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The South African
a day ago
- Automotive
- The South African
The people's champ: 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT review
Just moments down the road in the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT, it dawns on you how uncomplicated this firm's latest hatchback is. Refreshingly, in a segment where car company's are throwing every conceivable gadget at a problem, the new two-pedal Swift keeps things simple and just does the basics exceptionally well. Perhaps that's why it is on a golden run so far in 2025 as South Africa's best-selling passenger car. Say what you will, but the numbers tell a compelling story. Priced at less than R250k, South Africans are voting with their wallets. And the common-sense 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT is the answer. Whether in the showroom or on the road, the 2025 Suzuki Swift is certainly making an impression. Image: Thorp As regular readers will know, we tested the top-spec GLX manual not long ago, and still we can't stop raving about it. So, how does the continuously variable transmission (CVT) fare by comparison? Well, of course CVTs are not without their detractors. However, we appreciate that for 80% of the buying market, they simply want a two-pedal car that's easy in traffic. They couldn't care less how the transmission performs, just as long as it doesn't have a clutch pedal and manual gearshift. As such, the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT is immediately an altogether more relaxed companion on the road. In stop-start traffic at slow speeds, navigating the congested streets of Cape Town, not having to worry about a third pedal becomes a blessing. CVTs have their critics (us included), because of the elastic feel of acceleration, tendency for the engine to drone at high revs, and lack of defined gear changes. However, there's an honest, no-fuss approach in the Swift CVT that's perfectly drivable. The CVT's interface with the punchy 60 kW/112 Nm 1.2-litre petrol three-pot is thoughtfully calibrated. You can accelerate without excessive revs and it's not too noisy at highway speeds. In fact, I'd argue the CVT is better than the firm's four-speed automatic that's the most likely alternative of you don't like DIY. Note, left-hand drive GLX CVT pictured. Image: Supplied However, besides the CVT, what strikes you most about the Swift GL+ is what's not included. Of course, not everyone will have reference to the GLX. However, we did test drive the top-spec car, and the GL+ is somewhat stripped-down in comparison. Of course, it covers the essentials, but it does reveal some curious omissions. Like the absence of a rear wiper, which seems short-sighted given Cape Town's unpredictable winters. I certainly would have appreciated better rear visibility during some rainy weather. Similarly, the lack of factory window tinting is a little strange. Come summertime, South African sunshine is unforgiving. And some extra UV protection isn't merely cosmetic, it's a safety issue, too, for those with 'sticky fingers.' Likewise, the GL+ goes without keyless entry, which we found really useful on the GLX vehicle. Even in an affordable hatchback, it's one of those conveniences that becomes difficult to live without. Also, the touchscreen – while Apple CarPlay compatible – is smaller than the GLX's. And we believe, given enough time, you'll regret knowing there are thousands of Swifts out there with the bigger setup. Even if the interface itself is straightforward, responsive and not overly complicated to figure out. Likewise, the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT does without climate control. Instead, you have air conditioning you toggle left for hot and right for cold. And is less satisfying to use than the GLX's one-touch climate control. 15-inch alloy wheels are a nice-to-have on the GL+. Although we do miss the clever 'hidden' rear door handles of the previous Swift. Image: File Despite the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT and its spec limitations, this little car retains the essence that makes the new Swift formula so relevant in South Africa. The driving position is excellent, with good visibility all around. The steering, while light, offers enough feedback to keep you connected. It's just so effortless to drive and one of the easiest cars to park, too. The suspension soaks up the worst our road surfaces have to offer, and a young family can travel in genuine comfort over reasonably long distances. Therefore, the 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT understands its mission completely. This isn't a car trying to be anything more than it is. It simply executes the basics exceptionally well, even in CVT guise. Of course, for us, a manual gearbox Swift GLX (R271 900) remains the superior purchase. And we'd argue if you can stretch your budget, you won't be disappointed. However, the Swift range has rightly earning its stripes as South Africa's best-selling passenger car. Showing once again that in tough times it's best to keep things simple … 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL+ CVT Engine: 1.2-litre petrol 1.2-litre petrol Transmission: CVT CVT Power: 60 kW 60 kW Torque: 112 Nm 112 Nm Performance: 0-100 km/h: unknown 0-100 km/h: unknown Fuel economy: 5.5 l/100 km (tested) 5.5 l/100 km (tested) Price: R245 900 Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- The South African
SA's favourite small car tested: 2025 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT
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 Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Mail & Guardian
27-04-2025
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
Why the new Suzuki Swift is the best budget car in South Africa
Value: It feels like a brand-new vehicle not an update, and you get a lot of car for your money with the new Suzuki Swift. Photo: Supplied We normally get to pricing at the end of a review but, since we are talking about budget, it is important to explain why the new Suzuki Swift is really the best economy option in South Africa at the moment. It comes in five variants: the base 1.2 GL manual, a 1.2 GL+ manual or CVT and a 1.2 GLX manual (the one we tested) or CVT. The base starts at R219 900 and the GL+ and GLX models are priced at R264 900 and R284 900. The change in shape of the new model has caused a stir among Swift lovers. It looks more compact, the Suzuki badge has been moved from the grille to the new clamshell bonnet, which sports shut lines. It looks like a bug but feels refreshed. It is as if Suzuki has given the consumer a brand-new vehicle from the first look, rather than just an update of the previous model. And that is just the beginning. The interior has also been changed for the better. The fourth-generation Swift maintains its cloth seats but effort has been put into the wrap-around dashboard design and the centre controls have been angled to face more towards the driver. In addition, the boot space has been increased to 265 litres — 580 litres when the back seats are folded down. The model we tested (which is the top-of-the-range manual) has a nine-inch infotainment screen that comes equipped with both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A smaller screen is also available in the GL+ model, which also has these features. But what you will get standard, no matter which model you choose, is digital air-conditioning controls; front and rear electric windows; electrically adjustable and folding side mirrors; a height-adjustable driver's seat; an alarm with central locking and rear parking sensors. The GLX also comes with keyless entry. The interior of the new Suzuki Swift is neat with a whole new dashboard design. At just over R200 000, you won't get all of this in many vehicles. Suzuki has refreshed the Swift so deeply that it has even introduced a new Z12E 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine delivering 60kW of power and 112Nm of torque. Having driven the previous generation Swift, I find this one feels more at home on the road. It is less nervous, handles better and has no issues picking up speed. It is by no means underpowered. Even when I had four passengers in the vehicle, it was still fun to drive and easy to manoeuvre. I would, however, watch out for the CVT variants. CVTs do generally feel strained but the manual performed exceptionally. The fuel consumption was also very light as we achieved 5.3 litres/100km. Suzuki has also not cut any corners on safety. I was surprised to be driving a vehicle that cost just over R250 000 that had a rear-view camera, an automatic braking system, a brake assist function and six airbags, including curtain airbags. Apart from the love-me-or-hate-me look that this car has, it is difficult to fault it on any front. There are just too many features for the price. The car is also fun to drive — and has the safety to back up that fun. It's easy to see why the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists has listed the new Swift as a finalist for SA Car of the Year 2025 in the budget category. In my opinion, there is nothing in this price range that can match it — for now.
