The New Suzuki Swift
Published: 6th April 2005
Suzuki Swift
Comprehensive safety measures
The Swift is a secure place to be in the event of an accident. An outstandingly crashworthy structure - awarded 4 Stars for occupant protection by Euro NCAP - features extensive use of high tensile steel and tailored blanks to achieve strength without the penalty of added weight.
All models incorporate standard driver and passenger front and side airbags, as well as full length curtain airbags, and these are complemented by leg-injury mitigating brake and clutch pedals, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters, energy absorbing trim, three point ELR seatbelts for all seats and child seat ISOFIX attachments on the rear seat. Each seat also has a head restraint, those in the rear designed to minimise obstruction of the driver’s rear view.
Pedestrian protection measures too - which received a 3 Star Euro NCAP rating, particularly impressive for a compact car - have been given careful consideration, and bonnet, wings, wipers and front bumper are all designed to be crushable and to absorb impact energy more progressively, so reducing injury.
And helping to avoid an accident in the first place are anti-lock braking, electronic brake-force distribution [EBD] and a brake assist function, all complementing the Swift’s responsive, agile chassis.
A chassis to match the looks
One of the widest tracks in its class - 1,470 mm at the front and 1,480 mm at the rear - and a 2,390 mm wheelbase mean the Swift offers great handling stability and ride comfort.
Suzuki’s European programme of chassis development has paid dividends and the Swift provides a level of handling that will appeal to the enthusiast as much as to typical B-segment customers, while still achieving a sophisticated and comfortable ride.
The Swift’s all-new platform features a front sub-frame to which are mounted the steering gearbox, the suspension lower arms and the rear engine mounting. The resulting rigid structure translates into lower road noise and a strong feeling of stability. MacPherson strut suspension at the front is matched by a torsion beam and coil springs at the rear. The low unsprung weight of the torsion beam arrangement enables effective control of camber angle and toe-in to deliver accurate and predictable handling, while its space-efficient layout plays a key role in achieving a low, flat boot floor.
To round off the driving experience, there’s a new steering gearbox that gives a much more direct and precise feel, and a braking system that uses particularly rigid callipers for enhanced stopping performance.
Despite the Swift’s 1690 mm overall width, it still remains a highly manoeuvrable proposition about town and the turning circle is just 9.4 m.
Suzuki Swift
Our Suzuki Swift Guide lists the full specification of the current UK Swift range, including car prices, fuel consumption, dimensions and other vital data.
Price Range: £8,499 - £11,999
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Fuel:
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Models in the range: 6
Our Car Buyer’s Guide covers all of the UK’s major new cars and includes CO2 ratings and car insurance groups. Data updated on the 28th Nov 2008
