Suzuki Swift 1.3 DDiS Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Suzuki Swift 1.3 DDiS
Prices: £11,250 – on the road
Insurance Group: 4
Emissions: 119g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 13.7s / Max Speed 102mph
Fuel Consumption: (urban) 49.6mpg / (extra urban) 69mpg / (combined) 61.4mpg
Safety: Front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 3695/1690/1500

GIVE YOUR SWIFT A LIFT

Our Rating: 6.9 / 10

Suzuki’s DDiS diesel Swift has the all round ability to make a big impact on the Supermini sector, especially with even cleaner emissions. Steve Walker reports…

Since the launch of the 1.3 DDiS diesel model, sales of Suzuki’s current generation Swift supermini have really started to get going. The only slight problem from launch was its emissions figure. Not that the original showing of 124g/km was bad. It was just that this placed the car slightly above the Inland Revenue’s more affordable Band B level. Nor could Swift diesel buyers look forward to reclaiming 100% of the London congestion charge. Hence a few tweaks by the Suzuki engineers in order to get this car down to a figure of 119g/km, qualifying it for both Band B and 100% congestion charge relief. That’s better.

The Suzuki’s DDiS diesel engine is a major player in the Swift line-up. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines that comprise the remainder of the range but there’s just something about compact diesel cars that makes sense. Fuel economy is the obvious benefit of filling-up from the black handled pump and, sure enough, the Swift DDiS is offers a thrifty official average consumption of 61.4mpg. This isn’t the massive benefit that it first appears because the petrol 1.3-litre model turns in a 46mpg average and the 1.5-litre petrol can manage 44mpg – they’re also both substantially cheaper than the 1.3-litre DDiS.

The oil-burner is more than the entry-level 1.3-litre petrol and you’d have to run it for over 120,000 miles before you recouped the difference on fuel costs alone (80,000-miles if you compare it to the 1.5-litre petrol). Where the diesel option does start to look more appealing financially is in those low C02 emissions (which as we’ve said, position it in a lower road tax bracket than the petrol choices), and its higher residual values - even if these are unlikely to be on a par with rival superminis from mainstream brands. The insurance group is a lowly 4A as well, the same as the 1.3-litre petrol.

Ownership costs are definitely a strongpoint of the Swift DDiS but the factor that should attract most buyers is the diesel’s driving experience. The engine itself is slightly unusual in that as well as the latest common-rail injection architecture, it also employs a turbocharger and intercooler. The result is a flatter torque curve than you’ll find in many rival diesel superminis. That means improved engine response and flexibility at a wider range of engine speeds.

With its maximum torque of 170Nm, the DDiS has significantly more low-end grunt even than the 1.5-litre petrol unit with its 133Nm output. Higher in the rev range, despite the diesel’s impressive flexibility, the 1.5 petrol feels more eager thanks to its 101bhp rating but low and mid-range punchiness is the name of the game for urban motoring and the 64bhp 1.3-litre DDiS has plenty of that. The Swift handles very adeptly, remaining composed in the corners and giving good feedback to the driver through the well-sprung suspension. On the road, the springs can be a bit noisy when travelling over bumps but most keen drivers will happily put up with that as a trade-off against the car’s sporty character.

The Swift’s handling and packaging are key strong points and both are helped by the fact that the chassis offers the widest track in the class (1470mm wide at the front and 1480 at the back), which in turn translates into the greatest overall width of any supermini (1,690mm). Coupled with a long wheelbase and compact engines, this frees up plenty of room in the cabin and allows for a 213-litre luggage area.

Visually, the Swift is refreshingly different, offering what Suzuki calls a "1.5 box" design. Rather than being an amorphous blob, the Swift has a pronounced bonnet line and a very shapely contour along its shoulders. A wide air dam and big headlamps give the car a distinctive ‘face’ and the big wheels at each corner of the car give the impression that it’s solidly planted to the road. The black pillars give the car a floating glasshouse effect and the wraparound glazing helps to promote better all round visibility. The rear of the car is even more expressive, with thickset haunches and a roof that melds into an integrated spoiler. Overall, there’s more than a hint of new MINI about the car and Suzuki will be more than happy if some of the trendy image of BMW’s baby rubs off.

The interior is also very different from what we’ve come to expect from Suzuki. Again a