New Suzuki Swift 2024 review: a supermini value champion

Verdict

The new Suzuki Swift is a value champion in a slowly shrinking class. It feels built to a price in a way the new MG3 doesn’t, but the trade-off is a lightweight body that provides agile handling and rock-bottom running costs. The Swift won’t suit everyone, but if you’re not yet ready to go electric, this car provides an affordable, familiar and honest entry into the new small-car market.

The supermini segment is dwindling. The Ford Fiesta is no more, and fewer manufacturers are finding reasons to invest funds in small cars – looking to more profitable SUVs (and electric cars) instead. 

But instead of pulling the plug, Suzuki sees this as an opportunity. It estimates that of the 250,000 superminis sold annually in the UK, almost a third either won’t exist at all, or won’t have a like-for-like petrol replacement in three years’ time.

Hopes are high for the next-generation Swift, then. With mild-hybrid technology and a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes (and even a 4x4 powertrain) bosses want to increase sales from around 9,400 units, to over 12k in the next year.

Visually, the changes are light enough to keep this recognisable as a Suzuki supermini, but significant enough that you won’t confuse it with the old car. Its compact footprint means it’s lighter than most of its rivals, which is evident in the way the Swift drives. But more on that in a moment.

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While the designers admit they’ve taken an evolutionary approach with the exterior, the inside is considered more of a revolution. Light, colourful and driver-oriented, there’s still plenty of cheap plastics to contend with, but the controls are well laid out, with physical switches for the climate control and some of the safety functions. The analogue dials are clear and easy to read, but feel a bit out-dated in 2024.

The infotainment system is a little old school, too. The functionality is all there – with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in navigation and a reversing camera – but the graphics and layout are closer aligned with what you’d get on an aftermarket head unit from Halfords. It’s not as responsive as the set-up you get in a Hyundai i20, either.

Moving the seat into the right position, regardless of your build, is little hassle; you can pump the seat up and down, and there’s plenty of travel in the chair to allow taller occupants to stretch out. Room in the back is a little above average for the class but the seats feel flat and basic. The 265-litre boot is a little on the small side, too. Ultimately, though, a Renault Clio is more accommodating and a Skoda Fabia even more spacious. 

Tipping the scales at less than a tonne, the Swift is the antidote to lardy electric cars; the latest MINI Cooper weighs the best part of 1,700kg, for example. But while that can make the Suzuki feel a bit like a tin can at times, it works wonders for efficiency. We managed an easy 50mpg even after a brisk drive from the Cotswolds across to South Wales – we reckon 60mpg-plus would be a doddle in normal driving.

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It also gives the car a level of agility that many rivals find impossible to replicate. It turns on a sixpence, with quick, darty steering and just enough roll in the chassis to feel fun. The gearbox is notchy but pretty slick, which is welcome because you need to work it hard to extract every last horsepower from the dinky MHEV engine.

The ride strikes a good balance between control and comfort, though overall refinement could be better – this is a car better suited nipping around town than lengthy motorway journeys. That’s true for a lot of cars in this class, but a Skoda Fabia feels more grown up.

But where the Swift really comes into its own is as a value proposition for private buyers. Those looking at a small company car will be drawn to EV rivals, but if you’re spending your own money then zero-per cent finance and strong residuals will surely be sufficient to see Suzuki climb the segment sales charts.

As a representative example, a base Swift Motion with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, air conditioning and wireless smartphone connectivity will set you back £189 per month over four years (and 8k miles per year) with a 20 per cent deposit. Stronger residuals on the CVT automatic mean that car – despite its higher list price – is just £159 per month.

Upgrading to Ultra, as tested here with its climate control, electrically-folding door mirrors costs £211 per month on identical terms. Not worth the extra, in our opinion.