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EVEN peak hour traffic was fun to drive in and when you got the chance to accelerate away, the Vitara’s turbo-boost engine was more than willing to get going. Overtaking traffic on the open road in this gutsy SUV could be done with confidence.
The gearlever slips effortlessly into each gear and the driving seat and position is comfortable. The ride quality is excellent with uneven road, potholes and speedbumps easily absorbed. The Vitara will get you from A to B without too much fuss and offers a comfortable drive in city and confident travelling on the open road. Due to its compact size and good allround view, it is easy to park and the rear camera certainly is a bonus.
Price
- 1,4 Vitara Turbo Pricing
GLX 6MT R380 900
GLX 6AT R399 900
Swift Sport
My teenage girls both want one, my husband wants one, and I certainly want one too. And that shows the universal appeal of the Swift Sport.
The bright yellow colour (Champion Yellow) of the test model was quite a point of conversation, and even the backdrop for a few selfies by total strangers in parking lots.
I can’t, however, imagine this little number coming in anything other than a bold colour. And it made it certainly easier to find in the parking lot on those days when I had a lot of other things to focus on rather than remember where I parked.
The new Sport also has Suzuki’s 1.4 turbo-petrol engine, the Boosterjet. It delivers 103 kW at 5 500 rpm and 230 Nm between 2 500 rpm and 3 500 rpm. The new lower and lighter Swift Sport gets to 100 km/h in eight seconds and is rated for a top speed of 205km/h.
The Sport is available in a six-speed manual gearbox and a newly developed six-speed automatic gearbox.
Styling:
Red stitching on the seats, gear lever boot and leather steering wheel, chrome pedals, funky, round-shaped dials and trendy metallic trim on the dashboard and door panels let you know this is a sports model – not to mention the two gleaming exhaust pipes poking out from underneath the cheeky backside.
Other nice features include the touch screen with incorporated reverse camera, controls on the D-shaped steering wheel for the audio system, fully automatic climate control, speed-sensitive power steering, electrically foldable rear-view mirrors and all-round electric windows.
Ride:
The vehicle test-driven was equipped with the six-speed manual transmission. Driving the Swift Sport is FUN in capital letters. It offers a solid, yet energetic ride and deals in an unflustered way with speedbumps and uneven road surfaces. It’s quick off the mark (with a nice roar to it), the steering is precise and its handling is superb. And not that anyone who drives a sports car would worry about the size of the boot, but FYI – the boot size is not too shabby either.
Price:
The Swift Sport is priced at R315 900 for the manual and R335 900 for the automatic. The price includes Suzuki’s promotional 200 000 km/five-year mechanical warranty and a comprehensive four-year/60 000 km service plan.
