Suzuki Swace Review 2023
The Suzuki Swace is a hybrid estate car that's practical and reliable. Coming with an economical hybrid powertrain and immense build quality, the Swace is perfect for families looking for a sustainable lease car.
Rivals to the Swace include the Ford Focus Estate, Kia Ceed Sportswagon, Skoda Octavia Estate, and Hyundai i30 Tourer.
Our Suzuki Swace review covers:
- Good exterior styling with low front grille and rounded rear end
- Solid interior that features some premium materials
- 596-litre boot
- 1.8-litre petrol hybrid engine
- Two trim levels
Pros:
- Good fuel economy
- Cheaper than the Corolla
- Excellent build quality
Cons:
- Only two trims available
- Just one engine
- Mediocre performance
The Swace isn't the most typical-looking Suzuki out there. That's because it's based on the Toyota Corolla Touring Sport. Put them side to side and they look ridiculously alike, with a low front grille, large bonnet, and rounded rear end.
Suzuki is known for its practicality, which can be seen in the cabin. There's plenty of room for two adults in the front, and there's loads of adjustment, with the front seats sliding back a long way. Keep the seats in the normal position, and there's plenty of legroom for a pair of six-footers in the rear, even more than in the Skoda Octavia Estate.
Boot space comes in at 596 litres with the seats up, but fold the rear seats 60/40, and you get 1,232 litres of space, identical to the Corolla Touring Sport. It's quite a square boot and comes with an adjustable floor, making it easy to load larger items.
As expected, the Swace's interior is solidly built and features plenty of soft-touch materials. The dashboard feels good and is well-designed, and although there are some cheaper materials further down, it still feels a bit more premium than the Ford Focus Estate.
On the dash, you get an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with all the usual features, such as a DAB radio, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. It's positioned relatively high on the dash, which makes it easy to use when driving, but unfortunately, there aren't many physical buttons to use in the Skoda Octavia Estate.
Two trim levels are available for the Swace: Motion and Ultra.
Motion has 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, rear privacy glass, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a leather-covered and heated steering wheel, a rearview camera, an eight-inch touchscreen multimedia system, cruise control, and lane tracing assist.
Ultra adds Bi-LED projector headlights, a blind spot monitor, front and rear parking distance sensors, interior ambient lights, leather interior trims, a centre console tray with a wireless charger, rear cross-traffic alert, and a smart door lock system.
Just one unit makes up the Swace's engine range. It's a 1.8-litre petrol hybrid engine combined with an electric motor to produce 140bhp. It comes with an automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive.
Taking you from 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds, the hybrid engine is good enough for everyday driving and will get you up to motorway speeds with no issues whatsoever. It also returns a fuel economy of 62.7mpg, which is very good and exceeds the Skoda Octavia Estate.
As it's based on the Toyota Corolla, it's no surprise the Swace is pretty good to drive. Around town, the Swace is relaxing to drive, and you can drive for short distances on battery power alone. The suspension deals with bumps in the road well, and vision is good in all directions, which makes parking easy.
Get up to motorway speeds, and the Swace is equally as composed. Wind and road noise are kept to a minimum, and once at 70mph, you can cruise along without having to worry about much.
If you want some fun, the Swace is okay, but it certainly has limitations. It has a decent road grip, which keeps you secure, but the engine and gearbox are a bit lacklustre when you want a bit of fun, even in 'Sport' mode.
Prices for the new Suzuki Swace start from £29,285.00 OTR* or to lease from £312.15 per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of the Suzuki Swace? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.
