A Trio of Suzuki's- Swift 1.5XE, SX4 GLX & SX4 Sport
September 8th 2008 09:29
Suzuki Swift 1.5XE
It may lack the badge kudos of the Corsa or Clio but the Swift is a superb supermini that is every bit the equal of more expensive rivals. It's stylish and sporty looks mean it stands out from the crowd of usual suspects and with plenty of interior space and a neat, well built cabin it has plenty going for it. It's comfortable on the move but the best thing about the Swift is the handling - sharp and responsive it makes the little Suzuki great fun to drive in town and on the open road. Affordable prices, generous equipment levels and a diesel option only add to the attractive package - in short it's one of the best superminis on sale. (net sourced)
I was toying with the idea of changing my car and the Suzuki Swift had caught my eye in the local paper, so one sunny Saturday morning I visited the local Suzuki dealer. I really enjoy the driving experience of driving small, nippy manual gear change cars and the model I drove was the entry level 1.5XE Swift, starting at $17,500 for a manual model. The interior was fairly basic but to be expected though and it wasn't too bad for someone who is 6'2 tall either.
Even though I am fairly tall, the cabin offers good headroom and good all round visability. gear change is smooth and for a 1.5cc engine, quite nippy too. Driving with intent around uneven corners, I found the car kept the road well and without any noticable body roll.
Overall, not a bad little car and perfect for around town driving although the seat fabric appears to scream cheap and for the money I would expect a little higher spec.
kiwiauthor rating 6/10
SX4 1.6GLX
When Suzuki launched the current model Swift two years ago it promptly took the small car market by storm. Epitomising fun, the Swift's winning combination of style, handling and value for money has kept it at the top of the sales charts since its release.
Hot on the heals of the delightful 1.6 litre, body-kitted 'Sport' version of the Swift comes the SX4; a compact crossover utilising the same floor plan as the popular and competent Swift but with the added attraction of a 2.0 litre engine and all-wheel drive.
A walk around the vehicle left us in two minds about the styling somewhat. The boomerang headlights and flared fenders help deliver a stronger presence up front and looked great; but when viewed from behind the SX4 lacks flair. In our opinion, cues borrowed from other Suzuki family members would've been a benefit here.
We're sure however with durable plastic mouldings around the wheel arches, high ground clearance and standard roof rails the SX4 will offer an appeal to outdoorsy life-stylers. Especially those who previously haven't had the budget to consider a new vehicle.
(net sourced)
I enjoyed driving the SX4, what with the slightly bigger engine and body size, although Iwould prefer one over the Swift, the price difference is $17.500 to $21,500, so depends on your budget as both cars have their own appeal.
kiwiauthor rating 7/10
SX4 Sport
This is 2.0 imported sports model that the dealer had on the forecourt and had to say it looked pretty good with the Suzuki sport pack on it. Even though it was an auto (not keen on them), it was more fun to drive, due to the bigger engine, alloy wheels with low profile tyres and the toughened shocks.
I liked this out of all that I drove, its just a shame it didn't come in a manual gear change.
kiwiauthor rating 7.5/10
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