Suzuki finds new life with Swift+
Funky hatchback is at home on crowded city streets

With the hatchback trend making a comeback and Euro-trendy small cars hitting Canadian streets en masse, we were excited about our Suzuki Swift+ tester. Visions of fuel savings, ease of parking and a no frills driving experience danced in our heads. And Suzuki's most recent new vehicle delivered in every way … except in one, very superficial respect: Colour. As Kermit the Frog once lamented, it's not easy being green. And now we can empathize, having attracted a week's worth of stares in our slime green (or in official-speak, Mars Green) tester.

That said, the Swift+ comes in a variety of cheerful colours that are not quite so out of this world, so all hope is not lost. Far from it, actually.

Brand new for 2004, the Swift+ brings the Japanese automaker back into the booming subcompact market for the first time since 2001. The Swift+ is a product of Suzuki's partnership with General Motors, following the demise of Daewoo. As a result, the 5-door hatchback goes up against a virtual clone, the Chevrolet Aveo, which is also sold here.

The Swift+'s proportions are ideal for urban commutes and crowded parking lots. Its hatchback shape is edgier and not as cuddly looking as the Toyota Echo Hatchback, but it gets dressed up nicely in S trim, with front fog lamps and a rear spoiler. The 14-inch wheels don't help much style-wise - nicer alloy units would add lots of visual punch - and that green paint, well, lets just say we never had to worry about loosing our little tester in a crowded parking lot.

Standard equipment includes power steering, halogen headlights, CD/stereo with four speakers, front centre floor console, rear wiper/washer, rear head restraints for all three seating positions and dual front airbags. The S adds air conditioning, power windows, locks and mirrors, an MP3 player with six speakers, anti-theft alarm and keyless entry.

You can also lock all four doors by turning and holding the key in the door lock, which is something I ended up doing quite a bit, since using the key fob produces a very loud, somewhat embarrassing, cricket-like noise to indicate that the doors are indeed locked.

The seats are comfortable, although rear seat passengers complained about the upright position of the seatback over long jaunts.

The interior is attractive and functional, with a prominent tach and speedometer front and centre and easy to use HVAC and stereo controls on the centre stack. The quality of fit and finishes is quite good, showing just how far Suzuki has come in terms of creating livable interiors. There are a few storage areas scattered throughout the car, including three cupholders, inserts in the door and a tray below the centre console, but even more cubbyholes, trays and hideaways would be useful.

Under the hood is a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts that produces 103 horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 107 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 revs. Hooked up to the optional 4-speed automatic transmission (a 5-speed manual is standard), with a somewhat finicky shifter, it produces lots of spit and vinegar on city streets, but needs to be prodded to get maximum performance on the highway. It's quiet, though, with wind noise being the biggest intrusion, and the fuel frugal Swift+ is great on gas.

During our time with it, our little hatch powered through some snowy and slippery weather without worry, and the rear seat and cargo area provided plenty of room for bins and bags accumulated from successful shopping trips. The Swift+'s small turning circle made navigating busy parking lots a breeze and I was able to slip into parking spaces that would have been too small for most other cars.

Overall driveability is good, with decent handling and braking. The MacPherson strut and twist beam suspension does a reasonable job at dampening jolts from rough road surfaces and keeps the ride comfortable. Anti-lock brakes, however, are not an option.

With all the high-tech features in cars today, it was actually refreshing to just get in and go, without having to open the owner's manual. Although it doesn't have all the latest cutting edge bells and whistles, the Swift+ S has all the creature comforts you need to get you and a few friends from point A to point B in comfort and style.

Ideal for first-time buyers or as an economical second car, Suzuki's return to the subcompact market with the Swift+ is a welcome one.

Immediate competition:
Chevrolet Aveo,
Ford Focus,
Hyundai Accent,
Kia Rio,
Toyota Echo Hatchback