Swift Sport, 9,800 km Driven

Today, I’d like to share my thoughts after owning a Suzuki Swift Sport for a year and a half.

The Swift Sport was delivered in October 2021, and I sold it at the end of May 2023. The total mileage was 9,850 km.

Although I occasionally drove on the nearby Royu Driveway and highways, it was mostly used for city driving, so please understand that this review isn’t based on having driven it on a wide variety of roads.

The reason I bought the Swift Sport was because my desire to drive a manual transmission (MT) car reignited.

Originally, I was a paper driver with an automatic-only license, but influenced (or rather brainwashed, lol) by my husband, I removed the automatic restriction and bought my first car myself, a BMW 320i (MT).

I enjoyed driving the 320 every day and really felt the joy of driving a manual, but gradually I started thinking, “Maybe I don’t really need an MT anymore… AT is just easier after all.”

Then, just before our third child was born, I sold the 320i. I thought, “I’ll be fine with an automatic for a while~” but when I got back behind the wheel of our Boxster GTS (981 MT) that we already had at home, I remembered how much fun it is to drive a manual with your own hands…

So I decided, “I want to buy my own MT car again!” and started looking for a car that met the criteria of “budget (early 2 million yen range), 5 seats, compact, and fun to drive.” That’s how I found the Swift Sport.

I went to the nearest dealer for a test drive of the MT model, and after just five seconds of driving, I thought, “This is the one I’m buying!” (laughs)

Exterior Design and Interior

I really liked the current model Swift Sport’s look — it’s cool and cute at the same time.

I wanted a two-tone color, so I chose black and red. The “Burning Red Pearl Metallic” is a deep, glossy, and beautiful red that I really loved.

My husband suggested, “Why not add decals? It’ll look super cool.” At first, I said, “Eh… but decals make it look like a street racer…” but after seeing the design, the front and side decals looked stylish (I chose only the side decal that says “sport,” as there were two types), so I decided to add them.

By the way, the decals were a dealer option.

The interior features sporty red-accented meters, and red highlights on the dashboard and door panels.

*Image source: Suzuki Swift Sport Interior Space

The seats are quite firm, with red stitching and the “sport” logo as accents. I kept thinking, “Is it really okay for this to be a brand-new car priced at 2.2 million yen (at the time)?” The attention to detail is impressive.

*Image source: Suzuki Swift Sport Interior Space

I don’t think many people would be dissatisfied with this interior — if anything, I thought it was even flashier than my husband’s Porsche (lol).

Swift Sport Performance and Driving Experience

The Swift Sport is undeniably fun to drive.

Being an MT probably adds to that feeling, but it’s a perfect combination of “light and nimble” × “solid suspension” × “a responsive, lively engine.” Even in busy city traffic, it’s plenty enjoyable. The car weighs under 1 ton, so it feels very light, and the acceleration from a stop is quick and satisfying. At the same time, the suspension is firm enough that it never feels “flimsy.”

Compared to the Porsches we have at home, sure, the Porsche’s rigidity and suspension are amazing, but in terms of cost performance, a car built this well at this price point might even beat Porsche, I thought.

Compared to other compact cars in this price range, it’s clear that the Swift Sport is on a whole different level in build quality (especially the suspension).

Also, this Swift Sport got even better after I switched to lowered suspension. The stock suspension felt a bit floaty at times, but especially on the highway, it now sticks firmly to the road and the sense of contact is dramatically improved.

Even at higher speeds or when cornering, it never feels scary or unstable. I can drive with confidence and comfort. (Though the lower ride height does increase the risk of scraping the bottom when leaving convenience store parking lots, etc.)

And the engine’s smoothness is amazing…!

Thanks to the Swift Sport, I learned how to blip the throttle myself, and the response when matching revs and the way the engine smoothly pulls in proportion to the accelerator pedal is just so much fun. Towards the end, I kept asking myself, “Why am I even thinking about selling such a fun car…?” It was that good to drive.

Luckily, I got a production slot for a 911, so I decided to take the plunge and buy a Porsche, but if that opportunity hadn’t come up, I probably would have kept driving the Swift Sport for many more years.

Fuel Economy and Practicality

Regarding fuel economy, since I mostly drove in city traffic with lots of stops, it was around 12 to 14 km/l. If I had driven more on suburban roads or highways, the fuel economy might have been better.

As for practicality, it was outstanding. Being compact, it could handle any road and fit into any parking spot, making it super convenient to get around anywhere.

The rear seats were surprisingly spacious, allowing me to fit all three kids in the back, and the trunk could hold a large suitcase suitable for overseas travel.

However, when going out with my husband and all five family members, it was a different story. The front passenger footwell is very tight, and my husband always said, “My feet hit the dash, it’s cramped, no way I can do long trips like this.” Also, when operating the MT, my left arm would accidentally hit his right arm the moment I shifted into second gear (lol), making it a bit uncomfortable to ride in. (In that sense, the Nissan Note we had before was more comfortable.)

The Swift Sport is incredibly fun to drive solo, but with two or more passengers, it gets heavy and the ride quality suffers a bit, so I think it’s a car best suited for “enjoying driving alone.”

Thank You, Swift Sport!

After a year and a half with the Swift Sport, if I had the budget, I’d love to have two cars because it was such a hard car to part with.

It was truly a lot of fun.

Price doesn’t always equal fun, nor does power or horsepower always mean enjoyment. This car really made me feel that deep down. The Swift Sport was taken away at the end of May, but I hope it continues to bring joy to its next owner as well.

Thank you, Swift Sport!