GTP Cool Wall: Suzuki Swift Sport. Voting Closed

[Joey D]

They aren't attacks, the point of these threads is to state and defend your opinion of the given vehicle.

 

[Philly]

I honestly know almost nothing about it, and it's a compact by Suzuki that I've never seen, so I'll guess that it's uncool.

 

[Joey D]

You probably won't see it, I don't think there are plans to bring it to the state.

 

[niky]

Edit: Quote out of Wheels Magazine- "Steering and body control below its best rivals".

That's weird... every other car magazine that has tested it has put it on their "recommend" list... EVO puts it up there with the Fiat Panda 100HP...

I've driven the Swift... and to call the steering below its "best rivals" is to vastly overestimate the steering ability of the rubbish in the subcompact class.

I'd like to see what Impreza you can get for the same coin as the Swift. And proof. The cheapest Impreza is still quite a few quid clear of the top-of-the-line Swift... and the base 2.0 may handle nicely, but it's a soft, overweight porker compared to the Suzuki, which can be driven on its door-handles... hell, I'd take the Focus over the non-turbo Impreza... while the Impreza is easier to coerce into oversteer, the Focus has a more delicate feeling of balance and has vastly superior steering.

Personally, don't knock it till you've tried it. I've tried the Swift, and I love the little thing. Of course, considering there's absolutely no rear legroom and near-Mitsubishi levels of plastic on the inside, I probably won't ever own one.

 

[JCE]

Subzero. Quick, cheap, good looking, practical and most importantly isn't a Honda Civic.

 

[Paulie]

A standard Swift Sport is going to be far more enjoyable to drive than most high powered sedans and coupes

Pull the other one it plays Waltzing Matilda.

I love it when people who've never driven anything with fewer than 6 cylinders, less than 150bhp and less than 1500kg slate small cars for being rubbish.

I hope you're not referring to me either, I've driven quite a range of different vehicles already in my time, including the category you mentioned.

I'd like to see what Impreza you can get for the same coin as the Swift. And proof.

In Australia,
Swift Sport RRP from 23,990 (in '06, now up $500)
Impreza hatch from $22,990 depending on location.

 

[homeforsummer]

I hope you're not referring to me either, I've driven quite a range of different vehicles already in my time, including the category you mentioned.

Don't worry, it was more a generalisation though it was aimed more at some people than others. Working for a Ford garage I'm sure you've actually driven some fairly good small cars.

That said, I do still disagree with your general sentiment on the car. I do often suspect that some people on GTP either forget or never realise in the first place how much fun a small, light car can be, even if it doesn't have a lot of power.

 

[Boffin]

Don't worry, it was more a generalisation though it was aimed more at some people than others. Working for a Ford garage I'm sure you've actually driven some fairly good small cars.

That said, I do still disagree with your general sentiment on the car. I do often suspect that some people on GTP either forget or never realise in the first place how much fun a small, light car can be, even if it doesn't have a lot of power.

We only really drive Foci (plural??) with a few fiestas. While the Ka is on sale, no one buys it.

That said, the XR4s and 5s (er sorry - STs) are quite popular.

 

[Famine]

It's an excellent car. But good has absolutely nothing to do with cool.

Imagine the following conversation:
Person 2: "So, what do you drive then?"
You: "A Suzuki Swift!"

Uncool.

 

[homeforsummer]

We only really drive Foci (plural??) with a few fiestas. While the Ka is on sale, no one buys it.

That said, the XR4s and 5s (er sorry - STs) are quite popular.

Did you ever get the old Ka? Brilliant vehicle that. I wouldn't touch the new one with a ten foot pole. Nothing wrong with Foci and Fiestas though, very balanced little cars. Including the lower powered ones

Good lord, all these attacks for having a difference in opinion, you guys could work for the Obama administration.

If you consider these attacks then the internet is not for you, I'm afraid.

What part of "I could care less about hot hatches" didn't you understand?

I understood perfectly. Given that you singularly failed to miss my point though and given that we're talking in a thread about a hot hatch, I felt perfectly at liberty to discuss similar cars.

You'll also note that nowhere did I say "it'll never break down". I simply said, very generally, that it won't break down. In the same way that I'd recommend a Civic to someone because it wouldn't break down. I'm sure some do, but they're certainly in a very small minority.

 

[Paulie]

Don't worry, it was more a generalisation though it was aimed more at some people than others. Working for a Ford garage I'm sure you've actually driven some fairly good small cars.

That said, I do still disagree with your general sentiment on the car. I do often suspect that some people on GTP either forget or never realise in the first place how much fun a small, light car can be, even if it doesn't have a lot of power.

I have driven:
WQ Fiesta ST (XR4 in Oz)
LT/LV Focus ST (XR5 in Oz)
LT/LV Focus petrol both 5spd manual, 4spd auto, sedan and hatch
WP, WQ, WS Fiestas, manuals and autos
LT turbo diesel Focus 6spd manual
And yeah, that's just the Fords I've driven, I've driven a few other small cars like this too, but for obvious reasons I've mostly driven Fords only. This is just from memory, I may forget some.
Hyundai Excel 5spd manual
Nissan Tiida 4spd auto (biggest pile of crap EVAR!!!!!)
Hyundai Accent
Some Proton 2 door hatch
Can't remember if there were others now or not.

Edit: My step-father is looking to start a Leaners driving school, I may get a chance to drive a number of new small hatches soon (test driving for best ones), although he's only going to train automatic transmission learners because manuals don't last long with learners at the wheel.

We only really drive Foci (plural??) with a few fiestas. While the Ka is on sale, no one buys it.

That said, the XR4s and 5s (er sorry - STs) are quite popular.

The new Ka is not on sale in Australia.........yet. I don't know if it's coming or not.

It's an excellent car. But good has absolutely nothing to do with cool.

Imagine the following conversation:
Person 2: "So, what do you drive then?"
You: "A Suzuki Swift!"

Uncool.

You are right. I think the conversation got off topic from the "cool" part though.


Edit: Yes HFS we did get the old Ka.

 

[Boffin]

I'm sorry, I meant the old Ka.

 

[Adamgp]

Did you ever get the old Ka? Brilliant vehicle that. I wouldn't touch the new one with a ten foot pole. Nothing wrong with Foci and Fiestas though, very balanced little cars. Including the lower powered ones



If you consider these attacks then the internet is not for you, I'm afraid.



I understood perfectly. Given that you singularly failed to miss my point though and given that we're talking in a thread about a hot hatch, I felt perfectly at liberty to discuss similar cars.

You'll also note that nowhere did I say "it'll never break down". I simply said, very generally, that it won't break down. In the same way that I'd recommend a Civic to someone because it wouldn't break down. I'm sure some do, but they're certainly in a very small minority.

I can take the attacks, I don't care. Although this is getting a bit old. 21 other people in that poll don't think this is the coolest car on the planet either, why don't they have to defend their arguements?

I'll tell you again, I dont like hatchbacks. No matter how hot or slow or ugly they may be. You can rattle off as many makes and models as you like it won't change my opinion of them.

Saying it wont break down is pretty bold. Meains it won't break down peiod. It would've been better if you said the car was reliable.

We never got the Ka, and I'm cool with that. I couldn't care less. Although I guess we are getting the new one. I'll probably have to walk around it when going to buy a Mustang.

 

[Famine]

I can take the attacks, I don't care.

They aren't attacks...

 

[homeforsummer]

I can take the attacks, I don't care.

Apparently you do, as you keep describing "debate" as "attacks". Feel free to quote me anywhere I "attacked" you. I simply disagreed. This is the nature of "debate".

Although this is getting a bit old. 21 other people in that poll don't think this is the coolest car on the planet either, why don't they have to defend their arguements?

Because they aren't blindly dismissing a car just because it doesn't have much power. Power is one element of a sporty car. If power was the only factor in a car we'd select god-awful barges like the thing that Toronado posted a few pages ago over fantastic cars like the MX-5, just because the barge is more powerful. But as we all know, there is much more to a fun car than just power. If you don't like less powerful cars then that's fine, but it's ignorant to dismiss a car like the Swift that gets very good reviews in the motoring press just because:

Any car thats labeled "sport" yet has 120hp and would get destroyed at a stoplight by the minivan in the other lane gets a seriously uncool vote from me.

As nobody would choose a minivan to have fun in your arguement is completely irrelevant. It'd be like saying the original Lotus 7 was no fun just because it only had 40bhp and would be beaten off the line by a Smart car.

Apart from anything, you're using power a sole justification of whether a car is cool or not. You're free to think the car is uncool with good justification - for Famine above, that you have to say you drive a Suzuki Swift is enough for him to declare it uncool. Personally, I think it's cool for all the reasons I noted in my first post in the thread, namely it's cheap and great fun, which is rare in a market where you normally have to stump up a fair bit of cash for fun.

I'll tell you again, I dont like hatchbacks. No matter how hot or slow or ugly they may be. You can rattle off as many makes and models as you like it won't change my opinion of them.

And I'll tell you again, you've missed the point. I'm not discussing hatchbacks per se. I'm attempting to discuss small cars with not a lot of power. It just so happens that many of these cars are hatchbacks. If you think this discussion has entirely been about hatchbacks then I suggest you go back and read through it again because it's apparently sailing over your head.

Saying it wont break down is pretty bold. Meains it won't break down peiod. It would've been better if you said the car was reliable.

It was a throwaway quip in a short summary of the car. Get over it.

 

[Adamgp]

Apparently you do, as you keep describing "debate" as "attacks". Feel free to quote me anywhere I "attacked" you. I simply disagreed. This is the nature of "debate".

It was debate the first couple pages, then I started getting called ignorant and daft for my opinions, (pehaps not by you) which I'm not thrilled about at all.

Because they aren't blindly dismissing a car just because it doesn't have much power. Power is one element of a sporty car. If power was the only factor in a car we'd select god-awful barges like the thing that Toronado posted a few pages ago over fantastic cars like the MX-5, just because the barge is more powerful. But as we all know, there is much more to a fun car than just power. If you don't like less powerful cars then that's fine, but it's ignorant to dismiss a car like the Swift that gets very good reviews in the motoring press just because:

I'm not blindly dismissing it just because it's slow. It is slow but its also a cheap ugly Suzuki. I could care less if that car got good reviews or not.

As nobody would choose a minivan to have fun in your arguement is completely irrelevant. It'd be like saying the original Lotus 7 was no fun just because it only had 40bhp and would be beaten off the line by a Smart car.

Did I ever say a minivan is fun? I said it was faster. No doubt the Lotus 7 was a fun car.

Apart from anything, you're using power a sole justification of whether a car is cool or not. You're free to think the car is uncool with good justification - for Famine above, that you have to say you drive a Suzuki Swift is enough for him to declare it uncool. Personally, I think it's cool for all the reasons I noted in my first post in the thread, namely it's cheap and great fun, which is rare in a market where you normally have to stump up a fair bit of cash for fun.

I agree, power isn't the only thing that makes a car fun. I don't remember saying that. This Suzuki has good handling and not much else going for it.
That might be great fun for you but not me. A fun car should have a good balance of both speed and handling. This Suzuki is severly lacking in the former.

And I'll tell you again, you've missed the point. I'm not discussing hatchbacks per se. I'm attempting to discuss small cars with not a lot of power. It just so happens that many of these cars are hatchbacks. If you think this discussion has entirely been about hatchbacks then I suggest you go back and read through it again because it's apparently sailing over your head.

I can read just fine. Discuss small cars/hot hatches all you want. I don't care about them.

It was a throwaway quip in a short summary of the car. Get over it.

Throwaway because you can't defend your statement?

 

[Giancarlo]

However many of you are arguing now, i hope you keep in mind that nobody cares. I understand defending your position, but damn. Going on 3 pages of this now.

 

[Strittan]

Um... seriously uncool.

 

[homeforsummer]

It was debate the first couple pages, then I started getting called ignorant and daft for my opinions, (pehaps not by you) which I'm not thrilled about at all.

It is still debate. You have not been subject to any personal attacks. End of conversation.

I'm not blindly dismissing it just because it's slow. It is slow but its also a cheap ugly Suzuki. I could care less if that car got good reviews or not.

As you didn't say any of these things in your first post then you were clearly dismissing it based on speed. We can't assume you don't like the styling if you don't say so.

Did I ever say a minivan is fun? I said it was faster.

...and you implied that the Suzuki was a bad car just because it was slower.

I agree, power isn't the only thing that makes a car fun. I don't remember saying that. This Suzuki has good handling and not much else going for it. That might be great fun for you but not me. A fun car should have a good balance of both speed and handling. This Suzuki is severly lacking in the former.

And I'm still saying that doesn't matter. It's all relative. I highly doubt the Swift can pull 1g+ in corners but it doesn't need to because it doesn't have much power. If a Lotus Elise did 60mph in ten seconds you'd call it slow because its handling could far exceed its power. In the Suzuki, this is not the case. It's a balanced car.

It's also perfectly suited to the markets in which it's sold. In the States where everything has a massive engine and you have massive distances between everything, then a 1.6 Suzuki probably isn't the best car to suit. In the UK, where there's only around 100 miles between the two biggest cities in the country and you can drive from the top of England to London in five hours then a 1.6 hatch gets on just fine, especially with the hundreds of fantastic twisty roads we have here. "Horses for courses", I believe the term is.

I can read just fine. Discuss small cars/hot hatches all you want. I don't care about them.

We are talking in a thread about a small car/hot hatch. Just in case you hadn't noticed.

Throwaway because you can't defend your statement?

I've already defended my statement. You ignored me. My original statement was very general, because these threads are supposed to be fairly light-hearted. So again - get over it.

However many of you are arguing now, i hope you keep in mind that nobody cares. I understand defending your position, but damn. Going on 3 pages of this now.

You're perfectly at liberty to ignore us and move on.

 

[Adamgp]

It is still debate. You have not been subject to any personal attacks. End of conversation.

Definately not a civilized debate anymore. I was insulted for having a different opinion. Notice how I don't result to insults.

As you didn't say any of these things in your first post then you were clearly dismissing it based on speed. We can't assume you don't like the styling if you don't say so.

Plenty of other voters posted "uncool/seriously uncool, it's slow" and didn't have to defend themselves. I stated just one of the many rasons I hate it, so what.

...and you implied that the Suzuki was a bad car just because it was slower.

I implied it wasn't fun for me getting my doors blown off by the Toyota Sienna full of snot nozed kids.

And I'm still saying that doesn't matter. It's all relative. I highly doubt the Swift can pull 1g+ in corners but it doesn't need to because it doesn't have much power. If a Lotus Elise did 60mph in ten seconds you'd call it slow because its handling could far exceed its power. In the Suzuki, this is not the case. It's a balanced car.

An Elise is worlds better then this car. It also can hold it's own in a straight line.

It's also perfectly suited to the markets in which it's sold. In the States where everything has a massive engine and you have massive distances between everything, then a 1.6 Suzuki probably isn't the best car to suit. In the UK, where there's only around 100 miles between the two biggest cities in the country and you can drive from the top of England to London in five hours then a 1.6 hatch gets on just fine, especially with the hundreds of fantastic twisty roads we have here. "Horses for courses", I believe the term is.

I wouldn't like it even if it was perfectly suited for U.S. roads. Your not getting that.

We are talking in a thread about a small car/hot hatch. Just in case you hadn't noticed.

I haven't noticed.

I've already defended my statement. You ignored me. My original statement was very general, because these threads are supposed to be fairly light-hearted. So again - get over it.

All you said was that you are one of those "its a Japanese car, it won't break down" people.

Giancarlo
However many of you are arguing now, i hope you keep in mind that nobody cares. I understand defending your position, but damn. Going on 3 pages of this now.

He's right, this is getting really old, and all over a stupid Suzuki too.

 

[Tornado]

Until very, very recently the US was horrifically bad at making good small cars.

I object to that. Out family owns two very good small American cars (of course, the only two good small American cars, but still),


@ AdamGP: You haven't been attacked once other than an offhand comment almost definitely meant as a joke made by YSSMAN a dozen posts ago.

 

[Adamgp]

I've been called daft and ignorant in this thread for my opinions.

The "attacks" I was referring to is the 3 pages of constant nitpicking every post I made. Perhaps you have a different word for it. (Usually I'm pretty hammered when I come on here, so vocabulary isn't always the best)

 

[niky]

It's not nitpicking... it's debating. Which is a long and hoary tradition on GTP. You should check out the Evolution versus Creation debate sometime...

 

[EA11R]

It's a very cool car, a good, non-serious piece of kit that doesn't try to take itself seriously. It looks great, sporty without looking stupid, and still cute all the while. Hell, it isn't Sub-Zero only because it's cheap and a good car, meaning it isn't exactly exclusive or classy.

 

[homeforsummer]

Adamgp, I'm getting staggeringly bored of you now and your insistance that you're being attacked. I strongly believe that the internet might not be the place for you.

I'm going to select the parts I can actually be bothered with as we've been over the rest half a dozen times and I don't actually see anyone else disagreeing with me.

An Elise is worlds better then this car. It also can hold it's own in a straight line.

But if it did 60 in ten seconds (like I said), people would call it slow. People know the chassis is capable of more, so even if the car was fun with a ten-sec 0-60, it'd still be too slow. The Swift isn't too slow for what it is.

I wouldn't like it even if it was perfectly suited for U.S. roads. Your not getting that.

And again, I can't just assume that that's the case. If you'd added anything in your original post apart from "it's slow" then we might not be having this debate now. I simply picked up on you calling it slow by argueing that that's not the point of this car, and indeed any warm hatch.

I haven't noticed.

It honestly wouldn't have surprised me if you were telling the truth rather than being sarcastic...

All you said was that you are one of those "its a Japanese car, it won't break down" people.

Stereotypes exist for a reason.

He's right, this is getting really old, and all over a stupid Suzuki too.

Yet you're perfectly happy to continue with it, apparently...

 

[Casio]

I don't actually see anyone else disagreeing with me.

Not so fast, I disagree with you.

Wait. No I disagree with the daft and ignorant one.

Ohh, actually, if anyone really is so ****ing passionate about the ****ing flaming Suzuki ****ing Swift, that they'd keep on debating it for 4 ****ing pages, then let them have their ****ing Swift Defender Crown, and us real men can go back to real discussions, like if the GT-R does it's laps on Cut ****ing Slicks and the like.

 

[Adamgp]

It's not nitpicking... it's debating. Which is a long and hoary tradition on GTP. You should check out the Evolution versus Creation debate sometime...

A few others voted it uncool with the sole reason beingthat it's slow. Why not "debate" them?

Adamgp, I'm getting staggeringly bored of you now and your insistance that you're being attacked. I strongly believe that the internet might not be the place for you.

I'm going to select the parts I can actually be bothered with as we've been over the rest half a dozen times and I don't actually see anyone else disagreeing with me.

Read what I said above. I've been bored with you for 3 pages now but you won't let this go. I don't care if everyone agrees with you and im in the minority.

But if it did 60 in ten seconds (like I said), people would call it slow. People know the chassis is capable of more, so even if the car was fun with a ten-sec 0-60, it'd still be too slow. The Swift isn't too slow for what it is.

But it doesn't, and the swift is still slow.

And again, I can't just assume that that's the case. If you'd added anything in your original post apart from "it's slow" then we might not be having this debate now. I simply picked up on you calling it slow by argueing that that's not the point of this car, and indeed any warm hatch.

Why don't you read through my posts since my first one. I've given other reasons.

Yet you're perfectly happy to continue with it, apparently...

You seem quite fine with continuing it too.

 

[homeforsummer]

Not so fast, I disagree with you.

Wait. No I disagree with the daft and ignorant one.

Ohh, actually, if anyone really is so ****ing passionate about the ****ing flaming Suzuki ****ing Swift, that they'd keep on debating it for 4 ****ing pages, then let them have their ****ing Swift Defender Crown, and us real men can go back to real discussions, like if the GT-R does it's laps on Cut ****ing Slicks and the like.

A few others voted it uncool with the sole reason beingthat it's slow. Why not "debate" them?

If they decide to chip in, I'd be only too happy to.

But it doesn't, and the swift is still slow.

I've never disputed that the car is slow, I just said that to discuss outright speed alone you've missed the point of the car. And that speed has nothing to do with "cool".

Why don't you read through my posts since my first one. I've given other reasons.

Indeed you have. But a large proportion of your arguement is based on the car's performance.

You seem quite fine with continuing it too.

I am, otherwise I wouldn't be continuing it. I like debate.

 

[Joey D]

By an overwhelming majority the Suzuki Swift has been deemed Cool.

 

[Moglet]

I was referring to the "swift" name.

swift (swft)

ADJECTIVE:
swift·er , swift·est
Moving or capable of moving with great speed; fast. See Synonyms at fast 1.
Coming, occurring, or accomplished quickly; instant: a swift retort.
Quick to act or react; prompt: swift to take steps.

The car is a remake of the original Swift

Oh dear.