Suzuki Swift Sport ZC33S ownership
Discussion
My Jag has moved on and I am getting a Suzuki Swift Sport ZC33S in a few days, and thought I would journal the ownership experience here.
Picking up from a dealer 100 plus miles away so should be able to tell pretty quickly on the drive home if this was a good decision, this could be a very short journal ...
Picking up from a dealer 100 plus miles away so should be able to tell pretty quickly on the drive home if this was a good decision, this could be a very short journal ...
I did Solihull to Wrexham (i think) driving my '20 SZ-L which I part exchanged for '18 non hybrid Sport. The drive home was a blast and I knew I made the right decision. You'll have so much fun! I left it stock while in the warranty period. Since then I have fitted a CTC BOV and a HKS intake, while also removing the OEM pipework for the intake so it's nice and noisy now.
Next on my wish list is an intercooler, then exhaust followed by an ECU re-map. However this remains the wish list while the actual project car takes priority to sort.
I don't think you'll regret it, they are great cars.
Next on my wish list is an intercooler, then exhaust followed by an ECU re-map. However this remains the wish list while the actual project car takes priority to sort.
I don't think you'll regret it, they are great cars.
I’ve had a 2019 (non-hybrid) for the last 3 and a bit years as my daily, and it’s been great.
Fun, reliable, economical (should you wish) and mine still qualifies for Suzuki’s 10 year warranty, so I’ll be keeping it for another couple of years yet.
Not quite as entertaining to drive as the ZC32S that it replaced, but nothing’s perfect
Fun, reliable, economical (should you wish) and mine still qualifies for Suzuki’s 10 year warranty, so I’ll be keeping it for another couple of years yet.
Not quite as entertaining to drive as the ZC32S that it replaced, but nothing’s perfect
Picked up the SSS, had it a few weeks now, wanted to get a bit more driving in before write up.
In the days before pick up I was questioning my choice, my previous car was a Jaguar F Pace v8 SVR, and with 4 plus decades of driving with half that time being in some nice cars this was going be quite the change, so why do it, well miles for one, just don't do as many as I used to, and the Jag taught me that despite all that power, I just could not use it enjoyably, not if I wanted to keep my license that is. So the challenge, could I have just as much fun in a notably lesser powerful car, and do so for a lot less (I started to get fed up looking for a SVR replacement and I always circled back the SSS).
Pick up day came, dealer experience was pretty poor to be honest, but that's a story for another day.
First thing I notice, which I did not on the test drive, is that I am not as svelte as I think I am, my behind is being pinched, not badly but pinched nonetheless, since pick up I have played about with the seat position and found one that is ok.
Cabin, whilst not having high end finishings like leather dash etc, does not feel cheap, does not look or feel expensive by any means but by contrast does not look or feel overly cheap, everything is solid with a little acceptable play here and there, overall its ok and I don't mind all the scratchy plastics all the YTs always go on about, cabin has a deceptively spacious feel about it, does not feel like the small car it is on the outside, I like that aspect.
Power, yes its there, enough for the car it is, was thinking prior to pick up that a remap was would be one of the first things I would do, and whilst I still think I will at some point, for now I am ok with it, and the only reason I would go for a remap is that it bumps the torque up to 300nm, and that may prove too tempting to resist as I do like how a torquier car drives.
Fun, a joy to drive, a hoot no less, all words used in various YT reviews and all true, it really is a fun car to drive.
And now for the 'quirks', road noise, it's just about acceptable when you get to a decent road, but those are few in UK, otherwise it is loud, too loud for comfort!
Wind noise, been a while since I encountered this, and had me wondering at first what it was, but over 70mph it makes itself known.
Coming from a SUV did not realise I would now be blinded by just about every cars headlights, not the SSS fault but not something I had to deal with previously.
Speakers are ok, unless you like your sound blasted, but that head unit is dated, but easilly fixed with Android auto so not such a big deal.
No auto wipers, hard to imagine this is not standard on every car, but apparently not.
Interior lighting, on my drive back home it was dark and whilst I am not a big fan of over illuminated cabins the SSS has nothing, nada, not a LED anywhere.
It has folding mirrors but not auto on lock, I tried a few combos (lock/unlock 4 times, then press key etc) but no combo seems to work.
The car defo ticks my lifestyle just now, I have not really mod'd any of my previous cars, other than a remap, but this little thing is almost asking me to make changes, and with the mod scene for this huge (especially in Japan) I think I can have some fun making it my own, and for not a lot of money, already gone down the rabbit hole that is sound insulation and given the car has next to no sound insulation I am thinking anything I can add will bring the noise down.
Is it a keeper, too early to tell, I do not want to start making significant mods to it only too find out it is not for me, so I will wait a few months, live with it, and then decide.
For now the most important question, does it pass the supermarket car park smile test, yes it does, in fact it positively makes me chuckle
NB, Don't see an option for image upload, will do once I see it, probs newbie restrictions...
In the days before pick up I was questioning my choice, my previous car was a Jaguar F Pace v8 SVR, and with 4 plus decades of driving with half that time being in some nice cars this was going be quite the change, so why do it, well miles for one, just don't do as many as I used to, and the Jag taught me that despite all that power, I just could not use it enjoyably, not if I wanted to keep my license that is. So the challenge, could I have just as much fun in a notably lesser powerful car, and do so for a lot less (I started to get fed up looking for a SVR replacement and I always circled back the SSS).
Pick up day came, dealer experience was pretty poor to be honest, but that's a story for another day.
First thing I notice, which I did not on the test drive, is that I am not as svelte as I think I am, my behind is being pinched, not badly but pinched nonetheless, since pick up I have played about with the seat position and found one that is ok.
Cabin, whilst not having high end finishings like leather dash etc, does not feel cheap, does not look or feel expensive by any means but by contrast does not look or feel overly cheap, everything is solid with a little acceptable play here and there, overall its ok and I don't mind all the scratchy plastics all the YTs always go on about, cabin has a deceptively spacious feel about it, does not feel like the small car it is on the outside, I like that aspect.
Power, yes its there, enough for the car it is, was thinking prior to pick up that a remap was would be one of the first things I would do, and whilst I still think I will at some point, for now I am ok with it, and the only reason I would go for a remap is that it bumps the torque up to 300nm, and that may prove too tempting to resist as I do like how a torquier car drives.
Fun, a joy to drive, a hoot no less, all words used in various YT reviews and all true, it really is a fun car to drive.
And now for the 'quirks', road noise, it's just about acceptable when you get to a decent road, but those are few in UK, otherwise it is loud, too loud for comfort!
Wind noise, been a while since I encountered this, and had me wondering at first what it was, but over 70mph it makes itself known.
Coming from a SUV did not realise I would now be blinded by just about every cars headlights, not the SSS fault but not something I had to deal with previously.
Speakers are ok, unless you like your sound blasted, but that head unit is dated, but easilly fixed with Android auto so not such a big deal.
No auto wipers, hard to imagine this is not standard on every car, but apparently not.
Interior lighting, on my drive back home it was dark and whilst I am not a big fan of over illuminated cabins the SSS has nothing, nada, not a LED anywhere.
It has folding mirrors but not auto on lock, I tried a few combos (lock/unlock 4 times, then press key etc) but no combo seems to work.
The car defo ticks my lifestyle just now, I have not really mod'd any of my previous cars, other than a remap, but this little thing is almost asking me to make changes, and with the mod scene for this huge (especially in Japan) I think I can have some fun making it my own, and for not a lot of money, already gone down the rabbit hole that is sound insulation and given the car has next to no sound insulation I am thinking anything I can add will bring the noise down.
Is it a keeper, too early to tell, I do not want to start making significant mods to it only too find out it is not for me, so I will wait a few months, live with it, and then decide.
For now the most important question, does it pass the supermarket car park smile test, yes it does, in fact it positively makes me chuckle
NB, Don't see an option for image upload, will do once I see it, probs newbie restrictions...
I had a remapped one, paid £13k brand new in 2019.
Drive it 7 hours home from Glasgow on Xmas eve.
It was a good car, better with a remap, intercooler, downpipe and airbox change - made around 175BHP if I remember.
Seats were comfy for short trips but a bit too small, auto wipers and lights were overly sensitive, small boot. But economical, quick for what it was and fun. Probably should have kept it, but sold it on for more than I paid after 15 months
Drive it 7 hours home from Glasgow on Xmas eve.
It was a good car, better with a remap, intercooler, downpipe and airbox change - made around 175BHP if I remember.
Seats were comfy for short trips but a bit too small, auto wipers and lights were overly sensitive, small boot. But economical, quick for what it was and fun. Probably should have kept it, but sold it on for more than I paid after 15 months
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