WHAT CAR AWARDS - Suzuki makes it three with a price point win for the 6th time for the Swift Sport.

• Three-door Swift Sport wins ‘Best Buy’ hot hatch for less than £15,000 for the sixth consecutive year.
• Achieves 45.2mpg in ‘True MPG’ fuel economy test – more economical than official EC combined figure.

Suzuki celebrated again at the 2017 What Car? Magazine awards in London last night with the Swift Sport awarded a price point win for the sixth year in a row. The performance flagship of the Swift range was comprehensively judged by the editorial team and the final vote resulted in the three door model yet again receiving the ‘Best Buy Hot hatch for less than £15,000’.

First introduced in January 2012 and with more than 6,000 sold in the UK, the Swift Sport has a high standard specification that includes satellite navigation, DAB radio, USB connection and auto air conditioning.

Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car? comments: “The Suzuki Swift Sport is a reminder of the way hot hatches used to be – and it’s none the worse for that. Whereas all of its rivals now have turbocharged engines that pull strongly from low revs, the Sport uses a naturally aspirated 1.6 that’s most rewarding when you thrash it. True, it’s ultimately not that fast, but this just means you can use every ounce of the car’s performance without having to fear for your driving licence.

"The Sport also feels light on its feet and, thanks to its diminutive size, you can push it hard even on narrow country roads without feeling like you have to breathe in when something comes the other way. Then there’s the car’s sensible side. Suzuki was runner-up in our most recent reliability survey, so the Swift Sport should prove dependable, and it returned a very respectable 45.2mpg in its real-world True MPG fuel economy test. Although we’d opt for the cheaper three-door model to keep the price as low as possible, a five-door version is available if you decide you need better access to the rear seats.”

Swift Sport is available in a choice of four standard metallic paint finishes and is also  equipped with seven airbags, cruise control, High Intensity Discharge headlamps, rear privacy glass and 17-inch alloy wheels. In addition to satellite navigation and DAB radio, the Sport also has voice recognition, Bluetooth and music streaming compatibility.

Suzuki takes the title of best Compact Crossover in The Sunday Times Top 100 cars 2016.

Suzuki GB PLC would like to share some very good news for its Vitara model as it has been voted the winner of the compact crossover category in The Sunday Times Top 100 cars of 2016. 

Launched in the UK nine months ago, the Vitara was tested by their editorial team against some very strong competition from four different brands with one costing over £16,000 more for its lowest priced derivative.

The Sunday Times comments: “Squint — hard — and you might mistake the new Vitara for a Range Rover Evoque. That’s because Suzuki’s crossover has morphed from a cheap and cheerful off-roader into a primped, well-equipped vehicle that’s top of its class. This has a lot to do with the low starting price.”

Vitara SZ4 is available from £13,999 and standard equipment for all models is comprehensive and includes seven airbags, alloy wheels, DAB Radio with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control with speed limiter, auto air conditioning and front and rear electric windows.  Suzuki’s latest ALLGRIP four wheel drive technology is available as an option.

The most recent addition to the range is the new S model which provides a more sporting and dynamic character to the Vitara line up. The new S is the first Suzuki to utilise new BOOSTERJET technology engine which, in Vitara, is a 140PS 1.4-litre Direct Injection turbocharged unit (DITC). 

This new engine has compact dimensions and offers 220Nm of torque available from just 1,500rpm through to 4,000rpm.  CO₂  emissions are 127g/km and just one gramme higher for the optional six speed automatic transmission.

Suzuki also scored well in the warm hatchbacks category with its popular Swift Sport model. First launched in the UK in January 2012, the Sport again impressed the team who commented:  “This might look slow on paper and in the metal too, but get in and you won’t want to release the steering wheel. 

The Swift’s non-turbocharged 1.6-litre engine is a gem: smooth, revvy and full of heart. The car grips tenaciously, steers with energy and the subtle go-faster tweaks mean nobody else is likely to realise the fun you’re having, particularly if you opt for the five-door version. The three-door is a sub-£14,000 bargain”.

SEPTEMBER SALES - SUZUKI CARS - Best ever Q3 for the city car & suv maker.

Suzuki GB PLC is pleased to announce record registrations for the third Quarter of this year at 11,705 units, beating the previous closest record by 52 units set in 2004. It is also a record market share for the period at 1.74 per cent.

It was a record September for new registrations too with sales of 8,070 cars, overtaking the previous best figure by 150 units, also achieved in 2004. Year to date, Suzuki has sold 31,431 cars making it the highest figure ever recorded for the brand in the first nine months of the year. Suzuki aims to achieve more than 37,000 sales by the end of this year.

The high upturn in sales over the last nine months has proved yet again that demand remains strong for Suzuki’s stylish range of models in the UK. This year, sales of the Zero VED Alto city car have again made it the most popular car in the range with 12,000 units sold.

The good news for Suzuki buyers continues into the winter as well with a further extension of its VAT Free offers now running until December 31. Alto, Splash, Swift (except Sport) and the outgoing SX4 models are all included and represent significant savings.

Looking to the near future, Suzuki will introduce two new models in the fastest growing segments of the market, one of which is the Celerio City car that will go on sale in February 2015. This all-new model will be produced in Thailand and offers room for five occupants, class leading luggage capacity and exceptional fuel economy.

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this month, the new Vitara SUV model will go on sale next April. Vitara will be available with a choice of petrol or diesel engines, optional 4x4 capability via Suzuki’s ALLGRIP technology and will also be offered with a wide range of personalisation options. The new car will be built for Europe in Hungary at Magyar Suzuki alongside S-Cross and Swift.