Suzuki Swift Sport 3-door 2013 Review

June 2nd, 2013 by Car and SUV

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Nothing says “I love driving enthusiastically by myself” like a car that makes it difficult to get passengers in. Of course, just having one door would be the perfect statement, but the impracticality would ensure this Suzuki Swift Sport would quickly be bumped off the best-sellers list.

Suzuki-swift-sport-rqThere are cars I drive where I enjoy company – big, comfortable SUVs and plush sedans – and there are cars where I wish everyone would just sod off and let me cane it through the twisty bits. This car deserves a caning more than a Continue reading “Suzuki Swift Sport 3-door 2013 Review” »

Suzuki SX4 LTD i-AWD 2013 Review

April 3rd, 2013 by darren

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This top-of-the-line Suzuki SX4 brings with it switchable four-wheel drive that improves its versatility and matches its slightly raised stance. As a recreational vehicle you can strap a couple of mountain bikes on the (optional) roof rack and get fairly deep into the backwaters of New Zealand. It also makes it a viable second car option for rural residents and those who experience snow and ice frequently.

suzuki-sx4-rqThe SX4 can be switched between 2WD for better fuel economy, automatic all-wheel drive and locked diff for the super slippery workout. Apart from in those Continue reading “Suzuki SX4 LTD i-AWD 2013 Review” »

Suzuki Splash Ltd 2013 Review

March 6th, 2013 by darren

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At a shade under 3.8m long and 1.7m wide, the Suzuki Splash is the perfect car for squeezing into those tight city car parks. The Splash is a supermini with the proportions of an MPV – it’s tall and boxy. This gives a great deal of room on the inside, despite its diminutive dimensions.

Suzuki-Splash-r-insideYou can fit five people in the Splash, although it’ll be a little cramped in the back. The seating position is upright which is better for older drivers (probably the very people that will purchase this car most).

The boot is quite small – just 178 litres (and 36 of those are Continue reading “Suzuki Splash Ltd 2013 Review” »

Suzuki Grand Vitara LTD 5-door 2012 Review

January 17th, 2013 by Car and SUV

Back in 2008, just before the Global Financial Crisis, Suzuki treated us all to an awesome trip to Ayers Rock and the surrounding outback to test the Grand Vitara range. It was a spectacular jaunt and one that highlighted the Grand Vitara’s good points – rugged versatility without compromising much on road manners being the main one.

While I didn’t go on the launch of this model (time constraints prevent those kinds of things these days), I was expecting to be impressed by how much Suzuki has Continue reading “Suzuki Grand Vitara LTD 5-door 2012 Review” »

S-Cross: Suzuki’s New C-segment Crossover Concept

September 28th, 2012 by Karen Joy Provo

A highlight of the 2012 Paris Motor Show is Suzuki’s unveiling of the S-Cross—a concept car which heralds the company’s next-generation C-segment crossover model. The new crossover will be the first in an ambitious programme of annual European model launches which Suzuki will be starting in 2013.

Suzuki’s future model strategy
Suzuki has established a reputation for producing cars which make everyday life more exciting. These cars reflect a brand strategy which is expressed through the company’s slogan “Way of Life!”. Suzuki has always been focusing on creating models—such as the Alto—which are characterised by small environmental footprints and low running costs thanks to exceptionally low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Now the company plans to launch models which top their segments in terms of environmental performance even more. The production model of the S-Cross concept will be one of those with the lowest CO2 emissions in the C-segment crossover cars.

The crossover pioneer
Since launching the Jimny (originally the LJ series) in 1970, Suzuki has expanded its lineup of off-road vehicles to include models such as the Vitara and Grand Vitara; the company has earned a reputation as the pioneer of compact sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Meanwhile, Suzuki has gained incomparable know-how in the development of compact passenger cars. And since the latter half of the 1980s, the company has been refining its performance technologies in the field of motor sport. In 2006, Suzuki united its advanced technologies in the form of the SX4 sport crossover—a vehicle which offers relaxing city driving and great performance on snow and rough roads. With the SX4 Suzuki created the crossover category in Europe and has driven its growth. Suzuki is the crossover pioneer.

Smart Crossover for more freedom in daily life
The new model heralded by the S-Cross will mark Suzuki’s full-scale entry into the market for C-segment crossovers. The new vehicle’s features and functions will be designed primarily for comfort. It will also offer a high degree of practicalityby providing one of the largest luggage areasfor C-segment crossover cars.

Suzuki is also ensuring that the new crossover inherits the on-road handling and performance excellence of the Swift series, the SX4 and the Kizashi. And Suzuki is adopting systems which represent an evolution in the four-wheel-drive performance that is part and parcel of its heritage.

The new model will offer drivability which encompasses gentle, fuel-saving driving, more sporty driving, and even driving on snow. It will maximize the enjoyment of day-to-day tasks
such as commuting or carrying children as well as the pleasure of longer trips at weekends; in short, it will allow people to get the most out of urban lifestyles. It will perfectly embody
Suzuki’s vision of a smart crossover for more freedom in daily life.

The new crossover will join the Alto, Splash, Swift, SX4, Kizashi, Jimny and Grand Vitara in a lineup which already includes A-, B- and C-segment passenger cars and SUVs. Suzuki will
continue to expand its range to meet a wider range of user needs.

The S-Cross design

  • Emotion is expressed by dynamic lines running from the front bumper to the rear of the body, by chrome-plated features which extend deep into the body from LED foglamps in
    the front bumper, and by LED headlamps and tail lamps with organic designs suggesting the muscles of an animal.
  • Quality is expressed by a mesh front grille consisting of dark chrome and silky chrome and by innovatively designed roof rails which are flush with the roof line when not in use.
  • Aerodynamics is expressed by a roofline which slopes downwards towards the rear and by smooth contours on the sides of the front bumper, at the bottom of the doors and on the sides of the rear bumper. The shape of the body helps the vehicle meet increasingly tough demands for fuel economy.
  • Crossover toughness is expressed by a front skid plate, by boldly flared wing arches and under mouldings, and by 20-inch chrome wheels.

Body colour
A specially created Crystal Green Metallic body colour has intensity and radiance which create a dynamic impression in the minds of onlookers. The image it evokes is one of “nature in the city and the city in nature”.

Specifications (mm)
Overall length 4,310
Overall width 1,840
Overall height 1,600
Wheelbase 2,600
Tyres 235/55R20

Suzuki Swift Diesel 2012 Review

July 30th, 2012 by Car and SUV

Suzuki’s best-selling small car, the Swift, has received a 1248cc diesel heart which shuns fuel like beauty queens shun calories. As such, the Swift can claim 4.2l/100km fuel economy which puts it near the top of the pile.

If you’re familiar with the Swift you’ll know it is New Zealand’s best-selling small car, and for good reason. Its compact, attractive design, around-town practicality, go-kart-like handling and low price has won admirers from all ages, genders and socio-economic backgrounds.

Petrol engines are never stupendously economical, though. Now we’re all aware of fuel economy it has become a driving factor in which car to buy. In the petrol vs diesel argument, diesel Continue reading “Suzuki Swift Diesel 2012 Review” »

Suzuki Swift Sport 2012 Review

June 5th, 2012 by Car and SUV

Does the sporty version of New Zealand’s best-selling small car does live up to its moniker? Even with a six-speed manual and a slightly peppier engine it’s actually a pretty sedate and boring car around town. But this is a car that gets much better when you are on the open road or driving ‘more enthusiastically’.

The problem with being at the top of the pile is that there are always young upstarts trying to knock you off. To find out whether it’s still worthy of the top spot I took it from Auckland to Continue reading “Suzuki Swift Sport 2012 Review” »

Suzuki Swift Diesel Economy Run Results

May 23rd, 2012 by Karen Joy Provo

The first Swift diesel to arrive in New Zealand has proved to be a fuel economy wizard after a lengthy North Island drive.

The 1.3-litre Swift used a mere 21.25 litres of diesel to travel from Auckland to Wellington, averaging a remarkable 3.27 litres/100 km (85.5 miles per gallon).

It then turned around and headed north along the same State Highway 1 route via Taupo, completing the 1,303 kilometre journey for an overall average of 3.36 litres/100 km (83.4 miles per gallon).

The Swift was driven by Auckland motoring journalist Donn Anderson who has competed in many fuel economy events, and was a member of the team that broke Guinness fuel economy records in Britain and New Zealand.

“We always knew the new Swift DDiS would be capable of doing the Auckland-Wellington drive without the need to refuel the relatively modest sized 42-litres tank,” said Anderson.

“However, we didn’t expect the car to return as far as Mercer before the tank was dry,” he said. “The Suzuki was only 60 kilometres short of reaching Auckland, and managed 1,240 kilometres on the one tankful.”

Anderson said the result could have been even better had the car not encountered high winds and torrential rain on the Desert Road in central North Island. Where possible on the open road, the Swift cruised between 80 km/h and 100 km/h to provide a real world figure.

On the Auckland-Wellington leg, the Swift consumed just 21.25 litres of diesel for a fuel cost of $34, based on a typical pump price of $1.60 per litre.

Factor in the Government Road User charge of $28.80 for the distance, and the total fuel/tax cost for the journey was $62.80.

“The Swift diesel is an astute answer to motorists and business users wanting to lower their costs of transport, particularly for those who travel long distances annually,” said Anderson.

“With 46 per cent more torque than a 1.4-litre petrol-engined Swift, the car is responsive and well geared for local conditions,” he said.

Peak torque is achieved at a low 1,750 rpm and at 80 km/h in fifth gear, the turbocharged diesel engine is spinning at around 1,900 rpm, rising to 2,250 rpm at 100 km/h.

Anderson said the standard fitment of the trip computer, with instant and average fuel economy readings, proved invaluable in squeezing out the optimum economy for the constantly changing road conditions.

The test proved that with careful driving, it is possible to better posted economy figures from motor manufacturers.

In the official extra urban fuel cycle for highway driving, Suzuki claims a figure of 3.6 litres/100 km (78.5 mpg).

“However, the combined cycle for both urban and open road driving is a more reasonable consumption figure for everyday motoring,” said Anderson.

Suzuki claims 4.2 litres/100 km (67.3 mpg) for the combined cycle, making the diesel Swift the new economy champion in the Suzuki line-up of models.

It also arrives as arguably the most fuel efficient new car available in New Zealand and a viable alternative to petrol/electric hybrid models.

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