The 2017 Suzuki Swift is a new car on a new platform, and the GLX Turbo is the one you actually want. It runs a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 82 kW, which is modest on paper and rather more amusing in practice. The previous Swift was well-regarded in its class. This one starts from a higher base.
The review covers what the Swift GLX Turbo delivers in Australian conditions: the light steering, the compact dimensions that make city parking a non-event, and the turbo engine's willingness to work in suburban traffic. The Swift is not trying to be a hot hatch. It is trying to be an entertaining, practical, affordable small car in a segment that often treats those qualities as mutually exclusive.
The GLX Turbo is for the buyer who wants a small car with some character and does not want to pay Volkswagen Polo money to get it. The Swift has always known its audience. The 2017 model does a better job of deserving their loyalty. The full review is on the CarTell.tv YouTube channel above.
