Nine Months Since Swift Sport Delivery

My beloved car, the Swift Sport, was delivered in October 2021. Time flies—it’s already been nine months.

Since then, the only modifications I’ve made are installing lowering springs and replacing the interior lights with LEDs.

I’ve been driving the Swift almost daily over these nine months, but since most trips are just to the local supermarket or kindergarten, the mileage hasn’t grown much.

So far, it’s about 4,000 km.

Besides the Swift, we have several Porsches owned by my husband, and I understand their incredible performance well. He often tells me, “You should drive the Porsches more,” but I always find myself reaching for the Swift instead.

Swift Sport Is Overwhelmingly Practical for Everyday Use

The reason I want to drive the Swift is its perfect balance of everyday practicality and driving enjoyment. (Well, that’s only natural, right? lol)

Today, I want to dive a little deeper into this topic.

Compact Size

The Swift Sport is very compact, with a width of just 1,735 mm. It looks bigger compared to an air-cooled Porsche 911 (964), but

It’s quite rare to see these two lined up together

Compared to typical cars, it’s small enough to handle narrow roads and tight parking spots with ease—wherever I want to go.

For someone like me who mostly drives around town, this compact size is a huge plus.

Manageable Power

This Swift Sport is equipped with a 1.4L direct-injection turbo engine producing 140 horsepower. At first glance, that might seem a bit underwhelming, but when you actually drive it, you don’t feel any lack of power at all.

The Swift weighs less than a ton (mine is a manual at 970 kg), making it very light. The acceleration from a standstill is torque-rich, nimble, and smooth—really satisfying.

Even in stop-and-go traffic, there’s no stress.

Of course, if you ask, “Would you want to drive about 500 km from home to Fuji Speedway?” I’d say that might be a bit tough—not because of performance, but due to wind noise, speed sensation, and road noise, which could get tiring. But for two to three hours on the highway, it’s absolutely fine.

A New Car Customized to My Taste, So I Feel Attached

I bought this Swift Sport brand new.

Originally, I wasn’t planning to buy new and was considering used, but I concluded that “once you factor in changing tires and other tweaks, it’s not much different from buying new,” so I went for a new one.

The exterior is a two-tone with a black roof and red body.

I consulted with my husband and added decals on the hood and sides, removed the emblems, and customized it to my liking, so I’m very satisfied.

Even when I finish shopping at the supermarket and return to the parking lot, the moment I spot my Swift, I feel an indescribable joy thinking, “My cute little partner is waiting for me!”

This was my first time buying a new car, and if possible, I’d love to customize and buy new again next time.

Quite Comfortable Ride

I think the ride comfort is pretty good. Of course, comfort is subjective, but I don’t think many people would say it’s “uncomfortable.”

Despite its compact and lightweight body, it feels planted and stable without any floaty or bouncy feeling, which I like.

With Porsches, sometimes “the ride is smooth at higher speeds on winding roads and highways but less comfortable at low speeds,” but with the Swift, I don’t feel any discomfort at everyday low speeds, making it very easy to use daily.

Manual Transmission Is Fun

Manual cars are just fun. The Swift Sport’s clutch is shallow and light, and the shift lever is easy to operate, so I don’t have to worry much when starting off. Blipping on downshifts is also easy, so even slowing down and stopping at red lights is enjoyable (lol).

It doesn’t have hill-start assist, but once you get the hang of it, it’s no problem at all.

Controlling a car with this moderate power feels great in my hands, which is why I often choose the Swift over the Porsches lol.

What I Really Want from a Car

Since buying the Swift Sport, I’ve realized something important.

That is, “What I want from a car is ease of everyday use and driving enjoyment.”

I don’t go on tours at all, and I rarely drive on highways. So I don’t need insane horsepower or mind-blowing handling.

Also, big cars are hard to use, so I prefer something a bit smaller that I can take anywhere without worry. Since I often travel with my three kids, it has to seat at least four.

At first, I admired the Porsche 911, thinking, “The GTS looks cool! I want to try the Turbo! That wing and wide body are awesome!” But now I’ve settled on “The base model is more than enough for me; the simpler, the better.”

My journey to find the perfect car will surely continue, but through it, I hope to enjoy my car life even more and more.