Article By Josh Wild

Suzuki Swift Showdown: New Swift Vs. Old Swift


So the brand new Suzuki Swift is here, and despite its subtle changes in looks - there's quite a different car under the shell. So, in a game of thrones, will it be the new or old Suzuki Swift that is crowned king of the north? Will it be the old god or the new?

Game of thrones puns aside (though they were pretty good right?), we know that it's important to do your research when buying a car. It's the second largest investment you'll make, trumped only by a house purchase. So in this blog article, we pitch the new Suzuki Swift against the old model, and find out which is worth the investment.

Old Swift (2016 Model)

​This generation of the Swift arrived in 2010, with a facelift version hitting showrooms in 2013. Starting from £9,249, the old model Swift was powered by a 1.2 naturally aspirated engine, producing 93bhp or 89bhp in the more efficient Dueljet guise. Being a naturally aspirated engine, the Swift had to be worked hard to get it moving, but was still economical with low car tax costs.

The entry level SZ2 model came with remote locking, electric front windows, heated door mirrors and a CD radio with USB port, but you had to step up to the SZ3 model for creature comforts like air-conditioning, bluetooth and alloy wheels. The SZ-L added sat nav, cruise control and DAB radio. The range-topping SZ4 from £13,499 gave you automatic headlights and keyless entry/start. One of the flaws of the previous model Swift was its boot size of just 211 litres. Perfect for your weekly shop, but a struggle for vacations away.

The Swift was awarded a 5 star Euro NCAP rating back in 2010. However, with current tests being much tougher on new vehicles, you cannot compare that score with today's models. The Swift has a generous number of airbags, seven to be precise, as well as ESP, ABS and seatbelt reminders - but it lacks the advanced safety kits of more modern cars.

Service intervals of 9,000 are typical of older Suzuki models, but the newer ones offer a more appealing 12,500 mile interval.

New Swift (2017 Model)

​The new Swift landed with us a few months ago, and that's given us plenty of time to compare it to the old model. We drive, and we know things at Colin Appleyard. Ok, I'm sorry.. moving on. The new model starts from £10,999, an increase on the previous model starting price, but it now has several engines to choose from and you get two extra doors as the new Swift only comes in a 5 door guise.

The 1.2 Dueljet engine has remained, and features in the base SZ3 model. Step up to the SZ-T and the new 1.0 Boosterjet (turbo-charged) engine becomes available, which not only raises the power to 109bhp - it retains competitive economy figures of 61.4mpg (combined) and keeps the CO2 at a low 104g/km.

Suzuki's SVHS system is a mild-hybrid setup, and is available with the 1.2 and 1.0 engines in both the range-topping SZ5 and 4x4 models. With the 1.0 Boosterjet SVHS engine, this reduces the CO2 output to a mere 97g/km.

Performance in the new Swift hasn't just been improved by the 1.0 Boosterjet engine, but the 105kg of weight that the new model has shed, thanks to its all-new, lightweight platform. The new engine helps the new Swift sprint from 0-60mph in 10.3 seconds vs. 11.9 seconds in the old model.

The entry-level SZ3 comes with more kit than the previous Swift entry model, including remote locking, electric front windows, heated door mirrors, air-conditioning, DAB radio with USB port and Bluetooth. Step up to the SZ-T and this adds the fantastic 1.0 Boosterjet engine, a 7" infotainment screen which incorporates Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and 16" alloy wheels. The range-topping SZ5 from £14,499 gives you a plethora of added luxuries including climate control, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, Sat Nav and advanced safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and high-beam assist. Suzuki also listened to its customers, and boot space has been increased by 20% to a far more usable 264 litres. Combined with the 60:40 split rear seats, this makes the new model far more vacation-friendly.

New owners will also be happy to know that they'll only need to visit the servicing department every 12,500 miles, instead of 9,000 with the previous model.

Side By Side Comparison (Mid-Spec Model)​

​Model2016 Swift SZ3 1.2 5Ddr2017 Swift SZ-T 1.0 BoosterJet 5dr​
​Price​£11,499£12,499​
​Fuel Consumption (Combined) (mph)56​61​
​Power (bhp)92​109​
​Maximum Torque (nm)118​170​
​0-60mph (seconds)11.9​10.3​
​CO2 Emissions (g/km)116​104​
​Weight (kg)​1020915​
​Length (mm)3850​3840​
​Width (mm)1695​1735​
​Turning Circle (m)10​9​
​Luggage Capacity (Litres)211​265​

*Information is correct on day of creation in 2017​

How Much Would It Cost You To Travel Across Westeros In The New Swift?

One Game of Thrones fan has used a map of Westeros and knowledge of the series to calculate the distances between certain destinations in the fictional world. We've used these distances to calculate how much it would cost you to get there in the new Swift (SZ5 1.0 Boosterjet SHVS), and lets face it.. it would be a lot more comfortable than travelling by horse and carriage or dragon:

King's Landing to Winterfell (1460 miles): £116.80

Casterly Rock to King's Landing (830 miles): £66.40

Winterfell to Castle Black (650 miles): £52.00

Meereen to Yunkai (145 miles): £11.60