Motorweek 1995 Suzuki Swift Hatchback Road Test

[@mitch4527]

John Davis is a legend. I watched MotorWeek on PBS in 1984, when I was 19. I’m 58 now and he’s still on the job!

[@Porsche996driver]

This was “Appointment TV” right lol

[@zzoinks]

Wow that is so crazy to think about

[@jayosmond8374]

I bought a 1995 Suzuki Swift (manual) brand new, and I regretted trading it in 3 years later. This car took me everywhere with no problems.

[@GeeEm1313]

The Swift GTi/GT was an underrated pocket rocket. 100 HP and the weight of a pebble. I'd love to see a retro review on one of those.

[@carlasghost656]

Motorweek does have a review of two earlier GTi models on KZbin.

[@haaxxx9]

That’s literally what the Mazda2/Demio is currently! I have one right now and it handles so well and adequate for acceleration. Did installed some mods to it like a dogbone, rear sway bar, air intake, HKS exhaust (already installed when bought), and some vision rims (Also already on there). Its like a go-kart but it’s legal to be on the road and very practical! So this is the car I might drive if I was around the 90’s to legally drive huh. Sweet!

[@jamesstuart3346]

Wife had a '93 4-door 16-valve as a commuter car. What a blast to drive and cheap to run. She got 360,000 km out of it

[@jimmyjimjims7483]

I loved mine, always had that smiley little face when I looked at it lol. Although when equipped with AC and an automatic like mine was it couldn't get out of its own way let alone merge onto a freeway! Also prone to eating water pumps but it was a very good little car and lasted many years

[@acadian76]

I had a Canada only 1995 Pontiac Firefly SE version of this car with the 1.3 liter 4 cylinder engine and 3 speed automatic transmission. It was a great little car for city driving . I had it from 1995 until 2008 and had 300,000 + KM's on it when I got rid of it. Great on gas, super reliable and fun to drive.

[@timmcshan3881]

I had a 97 metro. Awesome lil car

[@fernandorocha901]

Nice little car this Suzuki Swift and Geo Metro

[@vapsa56]

A car we need today. Simple, efficient, inexpensive and fun to drive.

[@aaronwilliams6989]

Way too little, though.

[@MT-rc3gn]

​@@aaronwilliams6989 You can make it work if you want to

[@foxtrot685]

Mitsubishi has made the modern interpretation of this thing for damn near a decade.

[@mitch9521]

@@foxtrot685 yeah and its terrible lmao

[@AndresSalazarAutos]

The Suzuki Swift (Suzuki for that matter) is out of the US market, the new Sport is a gem of a little rocket, under 1000kh in weight, 140hp and 170lb-ft of torque, it is a sub 7 second 0-60mph, super agile and super fun.

[@haaxxx9]

More interesting than most SUVs on the market right now in the USA. Sadly it will get overshadowed by the SUV’s over here unless something spectacular of events happens that SUVs are not popular anymore and not made them glorified shitty sedans/hatchback/wagons.

[@peep39]

I heard some blue-jays during the narration. Too funny. The car turned out to be better than I expected. Good on them

[@mphmobiledetailingmph7912]

My daily is Smudge purple 1995 Suzuki Swift HB 4cyl 1.3 sohc 5pd ABS 218,500km. Was my mums car 26 years. Biggest cost in it's 29 years is had to get differential rebuilt 203,000km $1,864. I have a tachometer! Went up two sizes in with from 155/80/13 to 175/70/13 found it helps with handling and stopping faster. Fun car to drive! Was $11,500+tax fess in 1995. Financed was just over $14k in B.C Canada.

[@new2000car]

for $1,500 more, the competition was well worth getting. These were good cars, but cars like the Tercel were better, particularly in body rigidity, making them a bit nicer to drive over time. But this Swift was very good looking, especially for the price, and over time these have proved to be economical to own. 70 hp was adequate at the time, for the money, and for this light of a car. My two cents.

[@cameronlovesevolve]

ahahah when i heard the difference i laughed out loud. Please. Spend the 1500.

[@carlasghost656]

From the ads I remember at the time Suzuki was going for the people with iffy credit who still wanted a new car. They ran a lot of "Bring us your W2 and we'll put you in a new car today" type ads.

[@Diecastjoe]

I would rather get a second hand mirage for that price. At least it comes with air conditioning standard. 😂

[@aaronmacy9134]

ABS *AND* A/C?! Faaaaaancy! My first car was a 2000 Chevy Metro hatch and it didn't even have power steering or even rear defrost, lol. This Swift is a luxury car by comparison!

[@michaelsisk7875]

great little cars i had one it never broke i miss suzuki and geos there were both great little cars they need to bring back cheap little cars the chevy spark was the last of its breed

[@Aaron.Crow512]

And Mitsubishi mirage

[@michaelsisk7875]

yes only problem with them is there ugly geos and suzukis were at least cute even the chevy spark was cute the mitsubihi mirage is just ugly lol@@Aaron.Crow512

[@Aaron.Crow512]

@@michaelsisk7875 lol yeah they can be I like the G4 in top trim they are so cute lolz but yeah I’d take a geo over a mirage anyday especially if they had todays tech

[@michaelsisk7875]

that was the great thing about them no tech less to break just a reliable dependable car@@Aaron.Crow512

[@ZoomyZoom77]

I think my dad had one as a loaner car from a friend or something. I remember going to the doctors office and it was crusty in the back

[@GeeEm1313]

That sounds more like a human issue and not something wrong with the car.

[@MidnightPolaris800]

Was it white crusty 😂

[@Trance88]

I wish a version of this car could be made today, just one that could at least meet today's safety ratings.

[@sterlingprovost2581]

Come on Ned, move this thing!

[@flightwriterNG]

Another review bumped by "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" Muzak! Someone on the MW staff back then was a huge Mary Chapin-Carpenter fan.

[@DennisHowerton]

The Swift is a fine looking car. The only change I would suggest to improve it would be to allow the rear bench seat to fold up like the rear seat in the Ford Festiva to make more cargo space available.

[@gibememoni]

my dad had one, he used to drive me to pre school in it. He loved it

[@fernandorocha8459]

Very nice this Suzuki Swift

[@steveespinola7652]

I remember when they use to offer this car on PRICE IS RIGHT, it was always when they were playing the 2 for the price of 1 game.

[@julioangel1839]

I traded a 50cc mini ninja for one of this drove it for a couple of years without any problems

[@PaulMyers-q1m]

Drove one in early 2000 just rack-and-pinion stering was heavy on steering wheel 😮

[@liverush24]

I worked with a bloke, Andy, who bought one of these new in '89 & after one particularly cold night, he opened the garage door before work, only to discover that his windscreen had shattered during the night. He thought that it was caused by the low temperature. Nobody else's windscreens shattered that night - my 1976 Escort's was fine, and that was outside.

[@fernandorocha-dx1wv]

Nice and great cat the Suzuki Swift and Geo Metro

[@gibememoni]

This car would be perfection if it came with some type of 170hp engine, maybe 1.6 turbo, and some suspension goodies.

[@karoltakisobie6638]

I heard those were made in Ontario Canada. Can anyone confirm?

[@johnd5729]

5:10 Yes. He says they are built in Canada

[@rabit818]

I wonder how many Swifts are around in 2024.

[@mitch9521]

I absolutely fucking love these little nuggets

[@xnopyt13]

Didn’t know this actually sold as a Suzuki in the us

[@05309193]

Airdate: December 17, 1994.

[@pc248m]

How do you know when to shift???

[@MidshipRunabout2]

By sound. Also possible by speed if you know the top speed of each gear.

[@glanzera]

If you don't know when to shift a manual transmission without a tach, you have no business behind the wheel of a manual transmission vehicle.

[@MidshipRunabout2]

@@glanzera Everyone starts somewhere

[@jonathanfox676]

Has a shift indicator light as well though it’s not very accurate

[@Diecastjoe]

It’s a Swifty!!! 😛

[@gregg9672]

Mines still going

[@tihamervarga3052]

😊🎉❤

[@signature90094]

In order to save fossil fuels now everyone drives SUVs. I'm sure we're taking the right road to get into a concrete wall of disaster.

[@patt693]

Aren't these cars just rebadged geo metro

[@carexpertandy]

Yes

[@thomasempacher9337]

Actually it was the other way around. The geo metro is a rebadged Suzuki.

[@GeeEm1313]

No. The Geo/Chevrolet Metro was a rebadged Swift.

[@williamegler8771]

The GEO division never made anything they just sold rebadged vehicles.

[@ubeuonly]

​@@williamegler8771as a garbage company like g.m. would do