Suzuki Swift Sport
 

I know this car isn't getting to the U.S. but anyhoo.

Some time in the (near?) future we will be turning from a 2 car household to a 1 car household.

Criteria for the replacement car:
Small-ish
Fun to drive
Relatively inexpensive to run
Auto (*sigh* can't be helped)

This Suzuki seems to fit the criteria and the reviews have mostly positive. It seems to be incredibly well equipped at the Aus price of $30k drive away. And 970kgs!

I'm thinking I will go for a test drive next week, I shall report back.

AutoCar long term review


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utrpyyaUWtg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGj66EeEqts

I've driven non-sport very low powered old version of Suzuki Swift for a few years. It was very fun to drive. Unfortunately sport version does not come to my country. If it did, I might have consider it instead of BRZ. It seems to be very popular in Nürburgring.


If these come to your country, I would also like to have a test drive these:
https://car-images.bauersecure.com/p...ty_2018_53.jpg

And a second hand of one of these:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/33/ba...bfaac08305.jpg

If Suzuki gave the USA all the great cars they kept for Japan and Australia they would be doing very well in the USA instead of not selling cars in the USA.

I love Suzuki. I've always wanted a Sidekick.

For your dilemma, why not something like the Toyota Corolla Hatchback? or a 2017 Kia Forte SX?

test drive this one too..




https://www.unsealed4x4.com.au/wp-co...news-jimny.jpg

Because OP is in Australia and can get all the good stuff.

My friend had the grandfather of this car. 20 years ago. It is the stupidest car I've ever been in, yet one of the most fun. The speedometer moves all the time, in a fashion that makes me feel like the car is dancing :) It had a hardtop roof that can be opened, and after 60km/h the roof opens automatically, because of the wind. Once while I was sitting on the back seat, my friend pass through a rough surface. No seat belt of course. I've flew up and hit my head to the roof and fell down to the floor. He stopped, and cried my name :) He said "I thought you flew outside the car when I didn't see you in the mirror. Good old days :)

http://momentcar.com/images/suzuki-samurai-1986-8.jpg

You get the Jimney down there. What was the question again?

I drive by the plant where the Sidekick used to be built for the North American market twice a day. There used to be fields full of the things all down the highway. Don't know who bought them ll since you rarely saw one on the road.

They're all out on farms or in the woods.
Makes a better side x side than any of the open body ones.

The Geo Metros are still around delivering pizzas since Chevy dropped the line.
Saw a cabriolet Metro last month on a winding road driven with purpose and the top down.

I have watched many videos about that car and I admire it muchly but it's not for me.

The Swift is lighter, smaller, higher kW/t than modern Corollas and the Kia Cerato is way too big.

Neither the UP! or the hot Yaris make it here.

Yeah, I have briefly (as in the time it took to have a look at options) considered an ST but it's only available with a manual transmission.

Oh sorry I've misread. DSG Audi S1 or Polo GTI or Ibiza Cupra might be worth to test drive perhaps. Ibiza Cupra is the cheapest, but I think it is a fun car. But I have a feeling that Swift Sport would beat them all.. It's a lovely car.

So...
I went to the Suzuki dealership today (there are two dealerships in town owned by the same company) with a bunch of questions and hoping for a test drive. Some of my questions were curiosity only (can the lane assist/departure warning be permanently switched off, ffs, who needs that? No, it can't be.) and a couple were important/relevant to me (auto transmission in "manual mode" will shift up a gear without intervention at maintained high revs, what about downhill engine braking?).

The salesman I met showed absolutely no enthusiasm for his job or the car. When I mentioned which car I was interested in there was no "Yeah, that's a fun car, great fuel economy, it puts a smile on my face every time I drive one", nothing. He asked me to have a seat, I asked him some questions, got the impression I was wasting his time.

It was not a big deal but I was surprised by the lack of stroking, the total lack of effort on his part trying to sell a car. I lost interest in going for a drive.

The car is still on the agenda if things turn out the way I suspect they will but I will certainly be shopping out of town if it comes to that.

These guys seem to be doing some interesting stuff with the Swift platform..

http://www.ctc-performance.co.uk/

You using a broker?

I didn't know there were brokers for buying a car.
Purchasing is not happening just yet.

I went for a drive in my car today and realised I would be sad to sell it. Ah well, I don't think it can be helped.

Yeah, I've had a look at their website. There doesn't look like too much stuff that interests me for this model. I've already looked at coilovers (the wife looks at handbags so I'm guessing I'm allowed to look at car parts lol). Tein and KW make drop in parts. Suspension is the only thing I'm interested in changing.

I've been there. Stupid useless car salesman. Is there a local website you can use to find the enthusiast Suzuki salesman? There is usually at least one close that actually loves the cars and knows what they are talking about. Sounds like you just found the useless new recruit that will be doing something else in a few months.

https://autoexpert.com.au/contact

I've used this guys, ummm, guys previously with excellent success.

Like the ad says, I've saved thousands, no shit..

Love him or hate him (I think he is as funny as fark), he gets the good deals

The Cup tyres seemed a bit extreme for the car, especially here in the UK. The weather is never great, 4 seasons in one day...

For a moment I thought you were talking about Turkey :) However, I believe, the sales people here are in a different level; about the "sports" cars especially. In year 2011 I've decided to buy a Golf GTI.

Went to a VW dealer. Got an answer: "No you cannot buy it. Period!"

I went to another, the main distributor of VW. At last a man decided to give his very precious time and talk to me. He said: "OK, but the price raises everyday, so I cannot give you an exact price. Car may come here 3 to 6 months later. You'll pay what ever it is then."

I said: "OK. Can you give me a price in dollar or something, so that I would know that if I can bought it or not?"

He said. "Sure, it will be around N dollars roughly. But this info is not official, you'll get an official number on Monday!" (That N price to the normal Golf price ratio was in accordance to the prices on other countries, including the stupid tax increases.) No response, of course. I called him a week later. He said: "Our people are working hard on determining the price. Be patient!" Rocket scientists are at work!

A few weeks later I called him again. He gave me a stupidly high price. I told him "You said N dollars, WTF?" He said exactly this: "Huh, do you think you could buy a VW GTI with that price?" He sounded like "who the f.ck are you to buy a sports car?" I said something polite in a way that sounded like "Fck off"

I had to forget about VW and decided to buy a Seat Leon CUPRA. I went to the dealer. Only one sales man was dealing with such stupid requests. He tried to convince me that buying a CUPRA is the most stupid thing to do. It's the same car but not comfortable, have very bad seats. It is not as fast as I think. It consumes a lot of fuel, etc. I said: "let's stop talking bullshit and let me buy it!" in a very polite way. He answered "no way! fck off!" in a more polite way.

I got home and called the main VW-Seat distributor center in another city. A nice woman decided to help me; and I got it at last. She even let me decide the color of the car! Nice people are everywhere :)