Suzuki Swift Sport Review: Suzuki’s Pint-sized GTI

For those of you that were around in the late 80s and early 90s, the Swift Sport will bring back memories of the Swift GTi, the pint-sized pocket rocket that dominated the Kallang carpark races and was hot property among boy-racers.

Things seemed simpler then – the Swift GTi didn’t have all-wheel drive or a turbocharged engine, and its weighty un-powered steering separated the men from the boys. All it had was a lusty 1.3-litre engine and a light 3-door body, but that was all that was needed – how the car performed on the road (or track) depended entirely on the skill of the driver.

Fast forward a decade or so into the 21st century, and the Swift Sport brings all this innocence and free-spiritedness back. Although technology and competition has changed and become more sophisticated, Suzuki has kept things quite “simple” for the Swift Sport – it can’t claim to be a GTi anymore as Volkswagen has bought the rights to these three initials.

There is still no turbocharger in sight – it seems Suzuki (and Honda) don’t like to use them very much – and also no all-wheel drive, although Suzuki enters a souped-up Swift Sport 1600 in the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC). In many ways, the Swift Sport follows in the foot steps of the Ignis Sport, but in an altogether more focused manner.

First off, the basics seem to be better. For the Swift GTi, its closest relative was the popular 1.0-litre Swift sedan that had no performance aspirations at all. For the Ignis Sport , which was meant to be a ‘crossover’ between a compact hatchback and a small SUV, its racing aspirations were a little more defined, at least for competing in the JWRC. With the new Swift however, everything seems tailored-made for the souped-up Sport version.

As it is, the standard 1.5-litre Swift is smaller than most of its competition, relying largely on its fine handling and top-notch quality to win over fans from rivals such as the Toyota Yaris, Mitsubishi Colt and Honda Jazz. As a result the Swift offers less space than other small hatchbacks, but enough people feel that they’d rather get a better specced and well-built quality small hatch like the Swift than something larger. It takes guts to set out a different set of parameters for oneself, and not to just follow the crowd, and this is exactly what Suzuki has done, and quite successfully too.

Externally, compared to the standard Swift, the Sport gets a more aggressive front air dam and a larger air intake, 16-inch alloy rims and beautifully detailed dual chromed exhaust pipes. On the inside, it gets high-backed and more shapely bucket seats, replete with red-and black upholstery and trim, a sensual leather-wrapped steering and chromed foot pedals. It’s all very nice, and really does a good job of getting one “in the mood”.

It’s under the bonnet that has seen the most changes – the 1.5-litre makes way for a 16-valve twin-cam 1.6-litre engine, and although it’s the same basic engine from the SX4, it has been specially prepped for the Swift Sport. Firstly, the throttle mechanism has been upgraded to a state-of-the-art drive-by-wire system, and the intake manifold has been streamlined for greater efficiency. There is also a high-tech system of cooling jets that sprays oil to the cylinder walls and the Variable Valve Timing ICU has been ‘chipped’ for maximum output. As a result the Swift Sport puts out a maximum 125bhp (over 20bhp more than the SX4) at a dizzying 6800rpm.

These Ferrari- and Honda-like red-line means the engine is wonderfully free-revving and lusty. Couple this to a close-ratio 5-speed manual gearbox, and the result is hot-hatch magic. It’s wonderful that the formula remains so simple, and the results are so pleasing. The effect is maximized because the Swift is innately already such a driver’s car – its visor-like window area and relatively upright windscreen translate into a serious, driver-centric driving position. The car feels intimate, and everything falls neatly to hand, perfectly laid out for an exciting driving experience. In many ways the Swift Sport feels very Mini-like (both the new and classic versions) – direct, communicative and go-kart-like in its responses.

While this is all fine and dandy for the driver, it does mean that passengers have to put up with less room than in other hatchbacks, and that even in 5th gear, the Swift Sport cruises at 100km/h with the engine ticking over at above 3500rpm. Just like the classic Mini, noise from the engine, though tuneful, is always present, and the car could do with an additional, higher gear ratio.

In all other areas, the Swift Sport certainly hits the GTi spot, easily filling the shoes of the Swift GTi and Ignis Sport, and giving enthusiasts a relatively affordable but thoroughly enjoyable little runabout. It’s also more polished than its predecessors, giving it a sophistication and complete-ness that is evident in all the latest Suzuki products.

Credits: Justin Lee