«Swift» is translated from English as «swift» — a bird that is small, nimble, and amusing. And this description perfectly fits the new Suzuki model.

On the outside, the Suzuki Swift looks very appealing. The best option for a young woman who drives to work every day and doesn't mind stopping by the shops. The unusual exterior sets the car apart from the gray traffic, and its modest dimensions simplify parking and maneuvering in the city. Instead of a regular key, a system similar to Mercedes' Keyless Go is used. Getting into the cabin is easy — you just need to keep a special key fob in your pocket. When you approach the car within three meters, the locks open by themselves. All that remains is to press a small rubber button on the front door handle — and done. Inside, there's a surprise: everything is done in an adult manner, with neat fitting of parts and quality trim materials. The onboard computer is not overloaded with information: it only shows the clock, outside temperature, and instantaneous fuel consumption.

The seats are a bit stiff, but there are no major complaints about them. Except that the lateral support in the shoulder blade area could be stronger. There are enough adjustments so that even a tall driver can get comfortable. The second row is also not bad, but with one caveat: if a tall person sits in front and needs a lot of legroom, then the passenger behind them will have a tough time — knee pads for rollerblading might come in handy. The body is tall, five-door, and in principle designed for five adults. But honestly, with a width of 1690 mm, three men of average build will be a bit cramped. The trunk will only fit a couple of supermarket bags and a first-aid kit. Fold down the rear seats — and you get a decent 562 liters. Not bad.

Inspection is over, time to hit the road. And where's the key? It's not needed. If that same key fob that opens the locks is inside the cabin, just turn the ignition switch handle. And — lo and behold — the instruments come to life. It's not immediately obvious that the 92-horsepower engine is already running. Thanks to excellent sound insulation and vibration protection. The engine is silent up to three thousand rpm, although this Suzuki is designed as a car with a spirited character. Judge for yourself: the version with the 1.3 L engine and manual transmission reaches 100 km/h in 11 seconds.

But we got not the simplest version for the test — with a robotic gearbox. And if the absence of a Parking mode can still be forgiven, the endless delays during shifts will drive even the calmest person crazy.

The unhurried gearbox has an Economy mode, which presumably should save fuel. You turn it on — and you can forget about dynamics altogether. At 40 km/h, the system stubbornly holds fourth gear, not even thinking about shifting down to third. The driver, of course, presses the gas pedal to the floor, but even then the gearbox doesn't want to downshift. Instead, fuel consumption increases. That's the «economy» for you.

In normal mode, driving is more pleasant. Shifts are more predictable, but still with long pauses. Sometimes the electronics take a long time to decide which gear to select, and then only manual mode remains. But even that doesn't save the day: the shift speed doesn't increase unless you release the gas at the moment of gear change. To be fair: the electronics allow revving the engine to the limiter while holding the selected gear. In the end, all 92 «horses» turn out to be small ponies — they run fast but with great difficulty. In city traffic, the Swift feels comfortable, but on the highway, the dynamics are no longer enough.

The suspension of the new Swift is moderately stiff, somewhat reminiscent of German cars. You can feel the composure. Body roll in corners and during braking is small. But the early loss of grip during sharp turns is surprising. Apparently, the short suspension travel is to blame. Otherwise, the car behaves predictably. The main thing is not to forget to engage the handbrake when parking: there's no «P» position here, as already mentioned.

+ Original design, compact dimensions, good dynamics.
– Inconvenient robotic gearbox.

Technical specifications of Suzuki Swift

Curb weight, kg – 1010
Dimensions, mm:
- length – 3695
- width – 1690
- height – 1500
Wheelbase, mm – 2380
Maximum speed, km/h – 175
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s – n/a
Fuel consumption, l/100 km:
- city cycle – 8.0
- highway – 5.2
- combined – 6.2
Engine:
- type – 4-cyl., 16-valve, with multi-point fuel injection
- displacement, cm3 – 1328
- power, hp at rpm – 92/5800
- torque, Nm at rpm – 116/4200
Transmission – manual, automated
Suspension:
- front – McPherson type
- rear – semi-independent, spring, with hydraulic shock absorbers
Brakes (front/rear) – disc, ventilated/drum
Steering – rack and pinion, with power steering
Price, $ – 17 990