My Suzuki Swift Sport Has Arrived

The manual-transmission car I ordered in April was finally delivered the other day. It took about six months from placing the order to delivery—what a wait… (laughs)

As the title says, my new car is a Suzuki Swift Sport.

I’d said I’d reveal my choice in the delivery-day post, and so many of you took a guess—thank you! Some of you called the Swift Sport right away. I remember thinking, “Wow, sharp eyes!” (laughs)

I had three requirements when looking for a car. First, it had to seat five. I often travel with my three children, so a two-seater was out of the question. Five seats were a must.

Second, it had to have a manual transmission. Until last year, I drove a manual BMW 320i, but I sold it after we had a baby. After that, I thought, “An automatic is so comfortable—I don’t need another manual.” But this spring, on a beautiful day, I took a manual car out for a drive on Royu and the surrounding roads, and my love of manuals came roaring back.

“I really do want a manual of my own!”

My third requirement was a car priced in the ¥2-million range. That was a major consideration—and I wanted to keep it in the lower end of that range. My husband owns several Porsches (five at the moment), and I’m sure he’d be open to buying me an imported car if I told him I wanted one and we agreed on it…

But I have this strange conviction that I want to buy my own car with my own money. That put a pretty tight limit on my budget.

At first, I looked at used cars such as the MINI Countryman and VW Golf. But every car I liked that was in good condition was over budget.

Then my husband suggested, “How about a Suzuki Swift Sport?”

When I heard “Swift Sport,” I had this preconceived image of a young male car enthusiast modifying one and tearing around mountain roads (sorry…). So at first, I only half-listened, thinking, “This isn’t the kind of car a woman in her forties like me would drive… haha.”

*Image source: Suzuki Swift Sport

But as I watched the Swift Sport reviews my husband sent me on YouTube, I started to think, “The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, and it sounds like a lot of fun with a manual transmission.” Then we reasoned:

“Once you factor in the discount on a new car, the price difference between a used one and a new one might not be that big. In that case, it makes more sense to order a new car in the exact specification I want.”

So I went to a nearby Suzuki dealership for a test drive. The shift lever felt great to use, acceleration was quick and satisfying, and despite its light weight, the car felt planted and reassuring. Its power and compact dimensions also felt just right—easy to control and fun to drive. I was sold on the spot.

At first, I was told delivery would be in June, or July at the latest. I casually thought I’d keep the car a surprise until it arrived—but I never imagined the wait would stretch this long because of the semiconductor shortage…

It’s not as though I’d ordered some rare, unusual car that warranted keeping everyone waiting for six months. I was gradually starting to feel bad for all of you, so I’m relieved to finally share the news on the blog.

Swift Sport Specs and Options

Here are the main specifications and options I chose for my Swift Sport:

Two-tone roof (Burning Red Pearl Metallic), 6-speed manual transmission, hood decal, side decals, fuel-lid cover, floor mats, Suzuki Safety Support, no Around View Monitor camera package

I’d always thought, “I want red,” and Suzuki had just made a red body with a black roof available as a two-tone option, so that’s what I chose. The two-tone roof is available in three colors: orange, red, and blue.

I’d also often seen my husband’s cars and those of other Porsche owners around us, and thought, “I want decals on the car I buy.” So I added decals to the front and sides as a factory option.

Decals are also available for the headlights, but they make the car look a little more aggressive. To keep its “cute and cool” feel, I decided not to add them.

I also went for a clean rear end, leaving off the rear camera—which would normally sit in the middle of the hatch—as well as the badges. (For a moment, you might not even recognize what kind of car it is! haha)

My new car has arrived, and I’m delighted with all the details I chose to make it my own. I’ve been driving it every day since delivery, and it’s a real joy. It’s a completely different kind of fun from a Porsche, but it’s a car that makes you want to get behind the wheel. I’ll share my impressions of how it drives in a future post.