DriveLife recently attended the launch of the all-new 4th generation Swift, and we came away pretty impressed. Would a week with the new car change that view? To find out, I asked for the cheapest Swift in the range, which is still available with a 5-speed manual transmission.
What We Like and Dislike About The 2024 Suzuki Swift GLS
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Equipment levels Handling Interior Light weight Fun to drive | Hybrid system quirks Bright screen |
What’s In The 2024 Suzuki Swift Range?
The previous shape Sport is still available until the new Sport arrives at an unspecified future date. If you want the latest model you have three options:
- Swift Hybrid GLS Manual $25,990
- Swift Hybrid GLS CVT $27,990
- Swift Hybrid RSC CVT $29,990
All have the same 1.2-litre 3-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain. The engine makes 60.9kW of power and 111.8Nm of torque and the ‘integrated starter-generator’ assists the engine by up to 2.3kW of power and 60Nm of torque, but doesn’t drive the car on its own.
This means you get a power boost and some efficiencies, but there’s no RUCs to pay like a full hybrid.
2024 Suzuki Swift Colour Range
- Burning Red Pearl Metallic (two-tone Super Black Pearl roof + $510)
- Premium Silver Metallic
- Super Black Pearl Metallic
- Pure White Pearl (two-tone Mineral Grey roof + $510)
- Flame Orange Pearl Metallic
- Frontier Blue Pearl Metallic (two-tone Super Black roof + $510)
Optional two-tone on RSC model only.
For a full list of specs and options available for the Suzuki Swift head on over to Sukuki New Zealand’s website
How Does The 2024 Suzuki Swift GLS Compare To Its Competition?
| Make/ Model | Engine | Power/ Torque kW/Nm | Seats | Fuel L/100km | Boot Space litres | Price |
| Honda Jazz RS | 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol-hybrid | 78/127 | 5 | 3.8 | 304 | $36,700 |
| Toyota Yaris GX Hybrid | 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol-hybrid | 67/120 | 5 | 3.0 | 270 | $32,490 |
| Mazda2 GSX | 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol | 81/142 | 5 | 5.0 | 250 | $32,590 |
| Suzuki Swift GLS | 1.2-litre 3-cylinder | 60.9/111.8 | 5 | 4.0 | 265 | $25,990 |
| MG3 Excite | 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol | 81/142 | 5 | 6.0 | 293 | $25,990 |
| Kia Picanto GT-Line | 1.25-litre 3-cylinder petrol | 62/122 | 5 | 6.7 | 255 | $24,490 |
Please note that DriveLife does its best to ensure the information above is correct at the time of publication, however, prices, specifications and models can change over time. Please bear that in mind when comparing models in the comparison table.
First Impressions Of The 2024 Suzuki Swift GLS
Suzuki certainly hasn’t messed around with the formula too much – the 4th generation Swift is instantly recognisable, and despite being all-new, doesn’t seem to have changed all that much. Park it next to the outgoing model and it’s clear that lots of details have changed, but the overall effect is very similar. And that’s no bad thing.
The side and rear views are pure Swift. The front I’m not so sure about, it’s a bit too much grille and has lost a bit of its smiley-face look. Overall it’s a great package and retains its own unique character.
What’s The Interior Like In The 2024 Suzuki Swift GLS?
Upon sitting in the new Swift, my first thought was that it instantly felt like every Swift I’ve ever sat in. This is a laudable achievement from Suzuki, meeting all of the latest safety and technology improvements, but retaining the essence and feel of the car.
One thing they have improved is the seat side bolsters, which were comfortable but always felt to me like they were a bit too soft. The other major gripe I had with the old model was the centre screen and audio system, which I just didn’t get along with at all. I’m happy to report that the new one is much better, and I had no issues with it.
The interior is a mix of black and cream plastic, and I think it looks great. Finish is very good and everything feels of good quality and like it will last. The layout is simple, with the large central touch-screen and a smaller panel below with physical buttons for all the essentials like aircon and screen demisters. In the GLS, it’s pretty old-school as far as heating and cooling goes, there’s a fan speed up/down switch and a hotter/colder switch.
There’s a USB-A port, a power socket to charge your devices, and a shelf to put them on. Qi wireless charging is available as an option.
As mentioned, the screen and media system is much improved from the previous model, with good resolution and a much better user experience. The reversing camera is clear, the menu system is simple and satnav is built in as standard. There is a message that comes up on every start of the car, and “I agree” must be pressed before you can see the screen, but you soon get used to pressing it. The only issue I had with it was it was way too bright at night. I double-checked and it was set to auto-dim when the lights were on, but it was distractingly bright on unlit highways and rural roads. The stereo is only a two-speaker system but despite that, the sound quality is good, and well-balanced. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both included.
The driver’s display is classic Swift – a big speedo and rev counter with a digital central screen to show information about the car – trip computer, fuel consumption, even a power/torque display, but it didn’t have a digital speedo, which I would have liked.
The wheel is polyurethane but feels fine in the hands, with shaped grips and even a sporty flat-bottomed shape. It’s adjustable for reach and tilt, which isn’t always the case in small entry-level cars. There are buttons on the wheel for audio and cruise control, menus and some buttons behind for phone controls, and to turn off lane assist.
The seats are comfortable front and back, and legroom is as you’d expect for a small hatchback – not great for six-footers in the back seat but fine for the kids. The rear seats are 60/40 split-folding, but the dual-level boot floor of the previous Swift has gone, so it’s not totally flat with the seats folded. The boot is deep and has a good amount of space at 265 litres.
Something a couple of people noted is that the seatbelts in our review car were a bit too keen to retract, flying back so fast that they banged against the door frame or window!
Under the boot floor is an emergency tyre pump in place of a spare, same as the previous models.
What’s The 2024 Suzuki Swift GLS Like To Drive?
Like previous manual Swifts, the clutch is the lightest of any car I’ve driven, making the Swift really easy on the left leg even in traffic. There’s keyless entry and start, so just depress the clutch and press the button to start.
Around town the Swift is in its element, it’s quite nippy in first and second gear and its light weight and super-light steering means it’s easy and fun to chuck around. The big windows and small size, combined with the reversing camera and rear sensors, mean it’s easy to park too.
The Swift has traffic sign recognition, which works well and is mostly accurate, I would say above-average compared to other systems. Other safety systems include blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and hill start assist. This little car packs in some great safety gear.
There’s also lane assist, with self-steering, which has all the same issues that other cars have. Because New Zealand’s roads often have somewhat patchy or inconsistent lines, the system can’t always detect the sides of the road. What this means is it’s disabled half of the time, and only comes on when it can detect the lanes. When it comes on, it suddenly starts self-steering, which is disconcerting when it’s not expected. In the city I had no issues, but my route home is mostly rural and on those roads these systems don’t work well. It can be turned off, but comes back on every time the car is started.
With many hybrids it’s almost impossible to tell when they’re doing their thing, but the Swift Hybrid seemed to conflict a bit with my driving style. In a manual car I tend to slow down using engine braking, but in the Swift when I did this I could feel the hybrid charge kicking in and out, making a sort of surging feeling to the way it slowed down. This irritated me quite a bit, but my passengers said they couldn’t detect a thing, so maybe it’s just me! I imagine in the auto version this would not be detectable. A small thing, but something that would put me off the car, or push me to the auto instead.
Take it out onto the highway and the Swift is not quite as at-home. The weight becomes more of a disadvantage as side winds blow you around a lot. There is smart cruise control included even in the manual GLS – you’re able to change gear without disengaging the cruise, and it works well. You just have to remember to shift down for the hills. At highway speeds, the 61kW motor can feel underpowered even with just one person on board. Not much seems to be going on under 4,000RPM so you have to keep that little 1.2 buzzing to keep up with traffic. This obviously increases fuel usage and is probably what contributed most to my overall average of 5.3l /100km, compared to the stated 4.0, 5.3 is still a pretty good average though.
This has always been the case for the Swift – it’s not meant as a long-distance highway car, though it can cope with that. It’s best as a city car, and in the city and the suburbs it’s great. Fun to drive, quick enough, comfortable and easy to park.
2024 Suzuki Swift GLS – Specifications
| Vehicle Type | Hatchback |
| Starting Price | $25,990 |
| Price as Tested | $25,990 |
| Engine | 1.2-litre 3-cylinder Smart Hybrid VVT with 12V ISG |
| Power, Torque kW/Nm | 60.9/111.8 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Spare Wheel | Electric pump |
| Kerb Weight, Kg | 949 |
| Length x Width x Height mm | 3,860 x 1,735 x 1,495 |
| Boot Space / Cargo Capacity, Litres (seats up/seats down) | 265/589 |
| Fuel tank capacity, litres | 37 |
| Fuel Economy, L/100km | Advertised Spec – Combined – 4.0 Real-World Test – Combined – 5.3 Low Usage: 0-6 / Medium Usage 6-12 / High Usage 12+ |
| Towing Capacity Kg, unbraked/braked | 400/650 |
| Turning circle metres | 9.6 Small: 6-10m / Medium 10-12m / Large 12m+ |
| Warranty | 5 year extensive warranty programme 5 year roadside assistance |
| Safety information | ANCAP Rating – not yet tested Rightcar.govt.nz – 5 stars QPT135 |
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