The battle of the hatchbacks is here. We're taking a look at the Suzuki Swift and the Ford fiesta to see what they both have to offer when it comes to tech and spec and of course price. We've put them head to head to help you decide where you should be putting your money.
The Suzuki Swift
The Suzuki Swift is renowned for being reliable, trustworthy & great fun to drive. We're going to focus on the entry level Swift SZ-L which despite being the 'base' and cheapest model in the Swift line up, still beats most of its competitors hands down when it comes to to what it has to offer as standard. The Swift SZ-L is jam packed with features, most of which you'd need to add on and pay extra for when compared like for like against other models.
Standard on the Swift SZ-L you'll find...
The Ford Fiesta
We're using the entry level Fiesta Trend for our comparison to ensure we're giving you a like for like review.
The Fiesta has always proved to be a popular choice and has gone through many changes over the years. The latest model has a 1.1 litre petrol engine as standard with the option of Ford's latest 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine for an additional cost.
The standard features on the Fiesta Trend include:
Engines - Petrol Vs Self-Charging Mild Hybrid
Unless you've been hiding in a cave for the past few years, you'll be well aware of the aims by governments & World leaders to make all cars run on electric in the not so distant future. Those of us who have always driven a petrol or diesel powered vehicle will no doubt have concerns about how this will work and in particular about how and where we will charge our vehicles. The daily commute might not be so much of a problem but what about longer journeys? The solution, or at least for now, is the option of a Hybrid engine.
Suzuki are currently the only manufacturer to provide a 100% offering of Hybrid cars across their range. The Swift falls into the 'self-charging' or 'mild' Hybrid category which means you'll benefit from improved miles per gallon (mpg) & reduced CO2 emissions without the need to plug in. The Fiesta Trend however comes with a petrol engine as standard.
For those not familiar with Hybrids vehicles, they are powered by a standard internal combustion engine which works together with an electric motor to improve efficiencies. To ensure the very best in Hybrid technology, Suzuki have partnered with Toyota who are World leaders when it comes to the design and production of Hybrid engines meaning that Suzuki owners will continue to benefit from their trademark reliability together with the very latest innovations.
If you want to find out more about the different kind of Hybrid engines you can take a read of our 'Know Your Hybrids' blog.
Verdict
If it's a simple case of counting ticks in boxes then the Swift is the obvious winner across the board when it comes to the spec you get as standard & the performance you can expect. When it comes to the price tag then it's another clear win for the Swift which offers undoubtable value for money.
The Suzuki mild hybrid engine delivers close to 60 mpg, which for a hatchback is pretty impressive & whilst the SZ-L is the entry level model in the Swift line up, it's got all the tech you need as standard & with a much lower price than it's Fiesta rival.
See for yourself - book a test drive
Whilst the lesser known Swift might not have been on your shopping list before reading this review, we're confident it will be once you've taken it for a drive. As well as the tech & price which we've already highlighted, it's the unexpected quality of the Suzuki brand which you really need to experience & we're confident you'll understand what we mean once you've seen it for yourself.
So book your test drive today. We have demonstrator models available at each of our 4 Suzuki dealerships in Bradford, Keighley, Huddersfield & Ashton Under Lyne and our experienced team will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have on the Swift range.
Not looking for a new car?
If you're not looking for a brand new car, then we have a wide selection of nearly new, ex-display & low mileage Swift models in stock - browse now.
Prices and offers correct as at 1/7/22