2006 Suzuki Swift GL 1.5 petrol VVT from Indonesia

Summary:

Brilliant small car with good looks

Faults:

Brake dust deposits on front brake pads - cleaned under warranty.

Hint of noises from somewhere within the dashboard. But these are intermittent.

Outside noise is quite noticeable from inside.

General Comments:

Loved it since first time I saw it. Suzuki made a wise decision to 'adapt' Mini's design cues, hence the funky & exceptional styling.

This car has great value for money. It's got power windows, remote central locking with immobilizer, MP3/WMA CD head unit with steering wheel remote, and a simplified trip computer which shows only the outside temp and average/real-time fuel consumption. There's no other car here within the same price level that provides as many niceties as it does.

Build quality is high, panel fits excellent and the cabin has a simplistic approach yet still shows a tasteful design. I love the gear lever movement, it feels just right in your palm and shifts easily yet firmly between gears.

And it's got quite some power for a 1.5L engine. Acceleration is quick from 3000 rpm upwards. Fuel consumption is excellent at 12.5 km / liter.

My complaint would probably go to the cramped rear seating. The seat backs are almost flat and they are too firm for long distance trips. Lucky I'm the driver and not the passenger.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th September, 2006

2006 Suzuki Swift GLX 1.5 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Excellent small car, well made and fun to drive.

Faults:

Nothing gone wrong.

General Comments:

Exceptionally roomy for a small car. Great fun to drive. Gearshift is very light and direct and the performance of the car is really good once you rev the engine beyond 3500rpm (where the VVT kicks in).

Ride comfort is good and the car is great on twisting roads, with very direct steering giving good feedback.

General constructional quality is good.

Negative points include a high clutch bite point (takes a day or two to get used to) and an almost useless 'economy readout' which updates every second.

I think this car is going to vastly improve Suzuki's fortunes in the car market - it has to be one of the best small cars around, especially considering its relatively low price.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd April, 2006

24th Apr 2006, 10:37

Didn't this auto get "Car" magazine's "Car of the Year" award?

25th Apr 2006, 10:52

To the above poster who also mentioned "Car" magazine...I'd also love to see this car available in the States. With a proper diesel engine, I'd imagine it'd clean up here.

20th May 2006, 10:56

As regards comments above - there are quite a few Swifts appearing on the roads in my part of the world (English Midlands). We have a Suzuki dealer nearby and they seem to be selling very well.

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2006 Suzuki Swift GLX 1.5 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Cool looks, fun to drive and it's different!

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Roomy for such a compact car.

Reasonably comfortable for short journeys, but I think seats will be unsupportive on longer trips.

Seriously heavy on fuel, which may be the lack of miles and automatic gearbox, of course the sheer fun of driving it does not encourage frugality!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th March, 2006

2nd Mar 2013, 05:21

Yeah, I agree... The fuel consumption of the Suzuki Swift is really heavy. Mine would only manage an average of 8km/l at a speed average of 40-60 km/h, that is on a city drive. Too low compared to what others claim. On the highways, I'm lucky if I get 12km/l. Mine is a 2006 Suzuki Swift, which I bought from a friend. I already had it tuned up and fixed the tires. So that is what I guess it can really go as far as fuel efficiency is concerned. Any suggestion on how I can make it more efficient?

In reply to 2nd Mar 2013, 05:21

22nd Aug 2015, 09:12

I find the Suzuki Swift to be very fuel efficient, but also very responsive, especially when applying hard acceleration.

In relation to getting better fuel economy, the secret is learning to drive efficiently, avoiding the temptation to 'floor it', and you will achieve good fuel economy from the Swift.

I get 17km a litre, which will drop to 12km a litre if you drive it hard.