Suzuki Swift Sport – First Drive Impressions
The Suzuki Swift sport, launched a few days ago to the media at the Sepang International Circuit, comes with the option of a CVT as the automatic version, or a 6-speed manual. Priced at RM97,888 for the CVT, and RM102,888 for the manual, it offers quite an impressive performance package that will endear it to the driving enthusiast fraternity.
The mainstream drivers would without doubt go for the standard 1.4 litre model Swift, which in itself is quite well suited for the everyday driver who wants a nice commute to and from work. The Swift Sport is the likely choice for those who love spirited driving on a relatively low budget.
On paper, the Swift Sport comes with the 1.6 litre DOHC M16A engine, with VVT, carried over from the outgoing Swift Sport, which provides a healthy 136PS of power at 6,900 rpm, and a maximum torque of 160Nm of torque peaking at 4,400 rpm. Based on a kerb weight of just 1,070kg (Manual Transmission model), this car will go, and go fast. Rated top speed is 195 km/hr, and claimed zero to 100 km/hr acceleration is 8.7 seconds. These base numbers should be enough to impress any driving enthusiast, and personally, I am too. To squeeze these numbers from a 1.6 litre engine, given today’s stringent emission regulations, is truly a great challenge, and kudos is due to the engine design team for being able to achieve this.
On the Sepang Circuit, we did have an opportunity to check out this great little car, and although we had only a sighting lap followed by one quick lap and a cooling down lap, it was enough for me to size up the Swift Sport pending a more comprehensive test.
The engine revs up very willingly, and it will do so until the red line at 7,200 rpm; this is a very well-built little engine, and having been around for quite a while, it is robust and reliable. The 6-speed manual transmission has some very well-thought out ratios. I had a chance to share a few thoughts with Mr. Keiichi Suzuki, Managing Director of Suzuki Malaysia; it was a pleasant surprise to learn that he is a motoring enthusiast too, and actually was involved in Suzuki’s motorsports activities previously. Mr. Suzuki said that the gear ratios were designed for a good take-off, followed by four very close-ratio gears for second, third, fourth and fifth. He said, “Usually, drivers would likely be using second to fifth in most driving situations, and we put them closely together so that our customers would be able to enjoy driving the car. Basically first gear is for take-off with load, and sixth is a long gear for high speed cruising and fuel economy.”
Mr. Suzuki was absolute right there, for I did enjoy the shifts through the various corners of the North track at the SIC. With a reduced final drive from the current 3.944 the Suzuki can easily be adapted for race, rally or autocross use.
On the race track, the Suzuki Swift Sport gives a very good account of itself. It corners well, if you do the correct weight transfers in the approach to the corner, and understeers a little if you don’t. The pedals make for easy heel and toe, and throttle feel is good. The car corners quite flat with very little roll, and the brakes are excellent, being very assuring, thanks to vented fronts and solid discs at the rear. ESP (Electronic Stability Program) is standard equipment.
All things said, I think the Suzuki Swift sport is well worth investigating if you want to buy a really fun car with sporty performance at around a hundred K.
