Nearly every carmaker sells a supermini. They're all reasonably practical and nice to look at, but the Suzuki Swift is one of the few that also offers all-wheel drive.
Khodrocar - We're not surprised that the Swift comes with AWD. It's had the feature in Japan for many years, and we said it was coming to Europe based on spyshots last year. The only problem is that it's only available on the top trim level and in combination with the 1.2-liter mild hybrid powertrain.
The 1-liter Boostjet is much punchier and smoother, plus about €1,000 cheaper. Most people won't notice the advantages of the all-wheel drive in normal driving. But it does offer an extra layer of security and could be the perfect alpine getaway car.
Suzuki actually has three similarly sized cars, including the Baleno and Ignis. The latter looks more like a crossover and is also available with the AllGrip powertrain. If you're after a small hatch with mountain goat abilities, your only other choice is the Fiat Panda 4x4.
The 1.2-liter four-cylinder makes 90 HP and feels slightly under-powered in the regular Swift. However, due to Suzuki's obsession with lightness, the whole thing weighs only 980 kg, 90 kg over the standard model.
Sure, the AWD has a negative effect on fuel consumption, but it's not as bad as you think. Only 3 more grams of CO2 are emitted every 100 kilometers, while the 4x4's 62.8 mpg is still comparable to the 65.7 mpg of the regular car.
As you can see from the videos, the Swift is pretty well equipped. the SZ5 trim comes with sat-nav, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, 16-inch alloys and auto emergency breaking. However, Suzuki makes plastic interiors that are best enjoyed cheaply. Offering everything and AWD on a small car is the Japanese way of doing things.
Source: Autoevolution
Latest News
