diesel seems, out of the box, to be the proof of that thesis. At €17,500, it’s about €2,000 more expensive than the 1.2 petrol GLX Swift, sits in the same road tax band A and returns combined fuel consumption of 4.2-litres per 100km compared to the petrol’s 5.0-litres per 100km. Case closed.

Well, not quite. Let’s talk about fuel economy first. Small, petrol-engined cars are notorious for performing far better in the lab conditions of the EU fuel economy test than they do in the real world, and the truth is that unless you have the patience and reticence of a saint-in-waiting, you’ll never get better than about 6.5l/100km from your Swift 1.2 petrol. The diesel though, averaged just a smidge under 5.0-litres per 100km in our time with it, and we’ve got lead feet.

Secondly, the Swift’s 1.2 petrol is a model of smoothness, with a fast-revving nature and sweet refinement. It’s also utterly devoid of torque (just 118Nm compared to the diesel’s 190Nm) which means that, if you want it to move at anything other than a snail’s pace, you’re going to have to rev it hard and make copious use of the slick-shifting five-speed gearbox. Fun, when you’re in the mood, but a tiresome chore if you’re not.

By contrast, the 1.3 75bhp diesel Swift rows its 1,125kg weight along easily on that torque wave, minimising gear changes and generally making for much more relaxed progress. It is noisier than the petrol, certainly, and grates, chatters and clanks at a cold tickover, but once it’s warm and once you’re moving, refinement is acceptable, if only that.

‘Tis punchy though. All that torque means that you can easily slip into gaps in fast moving motorway traffic and long inclines that will fox the petrol in fifth are no trouble to the diesel. And this is where the oil-burning engine really begins to expand on the Swift’s repertoire. With the petrol engine, you soon begin to feel a bit at sea on big main roads or motorways. But with the diesel on board, progress becomes far easier and more relaxed. That low-down grunt gives the Swift the ability to mix it with cars far bigger and faster than it, and means that though you may have bought a small car, you won’t feel the strain should you need to take it on long cross-country journeys.

And the Swift’s chassis, always its strongest selling point, remains uncorrupted. The steering, slightly too light for our tastes, is still plugged in to a wonderfully grippy, agile set-up that allows you to seriously enjoy yourself when the going gets twisty. The Swift has lightning-fast reactions and frankly could teach the supposed class leader, the Ford Fiesta, a thing or two about how to make an appealing drivers’ car. It never feels less than agile, biddable and fun.

Inside though, it’s a bit of a let-down. The cabin, aside from the fact that the seats are comfy and the dials are smart, looks and feels about half a generation behind the best of the rest. The quality is fine and the fit is impeccable but it’s all a bit too sober, dark and black, which is in rather sharp contrast to the sparky, youthful exterior styling.

There’s no better news in the back, where legroom is pretty tight, nor the boot where there’s simply not enough space to properly take on the likes of the Fiesta, Polo or the spectacularly spacious new Toyota Yaris.

Still though. The Swift remains one of our firm favourites simply because it’s such a joy to drive. The addition of a diesel engine may have made it conspicuously expensive, but it’s also added a new layer of long-haul competence.


Facts & Figures

Suzuki Swift 1.3 DDiS GLX
Price as tested: €17,500
Price range: €13,650 to €17,550
Capacity: 1,248cc
Power: 75bhp
Torque: 190Nm
Top speed: 165kmh
0-100kmh: 12.7sec
Economy: 4.2l-100km (67.2mpg)
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
Road Tax Band: A €104
Euro NCAP rating: 5-star adult: 94% adult, 82% child, 62% pedestrian, 71% safety assist