SA's favourite small car tested: 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT

The South African

22-05-2025

Since the start of the year, the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT has reigned supreme as the nation's best-selling passenger vehicle. And, after spending a week with the top-spec Suzi, we can confirm it's not difficult to understand why. Taking over the mantle of the people's car, it has practicality, efficiency and great value to its core.
The 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT is instantly recognisable, even while the firm introduced subtle refinements to keep it fresh. Specifically, the GLX model benefits from 15-inch polished alloy wheels, LED headlights with the larger 9-inch touchscreen infotainment. As a result, the new Swift's design strikes a fine balance between sturdiness and youthful appeal. A neat and tidy interior with everything where you expect to find it. Image: Suzuki
Likewise, its compact footprint (3 840-mm long and 1 735-mm wide) ensures it's an ideal urban runaround. Tight parking spaces hold no mystery and, somehow, the Swift doesn't feel cramped inside at all in the head, leg and shoulder department. In fact, for a mere R271 900, the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT is one of the most generously equipped cars on the market.
The high-resolution 9-inch display offers seamless Apple CarPlay connectivity. Better still, it integrates instantly with your iPhone and the interface responds quickly to inputs. A big shout out to Suzuki Auto South Africa for the cloth seats the GLX offers. Even for someone over six foot, the seats offer ample support for daily driving.
Rear passenger space is reasonable for the segment and storage solutions are well-thought-out, with adequate door bins, a reasonably sized glove compartment and easy-access cup holders. Furthermore, the neat 265-litre boot capacity (seats up) makes way for more space with the rear seats folded flat. All told, there was no practical situation that found the new Suzi wanting. Generous dimensions for a compact hatch don't detract from parking lot ease of use. Image: Suzuki
However, as sensible as all that sounds, the true magic of the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT becomes apparent when you're behind the wheel. At the heart of this success story lies a fundamental engineering principle that many manufacturers seem to have forgotten. Light weight! With a kerb weight of just 920 kg, it demonstrates how weight reduction can transform the driving experience across multiple dimensions.
For example, the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine produces a modest 61 kW and 112 Nm of torque. Sure, these figures might appear underwhelming on paper. However, when paired with the featherweight construction, the result is surprisingly spirited performance. Likewise, the five-speed manual gearbox features a precise, short-throw action that makes rowing through the gears a pleasure. And a fun necessity to maintain zip, like any good, small car.
As such, we can report that the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT feels nimble and darting through traffic. Light yet precise steering offers enough feedback, and body roll is a non-event when you press on. Similarly, on South Africa's sometimes less-than-perfect roads, the Swift rides with composure. No matter how heavy your foot, the Suzi only knows to sip fuel. Image: Suzuki
Better still, in an era of ever-fluctuating fuel prices, the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT is remarkably efficient. During the one-week test period, tried as we may, we simply could not drain the 37-litre fuel tank. The brand claims 4.4 l/100 km on a combined cycle. And while this is somewhat optimistic, our real-world testing yielded 5.0 l/100 km on the dot. Impressive across varied conditions and driving styles.
This exceptional efficiency stems directly from the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT's lightweight philosophy. Less mass to move means the small petrol engine doesn't need to work hard and doesn't impact drivability. Safety wise, you'll want for nothing either. For the asking price, you get dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, and rear parking camera/sensors as standard. The newest Suzi represents an excellent-value proposition for cash-conscious South Africans. Image: Suzuki
There you have it, just like the car, a neater and tidier road test of the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT you will not find. Priced at R271 900, the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT represents outstanding value in today's economically sensitive market. That's a huge win for people, being able to simply afford the thing. Then you factor in Suzuki's famously low running costs (5-year/200 000 km warranty and 2-year/30 000 km service plan), providing peace of mind for new buyers. Never mind excellent equipment levels, and the intangible satisfaction derived from how it drives. Combine this trinity and it's easy to understand why it's captured the top spot in South Africa's passenger-car sales charts. The 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT proves that sometimes less really is more. So much more … Model: Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT
Engine: 1.2-litre petrol
1.2-litre petrol Transmission: 5-speed manual
5-speed manual Power: 60 kW
60 kW Torque: 112 Nm
112 Nm Performance: 0-100 km/h: 10.35 seconds (tested)
0-100 km/h: 10.35 seconds (tested) Fuel economy: 4.4 l/100 km (claimed) / 5.0 l/100 km (tested)
4.4 l/100 km (claimed) / 5.0 l/100 km (tested) Price: R271 900
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