Very tight handling around corners, makes you feel like you're in a race car! Great gas mileage on my 5 speed, great gear box feel like you're in a tight, well made machine. I also like the location of all the knobs and controls; very driver friendly placement of switches, etc. Quick on the take off from a red light and switching lanes on the freeway or city streets.

Poor visibility out of the rear windows that are way too small for the body style. Very obstructed view when you're trying to see who's in the lane next to you so you can pass lanes. Tough to guage unless you are very good at completely turning around while you're driving. Could be a safety factor if you're not young and agile. Cargo room is extremely small and the back seat is tiny. No adult can fit in back due to the sloped back windshield. A child of about 10 would be the oldest person I'd put back there. No head room back there at all. Also, the car is very low to the ground so it's tough to take your mom or elderly uncle out for lunch. They can't get in and out of the car because it sits too close to the curb and it's practically an acrobatic maneuver for them to get in and out nimbly. I'm in shape and can deal with it but others can't.

I paid $8000 used in 1995 and though I feel I got a fair deal, I'm finding the trade in not so great for it at 100K miles. I'm barely getting $1,500 for trade in and it's in great shape.

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Compares to the Nissan 200SX SE which I've test driven. Also similar to the Mitsubishi Eclipse in terms of roominess and lowness to the ground and how tight the handling is. Again, it's that race car feel and I like that.

Gas mileage, reliable and tough motor whether you buy a 3 or 4 cylinder.
Roomy in the front for a 6'4" guy, lots of storage space when the back seat is down.
Cheap to buy, parts can last a long time if car is cared for properly.

On a rainy day, windows can fog up easily.
To remedy that, I went to Canadian Tire when they had their window visors on sale ($35),
put them on both doors and when it rains I open the window a little bit
and the fog is gone.
Other drivers think you're invisible so they cut you off
or they enter the road in right front of you forcing you to brake.
I've used my horn many times.
Lots of wind noise hitting my hatch window, so I pop open my rear windows and it's fine.
Rusts even with the rustproofing. They use so much salt here.
When I see older GM versions of the Swift they have no rust!
I had my car repainted in Feb. '98 and it started to rust a month later even with the rustproofing.
Probably better rust protection at the GM dealers than the Suzuki dealers.
Brakes wear out more frequent.
Parts are expensive. But if you baby your car you won't replace your parts as frequently.

Bought my Swift (3 cyl, 5-speed, 2-door hatch) when it was 2 years old
and had 30k on it for $6000. Now I have over 170k and runs like new.
I like them so much I just bought another but it's a 4-door Firefly
with the same 3 cylinder motor but with automatic.
I've been to Boston twice and to Detroit twice. Never had to fill up.
Well over 800km to each city and still had plenty of gas left.
Remember, this is a small tank. It was costing me $17 to fill before the gas prices rose.
The Swift, including its cousins (Metro, Firefly, Sprint, Forsa)
and other small cars in the similar price range (Hyundai, Kia, Daewoo, etc)
are meant for patient, open-minded and brave drivers.
Patience - for those who don't need the extra power, speed and price
from other cars to get from point A to point B a few seconds or minutes sooner.
Open-mindedness - keep an open-mind with these cars, they are small,
they'll grow on you and in the end and then you become attached like I have.
Brave - who is braver on the road when you're surrounded by these
SUVs, vans, 18-wheelers and pickups? Probably cyclists and motorcyclists.
If you enjoy supporting the wealthy Oil Companies forcing our gas prices
to skyrocket, these cars are not for you.
With the rising gas prices, on average, you pay about $2-$3 more for gas,
nothing to whine about, eh?
If they made a pickup version of these (like the VW Rabbit) I'd be first in line to buy one.
Too bad they are phasing out these cars. They've been in North America
for over 16 years, they did something right to last that long.
The similar fuel-efficient VW Golf/Jetta TDI, and the gas/electric cars are great but so overpriced.
The Swift, Metro, Firefly, Sprint, Forsa are the next best thing for a fraction the price.
Long live rock'n'roll and the Suzuki Swift!

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'77 & '81 Civic (only other good cars I've had).
Calais (unreliable), Reliant (roomy, but unreliable).
Festiva (pretty close, but not as good quality as the Swift).

Awesome value for the money! Fantastic gas mileage and a very reliable car. Hatchback and cargo capacity with rear seat down beats much larger cars I have owned. Dual airbags standard.

Status value could suffer here, but you know what they say about guys with large flashy cars. Not sure about back seat, only used by my dog. Vehicle probably too small for a lot of peoples' needs but great for mine. No interior hatch release.

I've talked to several people who own Swifts and, quite honestly, problems and complaints are extremely rare. A basic car like this has an advantage that fewer things can go wrong with it and Suzuki insures what is there is engineered very well.
If you are in the market for a small car check it out!

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Ford Escort-'97 Escort is a good car also, but Swift is more fun to drive and gets better gas mileage.

50+ mpg. Starts easily at -25. Little maintenance required.

Beginning to rust near gas tank.
Doesn't hold road well in high winds.
Needs about 10 / 15 more hp.
Doesn't start well in damp weather.
Exhaust system rusting out now (from the block all the way back).

I've driven this car since new (GS model, 1.3L 4 cyl upgraded brakes out of the factory), and put on 102000 miles.
Incredible gas milage even when highway driving at 70 mph.
Parking in the city is great - It squeezes in anywhere.
I replaced the front rotors and calipers at 45000 miles, and haven't had to touch them since ! Rear drums have were adjusted at 70000 miles at that's it. Runs and stops like new.

An odd problem with starting in very damp weather though. I've replaced the cap & rotor five times over the past three years...

I bought the car in 95 for $8995.00 Canadian (new) ! What a steal.
I'll drive it until something major goes, then throw it away.

Recommended if you can get a low mile car.

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overall car is wonderful, I have almost 144,000 miles on it
I just had my first set of rear brakes put on. No major problems
to report, if you keep the fuel injectors clean the car has great pick up.
overall great car for the money, why did they stop making this car?

Keeping the windows from fogging up without turning on the air conditioning
I slight oil smell at times

I have been completely satisfied with this car, more than any other car I have owned, I would have to rate this car excellent in performance, quality, and reliability

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Smooth Gear Changes, Engine sounds, Power to Weight Ratio, Easy to look showy, Prepared Speaker holes for 6" speakers in rear of Sedan, comfortable seating, EXCELLENT fuel economy.

A tad sluggish on off the mark acceleration, easy to spin tyres on (hang on this is a STRENGTH ;o) ), slight smell from engine oil burning after "giving it some kick" .

I LOOOOOOOOVE my car.

Tinted black windows in darkest legal tint, nice sound system and alarm. It handles amazingly, and despite having slightly sluggish acceleration, when higher in the gears, it really gets some grunt.

The brakes are reactive, and the handbrake grips like a monkey to a tree. The room in the car would suffice for 90% of people (being a PC technician I have to cart tools & computers/monitors to and from clients). The seats seem like they cuddle you, they are that comfortable, and everything on the dash is well within reach and really easy to get used to.

For the price of the car, those wanting a reliable, sturdy, and economic car, that can be modified to become faster (at a price) but can also be made to look classy, should put down a deposit now :).

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Hyandai Excel 1992 3 Door Hatch. ABSOLUTELY CRAP acceleration, no air con, stupid STUPID car, ugly, uncomfortable, windows stick hell easy!

well the 5.7 litre genIII i dropped in it gets it along.....
um try 0-60m/h in .0012 seconds and a top speed that breaks the sound barrier.
the 13 inch tires cope up until the friction point in the clutch rips them apart.
weight reduction was pretty easy.....let it rust and cut it out!!!!!

need more power

average performance by comparison to my 1983 toyota corolla.....check that out

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um...well the 1.3 litre 50hp barina hatch was up there with me....well it was never really there

Attractive for a Small car, Inexpensive, But not cheaply built. Good Power, Fuel economy rates from 40 to 45 Mpg. A/C doesnt Hurt Power too bad. Easy to service. Decent Handling considering the Skinny 13s. Nice Dash layout, Great 5 speed shifting and Clutch action. The 1.3 engine is peppy when you want it to be. (higher Rpm). Body structure very sound, As the roof, and doors and other areas of the car are greatly improved over the Pre 95 Models. Rated well In crash tests which ranks Better than many cars that are bigger and more expensive.

Window seals have occasional Air leaks (if window crank isnt tight enough, it whistles some), Some door Squeaking on light Pot holes and dirt road.
Some light issues with mounting hardware in interior and some exterior components. (what do you expect for this price range?). Needs stronger brakes they just feel average. A bit more Engine torque would help for long grades. Seats need more support, and better foam. (seems to be breaking down alot since I bought new.)

This is a wonderful Car if you do Light commuting, and want low cost and maintence. It doesnt wow you with tons of Power, but its definately Not a slug either. The ride is good, though the seats are mearly basic. The lower portion of the seat is fine, but the seatback is very average. Head support area is good. Controls are within easy reach. Heater is excellent, and A/C works great. From what I hear from others with Swifts of the 95 and up class, is they hold up well mechanically. The 98 and newer swifts have a new head with 16 valves instead of 8. Boosts the Hp from 70 to 79 and the torque a modest 1 FtLb. From 74 to 75. Believe me, a 1895Lb car with 79 Hp is pretty good. Engine runs smooth though buzzy at high Rpms. Idles very quiet. Handling is also a plus. Good vison all around when driving, and positive steering. Original Tires grab Ruts, (Goodyear Invictas) and like to hold rocks. So if you buy one, If it still is new enough (or new) it will have them on. Just be ready for some occasional rock tings under the fender skirts. You can hear them pretty well. A few times, I thought I hit something in the road. I really feel this car would be a star handler with wider tires. All I can say is its a great deal for the money, but look for deals Like I paid for mine. The Suzukis cost less than the Chevy Metro (which is made by Suzuki for GM)and The 1.0 3 cylinder engine makes the car a slug for only a 4mpg increase from 45 Mpg to 49. DONT buy it!. The reliability of the 1.0 isnt as good as a 1.3 in this series. The only thing I wish Suzuki Had was A Sedan. I might have bought it for a smidge for storage area, though, the fold down seats are good. mainly for a couple buddies. Actually, the rear seat is quite comfortable, and can seat 2 6' footers well. If you dont have alot of money for a new car, this is the way to go. :)

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Hyundai Scoupe. Good Mileage, basic Build quality like swift. More expensive than Swift.
Honda Civic. 93. great car when compared to swift, but only some. Some better build quality, About same MPG, much more expensive to buy.

Totally reliable, great gas mileage, fun to drive. I get nearly 50 mpg on open road. Can beat the big SUVs when accelerating from 15 to 35 mph in second gear. Makes most drivers mad when I do that, so I've been trying to restrain myself. Tight, positive little gearbox, peppy engine. Great lights and brakes. Runs like a fine watch. Starts right up in the coldest weather. Great heater and rear window defogger. Great for students, cheapskates, and folks who don't like to fix cars.

1. Should have gotten the A/C.

2. The upholstery on the driver's side is beginning to wear out.

3. My cat likes to sleep on it. Paw prints everywhere.

4. So much fun to drive I want to buy a new one every six months or so.

I paid about $7500 new. Car had been on the lot over a year with no takers. I don't know why, because it looks and runs fine, even now with over 68,000 miles on it. Must have been the lack of air conditioning. I bought it on a hot July day toward the end of the month. I think the dealer was desperate. I'll have to use that strategy again when I buy my next one.

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VW bug and Datsun 1200. I've had a couple of each but love the Suzuki the best.

1) Fule Economy 2)Sufficient Power 3)Excellent head and leg room for 6 footers.

1)Handles more like truck than a compact car.

Overall, the Swift is an excellent commuter car. The gas milliage is excellent while not being underpowered. Attention to handling needs to be a focus for the Suzuki engineers. There is too much body roll in turns for my taste.