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• The Suzuki Swift Sport came to market in mid-2019.
• The Swift Sport is one of the most fun cars you can buy in SA.
• The car is available with both a manual and automatic gearbox.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
Many vehicles make up the South African carpool, all ranging from the bottom-end of the price scale to the millions. Of all the vehicles, there is one that never made its way to Wheels24 in 2020, despite being in media rotation. And no, it's not a car costing several million Rand, nor a bakkie. No, it's something a little more attainable and within the financial reach of most South Africans.
I'm talking about the Suzuki Swift Sport (manual).
Damn, if I ever I had a sinking feeling of not driving a car, it was for this one. And here's why.
Pocket rocket
The Swift Sport is no stranger to the 'hot hatch' game, but it does so without the need to be flamboyantly over the top. The car's recipe for success is simple, too: light body, lively engine, and a manual gearbox. Yes, a six-speed automatic is also on offer, but purists will always prefer the third pedal.
With jealousy creeping in every time colleagues divulge in the Sport's character, I can only imagine how enticing and enthralling the little 'Zuki must be rushing up and down your favourite mountain pass. The manual gearbox hooking each gear with surety, the front wheels biting as you explore the car's limits...
And don't think that its turbocharged 1.4-litre engine is lazy, because the automaker managed to extract 103kW and 230Nm from it. The torque is available between 2500 - 3500rpm, allowing the car to run from 0-100km/h in 8 seconds and onto a 205km/h top speed. These figures might not set any charts alight, but it's the way the car handles itself.
Mixing experiences with the previous Swift Sport with the unrelenting praise from industry experts for the new one, it has now become a mission not to let 2021 pass without acquainting myself with one of Japan's best-kept open-secrets.
