LOOKS AND PRICE ARE THE ACES UP THe SWIFT’S SLEEVE, BUT DOES A DIESEL PREMIUM UNDO ALL THat? MATT MASTER FEARS IT MIGHT

A Lot of Praise has been heaped on the Suzuki Swift, in no small part because people really want it to be as good as it looks. And an entry level three-door is £7,499 (Rs 6 lakh) to boot, meaning it’s still one of the cheapest cars on sale in the UK. But the version we’ve got here – a version that will eventually be made available in India – borrows one of Fiat’s well-proven little diesels and, available only as a five-door, comes in at a less convincing £9,750 (Rs 7.8 lakh) before toys. So an expensive Suzuki Swift isn’t quite such an attractive proposition, and suddenly the car’s shortcomings are brought into stark relief. The electric windows lack a convincing sense of solidity as they clatter open, and it’s hard to find a comfortable driving position if you’re tall.

On the move, the diesel Swift offers a confounding combination of pros and cons too. The steering is quick, light and encouragingly direct, but there’s enough body roll. The gearchange is short and snappy, but it
suffers from a tendency to baulk, which makes slick use of the standard five-speed ’box a bit hit and miss.
The engine itself is a perky 1248cc turbocharged unit that generates 68bhp and 170Nm of torque. Noise levels are genuinely quite manageable, and once you get used to the Eighties-throwback turbo lag, it’s a relatively exploitable and enjoyable car to hurtle about in.
The fundamental problem that anyone contemplating a diesel Swift is going to face is offsetting the larger price against eventual returns. There’s lower running cost to be had out of the diesel, but this will be hard to realise unless you’re on the motorway all the time. And if you are, you don’t want to be in a Swift. As a fine-looking, affordable city car, the Swift is still a solid choice, though. It’s got the gender divide bridged, is straightforward, practical and well equipped. But this only counts for anything if you go for the most basic petrol version.