Autodealer dream buy: Suzuki Swift Sport

The Swift Sport is one of our favourite hot hatches. While every other manufacturer switches to forced induction, Suzuki has kept the Swift pure with a free-revving naturally aspirated engine, a dynamic chassis and enough creature comforts to make the car very usable on a daily basis. These cars are as reliable as rain however, being a hot hatchback, there are always warning signs of abuse and things to look out for before purchasing.

What to look out for

Ensure that the clutch is in good working order; there should be no slipping (you can feel the car rev but not pick up speed), noises or jerking when using the clutch;
Ensure that the vehicle’s gears moves smoothly into every gear as the Sport is renowned for its rifle-bolt gearshift action. So, if there are any doubts when shifting, there might be a problem with the synchros;
Make certain the paint is in good condition as these cars have been known to have thin paint that chips easily;
The cars have relatively small batteries and therefore can have issues starting, if the vehicle hasn’t been driven for a while or if it’s only driven for short periods. This problem has been reported more in winter when the car takes a bit longer to turn-over;
There have been occasional reports of sensor issues in these cars so should the “Check Engine” light appear this could be due to a faulty O2 sensor;
The vehicles can throw error lights on the dashboard stating that there is an emissions problem, which could mean a faulty catalytic converter in the exhaust system.