Swift answers Ireland"s call for economy

Suzuki is Japan"s biggest small carmaker but, like so many of the Japanese car companies, it"s a late vocation when it comes to diesel power. Suzuki"s history has been as a small petrol engine-maker, succeeding in markets across the world as it has developed along value for money lines. More recently, Suzuki has located partners for its diesel power and developed a good match for its 4x4 models. The Grand Vitara range of 4x4s has combined durability with Peugeot-Citroen diesel power in recent years. Now it"s the turn of the small and impressive Swift model, which gets an oil-burner compliments a Fiat connection. And this Fiat power under the Swift"s bonnet gives the little car an impressive performance. I"ve been motoring across the country in the past week in the baby diesel Swift and I have to admit to being impressed. I"ve always had a soft spot for the Swift, as it"s been Suzuki"s only award-winning car, taking the Semperit Irish Car of the Year Award in 2006. This new generation version goes even further. It answers the call of economy and low emissions with powerful acceleration and good value. The 1.3 litre turbo-diesel engine used to power the Swift diesel is lively and fun to drive. The engine uses the Fiat Multijet system to give a lively result. Forget preconceived notions of sluggish diesel power for small cars when you drive the Swift; it can go! The 68bhp engine power gives a 0 to 100km/h acceleration pace of 13.7 seconds, which is good and fast for a car in this league. That"s only marginally behind the pace of the Fiat Grande Punto with the same engine fitted. And the Swift diesel is match for the competition in terms of economy, too. Again, it mirrors the Fiat Grande Punto performance, returning about 4.5 litres/100km (63mpg), which is at the thrifty end of the scale. It"s a shade less economical than Ford"s new Fiesta, featured recently in these pages, and it"s also a smaller car. So when you combine the pace and the economy of the Swift diesel, you appreciate that it"s a solid little small car performer. The top speed rating of 185km/h might seem a lot, but this car does have pace. It gives a lively driving experience even though the more recent models are a little heavier with more safety features than those of the past. The Swift comes with a five-speed gearbox that"s adequate for the engine power. Gear changes up the range are smooth and easy, but finding reverse was not as easy. The reverse gear was always tight, even after a week behind the wheel. The driving position in the Swift is good, with a relatively large windscreen and good rear visibility. The design gives a more upright driving position, which, personally, I like. And while the seats are not big in terms of their design, I found them comfortable across the different road conditions that dominate our north midlands. Rear legroom is a little tight, while headroom was adequate. The boot is also on the small side, while the boot divider makes better use of the space, allowing items to be loaded separately and to be kept more secure. The basic GL models have power steering, dual front, side and curtain airbags, integrated radio/CD, remote central locking and ABS, while the GLX version has air conditioning, fog lamps and alloy wheels. The kit combined with the Swift makes the car look compact and smart on the road. The entry price for the Suzuki Swift DDiS is €16,495, before delivery charges. That"s €1,600 more expensive than the 1.3 litre petrol-powered Swift GLX model. Even with a 20 per cent-plus saving in fuel usage, the diesel option with its lower annual motor tax cost is still a shade expensive relative to petrol-powered counterparts. The diesel Swift is a better car in terms of driving ability, road-holding and the extra weight of the diesel engine helps achieve this balance. At €16,495, it"s a value-for-money small diesel, but I reckon that straight deals will reveal even better value, and rapidly.