I should exercise more. It wasn't just my doctor who told me that. But because I couldn't get into ball sports, cycling, or athletics, I had to come up with something else. Then came to me Niki Schelle (dt rally driver) in mind when the sport says, he often says Suzuki Swift Sport.

So ask Suzuki if you can not give me a little tutoring in sports. And shortly thereafter he was at the door, in Kashmir Blue Pearl metallic. On it goes to the first sports lesson in the small Suzuki Swift.

In the driving report:

Suzuki Swift Sport

“Games, sports and fun”

Or: Back to the future of driving pleasure

Innocent? No, the little cube named Swift Sport does not look innocent. You can see that there is someone here who wants to have fun and then takes the whole sport. The wire mesh grille in black, the molded spoiler lip on the front and xenon headlights. The front of the little Suzuki does a good job, especially when painted in contrast to the black radiator elements of this strong cashmere blue.

In the side view it is noticeable how short the overhangs at the front and back are. A black painted A-pillar, a black B-pillar and the tinted side windows act as a clear signal. At the rear, two exhaust pipes and a large roof spoiler dominate. The language of Swift, which is otherwise free of unnecessary beads and edges, is understandable and thanks to the 17-inch rims that sit tightly in the wheel arch, the little Japanese tells you about his athletic abilities while standing still.

Suzuki Swift Sport

Somehow so GTI - do you remember?

With its overall length of 3.90 m, a width of almost 1.70 m and a wheelbase of 2.43 m, the proportions of the Suzuki Swift are extremely close to that of the second Golf generation. Golf - also such a sport and as a Golf GTI 16 V a real icon among the sporty compact models. Here too, a coincidence: with 136 HP, the Swift Sport is 3 HP under the former Golf GTI 16 (without CAT), but 7 HP over the later model with Kat. I had both GTI versions and I can do the tours well remember with the sporty Wolfsburg.

Coincidence or destiny?

As I drive the first few meters with the most sporty Suzuki, I feel instantly staggered back in time. There it is again, drive this pure car. Drive this direct and unadulterated car. A steering that makes you feel like the pad under the tires changes, a taut but always fair suspension and a real guy from engine. No big pug, but a 1.6 liter 16V-sucker free of lamentations and whimper, relish the speed ladder climbs. 6.900 turns as limit. It's all as it used to be, and I think hard about where the automotive industry has gone wrong.

One leg in the air doesn't matter - the 195 tires on the front axle offer enough grip to relieve the rear, cornering inner wheel from time to time. The Swift wags the corners as honestly as few cars can today. A Toyota GT 86 should be a brother in spirit, but also thanks to the drive concept with the flat center of gravity and the rear-wheel drive another league.

Of course the Swift has the “elk protection program” ESP on board, we didn’t really need it at the time and the Swift drives safely around the pylons even without electronic driving aids.

Cockpit and workout area  Yes, you sit a little too high and the steering wheel can not be adjusted far enough. The feeling of sitting in a compact three-door is always there as a passenger. The seats are really hard to keep the working body of the pilot in shape and tension, in the end could be reworked here a little.

That was it with the criticism of the interior of the Swift. Narrow columns, relatively steep panes - a perfect all-round view. Those who rob the next curve around their apex have had everything in view beforehand. The cockpit is clean and clear - almost pedantic tidy. Here, too, the active driver is happy to have as little distraction as possible. And again the thought comes to me, at which point in the history of automotive development we actually made a wrong turn when we stopped installing simple but driver-oriented and active athletes' interiors?

Classic sucker

Every small car with a turbo diesel engine has more torque. No matter. The 160 Nm of 1.6 liter large four-cylinder sucker also correspond to what the Golf GTI 16V then mobilized in strength. And this engine was my childhood dream back then and later the car I drove in slalom races. A sporty naturally aspirated engine can never get old, it just becomes a classic.

Classic work on the ladder

Not much goes up to 2.000 tours, the Swift turns cleanly, but pulls its lanes with little pressure from the speed limit. Relaxed - those who master everyday life below 2.500 revolutions also remain economical and quiet. Typical of this type of engine, with every revolution more life awakens under the short hood of the Swift Sport and, analogously, the desire to play with the sporty Swift. In the bend, don't let the engine speed drop below 3.600 and roar happily out of it - if you put the next gear at 6.000, you will experience the driving fun of the old GTI days. And that was a great time.

Motor data:

Power:

136 PS

Force:

160 Nm

0-100 km / h:

8,7 sec

Advantages - disadvantages - conclusion .. the next page continues.

... read on ... >>

Driving Report Page 1  |  Advantages disadvantages | Technical data | Gallery

passion: driving over the Swift Sport

All photos as always from me, except for the cover picture. The “racing cube” comes from Peter Wagner

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