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Compact car; Built in Canada
  • 2-door hatchback
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,200 – $2,400*


1995 Suzuki Swift


1998 Suzuki Swift


1996 Suzuki Swift


1995 Suzuki Swift interior


1995 Suzuki Swift interior

Pros:
  • Optional antilock brakes
  • Fuel economy
  • Maneuverability
Cons:
  • Rear-seat room
  • Ride

If low price is your top priority, a Swift (and its Metro counterpart) are worth considering. Even so, a larger, more substantial car could be a better bet in the end.

Overview

Dual airbags and optional antilock brakes highlighted the redesigned front-drive Swift, as well as the similar Geo Metro. A 2-door hatchback body style returned, now on a longer (93.1-inch) wheelbase. The new Swift measured two inches longer overall, and weighed about 75 pounds more. A 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine that made 70 horsepower returned as the sole engine. A 5-speed manual gearbox was standard; 3-speed automatic transmission optional.

Yearly Updates

1996 Swift
Except for new body colors and seat trim, nothing was new on the redesigned Swift in its second season.
1997 Swift
For its third season on the market in this generation, the mini-sized Swift displayed no significant revisions.
1998 Swift
Suzuki replaced the engine’s 8-valve head with a 16-valve head. This increased hosepower from 70 to 79. Other changes included revisions to the front and rear fascia.
1999 Swift
Little change was evident on the ’99 Swift.
2000 Swift
The base Swift was renamed GA, and a GL model with standard air conditioning and AM/FM cassette was added.
2001 Swift
No significant changes were made for 2001, the last year for the Swift.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

An overhead-cam, 8-valve 1.3-liter 4-cylinder, rated at 70 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque was the standard engine till 1998. During that year, Suzuki replaced the 8-valve engine with a 16-valve engine. Still with a single camshaft and 1.3-liter displacement, the new engine made 79 horsepower and 75 pound-feet of torque. Either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic might be installed.

ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.3/79
Engine HP 70
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 74
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic		 39/43
30/34		 38.6
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.3/79
Engine HP 79
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 75
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
3-speed automatic		 39/43
30/34

Road Test

Cornering grip remains modest, with lots of body lean. Still, a Swift maneuvers easily around town and can be fun to drive, especially with manual shift.

Road, wind, and mechanical noise also are troublesome. Step on the gas and you get more sound than progress. Manual shift provides acceptable acceleration, but an automatic transmission slows things down considerably. Gas mileage remains a virtue.

Considering the Swift’s modest exterior dimensions, interior space is impressive. Leg room is adequate and head room generous in the front bucket seats. Two folks in back have adequate leg and head space, too, unless they’re more than medium-size in stature. Getting in and out of the back seat is a battle, however, and the seat itself is firm and flat.

Tall windows and slim roof pillars give the driver great visibility all around. A simple dashboard layout puts controls just where they’re easy to see and reach.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1996 Suzuki Swift auto

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 2
20%
Fuel Economy - 8
80%
Ride Quality - 3
30%
Steering/Handling - 2
20%
Quietness - 2
20%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 4
40%
Room/Comfort Front - 4
40%
Room/Comfort Rear - 2
20%
Cargo Room - 3
30%

Other

Value - 4
40%

Total: 34

Specifications

2-door hatchback
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
93.1 149.4 62.6 54.7
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
21.9 10.6 4
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.1 36.0 42.5 32.8
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: N/A

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Brakes
Description: Vehicle is susceptible to brake-pedal vibrations from warped rotor caused by uneven lug-nut torque. (1995)
Brakes
Description: Antilock Brake System (ABS) light comes on, especially in hot or humid weather, due to binding in the ABS motor pack. (1995-97)
Doors
Description: The rear doors may not open from the outside due to a problem with the latch. (1995)

Recall History

1997 w/automatic transmission
Description: Shift lever may appear to be in “Park,” but can easily be moved without use of the key, detent button, or depressing the brake.
2000
Description: Owner’s manual does not have proper instructions for child restraint systems.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on November 6, 2014.
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