Cheapest vs most expensive Suzuki hatchback – The R281,000 difference

Suzuki has rapidly climbed into the top three favourite automakers in South Africa with 2023 being a bumper year for the brand.

Its hatchbacks are by far the most popular options for local buyers, due in part to their wallet-friendly price tags, generous after-sales agreements, and decent kit.

Ranging from the most attainable car on the entire market, the R174,900 S-Presso, to one of the most affordable hot hatches, the R455,900 Swift Sport, with more than a dozen options between them, Suzuki certainly has a lot to offer its customers.

We look at what sets apart the two cars at the opposite ends of the beloved manufacturer’s hatchback spectrum.

Features

The base S-Presso GL model brings electric front windows, central locking, electronically-adjustable side mirrors, an engine auto stop-start function, manual air conditioning, rear parking sensors, a multifunction steering wheel, ABS, two airbags, and 14-inch steel wheels in plastic decorations.

Two speakers are also standard, but a radio must be installed for an additional cost.

As to be expected, the top-spec Swift Sport is much better equipped for its R281,000 premium.

This Suzuki provides keyless entry and push-button start, climate control, a leather multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, Sports bucket seats, electric wing mirrors, a reverse camera, paddle shifters, hill-hold control, ABS with brake assist, and six airbags.

This is on top of a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 4.2-inch driver’s information display with a boost gauge and digital speedometer.

An exclusive “carbon fibre-inspired” body kit, dual exhaust pipes, 16-inch polished alloy wheels, Monroe sports suspension, and automatic LED projector headlamps with daytime-running lights further lend the Swift a fittingly athletic aesthetic.

Being a “micro-SUV”, the S-Presso stands taller than the stanced Swift which translates to a higher ground clearance, but it’s both shorter and narrower which means it has less boot space.

You can see the dimensions of the siblings in the below table:

Engines

Driving the S-Presso is a 1.0-litre petrol engine with 49kW and 89Nm, which links to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission.

The Swift Sport employs a larger 1.4-litre power unit strapped with a turbocharger to develop 103kW and 230Nm, working in partnership with a six-speed auto-box.

Naturally, the smaller engine does better with fuel consumption as the S-Presso manages an average usage of 4.6l/100km compared to the Swift’s 6.1l/100km, which in the grand scheme of things is still rather low.

Vice versa, the more powerful hatch smashes its sibling when it comes to acceleration and top speed, eclipsing 100km/h in 6.1 seconds and reaching a maximum of 205km/h.

According to unofficial testing – since Suzuki does not provide the official numbers – the S-Presso climbs to triple-digit speeds in around 11.4 seconds and only gets up to approximately 150km/h.

Both the Suzuki hatches are sold with a 5-year/200,000km warranty, but the flagship gets a longer 4-year/60,000km service plan as opposed to the entry-level model’s 2-year/30,000km agreement.

Suzuki S-Presso

Suzuki Swift Sport