Skip advert
Advertisement

Suzuki Swift Sport review – the back-to-basics drivers' hatch - Performance and 0-62 time

Honest, simple and mature, the Swift Sport remains an affordable evo favourite. More standard kit ups value for money

Evo rating
RRP
from £13,999
  • Old-school pocket rocket
  • Less efficient than turbo rivals

Performance and 0-60mph time 

The Suzuki Swift Sport's technical spec reads like something from the 1990s - but that's not meant as a criticism. Powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with 16 valves and natural aspiration, the Suzuki Swift Sport produces 134bhp at 6900rpm and 118lb ft of torque at 4400rpm. Drive is sent to the front wheels exclusively through a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox. The Swift does without a limited-slip diff, but with 134bhp traction is rarely an issue.

Advertisement - Article continues below

That’s not to say the Swift Sport is slow, though, because flat out it can accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 8.7sec and on to a top speed of 121mph. Compare it with the wider market and performance appears fairly tame, but focus on the Swift’s price bracket and it comfortably leads the way, beating a raft of superminis and lukewarm alternatives. Ford's Ecoboost-powered Fiesta Zetec S, for example, is three tenths slower to 62mph.

The Swift also feels punchier than the stats suggest. Unlike some of its more effortless turbocharged rivals, the Swift thrives when thrashed, so extracting its peak performance doesn’t leave you feeling guilty for not exploring the car's abilities afterwards. You get out of it what you put in, and that's really satisfying in this age of easy performance.

 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

£15k off an Audi RS6 – 621bhp super estate discounted by over 10 per cent
Audi RS6
News

£15k off an Audi RS6 – 621bhp super estate discounted by over 10 per cent

Audi’s V8 titan is near the end of its life and high-spec examples are now available with big discounts
10 Jun 2025
Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport 2025 review – the ultimate all-season performance tyre?
Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport
Reviews

Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport 2025 review – the ultimate all-season performance tyre?

It’s been almost a decade in the making, but Michelin believes it’s finally cracked the code for an all-weather performance tyre with the CrossClimate…
9 Jun 2025
Best cheap hot hatchbacks – used pocket rockets for less than a Dacia Sandero
Best cheap hot hatches
Best cars

Best cheap hot hatchbacks – used pocket rockets for less than a Dacia Sandero

The new hot hatch market is all but barren. Look to the classifieds and the used market and the choice is near-limitless
9 Jun 2025