WHAT IS THIS?
In front of you is what has become a Top Gear hero in recent years. While the Suzuki Swift was a cheap, reliable but ultimately useless car in the 1990s, the mid-1990s revolution suddenly made it one of the most attractive small cars on the market. Suddenly charm became its currency.
Released around the same time as the updated Fiat 500, it became a little more forward-looking. And much better to drive, especially in the lively little Swift Sport. One of the cockiest cars on the market also became one of the nicest. That's a great trick.
SO WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Well, two inventions and a few facelifts later, this is what the modern Swift looks like now. It remains a car with flamboyant styling, applying the slightly exaggerated "hidden tailgate handle" trick better than almost all of its competitors. It is still an artfully designed supermini that packs extraordinary space and functionality into a bulky platform.
The Swift has also significantly outlived its Baleno counterpart. A few years ago, Suzuki decided it would compete for a couple of corners of the car market with two models: one fun and cozy, the other educational and sensible. The Swift, as you might have guessed, was the first. The fact that it is still sold where the Baleno is a distant memory (come on, try to imagine what it looks like) suggests that buyers appreciate its sense of humor.
YOU HAVEN'T MENTIONED MOTORCYCLES YET.
There's a good chance we're avoiding the subject. Although this generation Swift began with a choice of engines, including a small 1.0-liter gasoline engine, things have changed. Suzuki has hybridized its entire lineup and made it an advantage, perhaps at the expense of one of the most remarkable small cars in the world.
These are not hybrids that can be plugged into an electrical outlet, nor are they ones that allow you to drive a dozen miles in silence. These are mild hybrids that reduce fuel consumption in the background without affecting the way you drive or operate the car. But they increase costs and reduce performance.
TELL ME MORE.
The Swift now has two engine options. The regular Swift uses only a 1.2-liter 12-volt hybrid engine with a modest 82 hp and 79 lb-ft, which drives either the front wheels or all four. Yes, the all-wheel-drive version is an option, but it increases the time from 0 to 100 mph from 13.1 to 13.8 seconds. Still, it surprisingly weighs less than a ton.
The Swift Sport uses a 48-volt lightweight hybrid system combined with a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine for 128 hp and 173 lb-ft of peak and 9.1-second acceleration to 100 mph. It has front-wheel drive only and, unlike the base Swift, no automatic transmission. Since it's a small hot hatch, we don't mind.
Of course, fuel economy and CO2 emissions are more impressive than ever: 57.2 mpg/111g/km in the standard version and 50.1 mpg/127g/km in the Sport version. But prices have also risen; the most basic Swift now costs about £13,000 (good), but the Swift Sport has risen to £20,000 (less good). Perhaps the abundant standard equipment - which you do get - can make up for this.
WHAT'S THE VERDICT?
"Suzuki's most fun product is a bit of a letdown thanks to the new pragmatic hybrid versions."
Is the Swift past its prime? It has certainly become less explosive than before, its performance somewhat dampened by the more efficient hybrid powertrains. We wouldn't mind that in a sensible car like the Jazz or Yaris, but the lightweight Suzuki still has a nimble suspension that begs for an elevator. The sluggish performance of the base 1.2 is disappointing, and the Swift Sport is a hot hatch that has overstayed its welcome.
But both cars are well built and equipped with everything you need. It will be easy to live with, and you probably won't leave a Suzuki showroom (or close the Suzuki Web page) without a healthy discount. It may no longer be the dapper hero of yesteryear, but the Swift still has a few assets up its sleeve. It's just that the specs no longer match the badge on the tailgate.