2019 Suzuki Swift vs 2020

What's the difference?

It’s a novel idea. You start with a simple mass-market hatchback base, then you throw a bigger turbocharged engine (literally from an SUV) in, give it some upgrades so it’s not totally unwieldy and call it a day.

It seems like an obvious and easy move to appeal to enthusiasts, yet the rest of the Japanese automakers, still reeling from the country’s long and painful economic stagnation, instead provide play-it-safe semi-luxury halo variants for their small hatch ranges.

Suzuki’s going hard on fun-factor as a point of difference though, and the brand delivers with cars like the wacky new Jimny 4x4 and the car reviewed here, the long-running Suzuki Swift Sport.

It’s the last Japanese hot-hatch in this segment, but is it as much fun as it looks? I spent a week in one to find out.

Often in life, you’ll find the most simple answer to a problem is the best one.

Take Suzuki for example. The brand’s problem? It wants to sell cars. The solution? Don’t overthink it. Forget hybrids and dual-clutch transmissions and trick differentials… the core to Suzuki’s success is one which seems to elude other automakers quite easily.

It builds simple and fun-to-drive cars, which can be easily tailored to universally appeal to both developing markets and some of the most advanced and difficult-to-compete-in markets in the world, like ours here in Australia.

The Swift Sport is perhaps the shining example of that. Essentially just a regular budget Swift hatch turned up to 11 with existing parts from other Suzuki vehicles, the Sport has not only managed to outlive many of its rivals, it’s managed to do so in a form which is cheap but not nasty.

With the arrival of the Series II Swift Sport, what’s been added? Stick with us as we explain…