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This summer holiday was a joy, but it’s over now and it’s time for us to put pen to paper, get back on the horse and pretend to be happy to see our co-workers.
It’s also time for me to hand back the keys to the Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLA I had for this vacation. Suzuki makes great cars, this much we know but what’s the Swift like to live with?
DRIVEN: 2018 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL
Here are four reasons I’d want to continue living with this bright red little number, and one little niggle that annoyed.
1. Fuel economy
Yes, the fuel price just came down, but it’ll be long forgotten when it goes up two-fold again later this year.
The little Suzuki somehow manages to routinely dip below the claimed figure of 4.8-litres/100 and although the fuel tank only holds 37-litres, fuel stops are few and far between.
With no fuel card this past holiday I was left to reach into my own pockets and it felt good knowing that even when I floored the Swift, fuel consumption was still within very respectable limits.
2. It handles well, but is still comfortable
These days most cars drive and handle well, and to me, that’s a problem. I enjoy cars that are comfortable and I’m not always in the mood to set lap records on the 'Koeberg' interchange on Cape Town's N1.
Image: Quickpic
The little Swift allows me to have a little bit of both. Some fun under hard braking thanks to the 875kg kerb weight, a relatively good turn in, some expected mid-corner understeer if you want to keep the speed up and a smile on the exit.
After that, it’s all comfort as I cruise down our well-maintained Cape Town highways.
3. Bluetooth on the go!
I want to end on a positive so I'm going to throw the negative in right now. The Bluetooth system on the Swift is good once it’s going, but clunky on the way in.
It doesn’t work at all unless stationary (an understandable safety feature) and put a weird damper on our summer spirits when friends and/or family piled into the car.
Image: Quickpic
Seatbelts fastened, everyone laughing excitedly and 200 meters down the road I have to stop the car dead so that my niece could connect her phone to the infotainment system. A small annoyance but one I was made to promise to talk about in my review.
4. Cheeky and Cheerful
And finally, The Suzuki Swift can be yours for as little as R159 000. And unlike the sold-out Jimny, there is no waiting list for Swift and after popping into a local dealer for a chat, there are many deals to be had on the little pocket rocket.
Image: Ernest Page
As budget options goes, it's one of the more attractive cars available, it's relatively well specced, and manages to combine fun and frugality in one cheeky little package.
The engine revs all the way to the red line and is reminiscent of smaller runabouts of old. It's a car that's easy to love and live with, even if you're stuck listening only.
