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Is the Suzuki Swift Sport worth R317 900?

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The Suzuki Swift Sport
The Suzuki Swift Sport

The headline may seem a little click-baity, but hear me out before throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

The entry-level Suzuki Swift, the one you see all over university campus parking lots, starts at around R166 900. The range-topping Swift Sport starts at R317 900.

How then does Suzuki justify the Sport costing almost twice the amount of the entry-level?

Well, I spent some time with the Sport to find out.

From the outside, the Sport is a better-looking car and there is a more aggressive and purposeful front end. The grille is redesigned, it looks bigger and is ready to let other small hot hatches know that it is not here to play around.

The Suzuki Swift Sport

The rear-end features two pronounced exhaust tips, while the engine is a 1.4-litre turbocharged four cylinder which means that the sound is not all that impressive. However, it does not look out of place.

Behind the bigger grille, the petrol engine pushes out 103 kW and 230 Nm of torque. The Polo GTI for comparison has 44 kW and 90 Nm more power than the Sport.

The key thing to remember, however, is that the Polo GTI weighs almost 400 kilograms more than the Swift, so the lighter Swift Sport is more fun to drive. The Swift Sport is only 1.3 seconds slower to 100 km/h than the GTI.

The Suzuki Swift Sport

The GTI is not a dull car, but the Sport’s small size, manual transmission and the more interactive steering wheel make for a more satisfying driving experience.

At the first traffic light out of the office, I had a Joker-like wide smile on my face becuase the engine packs a more powerful punch than I was expecting. The six-speed manual was also a joy to experience.

The car wants you to play in the higher RPMs (revolutions per minute), it begs you to do so and 2500-3500 RPM is where the sweet spot is. The engine livens up and this is also where the 230 Nm of torque is felt best.

At the first corner I instantly felt the work that has been done to the front axle. Even though the car weighs close to nothing, it remains composed while taking the corners.

The steering wheel gives you enough information about what the wheels are doing and that makes you feel confident in pushing it around the corners a little bit faster.

The good thing about the suspension is that it is sporty without making it a crappy drive.

The Suzuki Swift Sport

This all means that the Swift Sport is a hoot to drive whether you are stuck in crappy Joburg traffic or cruising on the N1.

So, is the R300 000 price tag worth it?

I enjoyed driving the car, but it was not all that perfect.

The thing about the Sport is that it is still based on a car which starts at R166 900, and the fittings and finishings at that price point are never that impressive. However, at R300 000 one would expect more from the interior.

The Suzuki Swift Sport

On the plus side, the Sport features a decent touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I suggest using Android Auto or CarPlay because the touch interface of the infotainment seems to have a lag.

If you are looking for a zippy car for the daily commute and one to enjoy on some twisty backroads over a long weekend, then the Swift Sport should be at the top of your list.

However, if you are looking for street-cred and a fancy interior, then look in the direction of the Polo GTI.

But remember the GTI is going to cost you almost R100 000 more and that’s a lot of money you can use to purchase furniture.


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