The basics first. There’s a choice in the engine department, this Swift 4×4 coming with two 1.2-litre petrol four-cylinder units.
The cheaper one is good for a wholly unexceptional 94bhp, so don’t get any illusions that you’re at the wheel of a shrunken Audi RS3.
If you can get this thing off the line and through 62mph in less than 13 seconds, count yourself as a pretty deft driver, or at least one who is deft while displaying zero mechanical sympathy. Better is the 90bhp Dualjet petrol 1.2 powerplant, which offers greater torque and efficiency.
Whatever your engine choice, on the move, you have to prod the five-speed manual transmission around the gate, although nothing’s really happening at a particularly frenetic pace.
The all-wheel-drive mechanicals are simple and rely on a permanent four-wheel-drive system which transfers additional torque to the rear wheels when required via a viscous coupling.
You’ll appreciate the added security this brings in wintry conditions but remember two things. In such conditions, any car is only as good as its tyres and four-wheel-drive traction advantages aren’t equalled by commensurate braking benefits, so it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
The slightly increased ride height might give you a clue that this is no ordinary Swift, but other than that, the Swift 4×4 is extremely discreet. Like the rest of the Swift range, the 4×4 gets the latest styling refreshments including a revised front bumper and grille and silver detailing to the lower front bumper.
For added safety and style, an LED high-level brake lamp has been added. The interior design has been given some thought too, with better quality seat fabric featuring black as its keynote colour, with lined accents of blue and grey.
The fascia remains very driver focused, with a trio of overlapping dials in the instrument binnacle and a tapered centre console that draws the eye to the gear lever that marshals the five-speed manual transmission.
The view out of the car is better than in most rivals, thanks again to that upright seating position and big glass area.
The 4WD Swift is priced at just over £12,000 for the base SZ3 version and just over £14,000 for the higher specified SZ4 Dualjet model which includes power folding door mirrors with integral indicators and Daylight Running Lamps as standard equipment.
Apart from 4×4 badging and that slightly increased body ride height of 25mm, the look of an SZ3 grade 4×4 model appears identical to that of an ordinary Swift SZ3 five-door.
The SZ4 variant has a more rugged appearance and offers extra protection over rough ground by adding front and rear skid plates, black wheel arch extensions and black side skirts.
This car’s most obvious similarly-sized rival is Fiat’s Panda 4×4 0.9 TwinAir. That car’s turbocharged 85bhp engine offers more performance but it’s priced at around £1,000 more than the most expensive version of this Swift.
Weighing in at just 65kg over its front-wheel drive sibling, the Swift 4×4 isn’t burdened by excess bulk.
That said, the base 94bhp 1242cc engine isn’t one of the class-leading performers even in front-wheel drive guise when it comes to economy and emission metrics. Still, it’s hard to judge 126g/km of CO2 overly harshly when balanced against the security the all-wheel drive system affords.
You’ll fare considerably better if you opt for the more modern 90bhp Dualjet unit of course. Insurance cover is pricier than the supermini average so you’ll probably be best served getting a few quotes before committing.
The Suzuki Swift 4×4 is a modern supermini that’s also slightly old-school. In execution, look and feel, the Swift feels bang up to date but the engineering seems to hark back to a short-lived craze for all-wheel drive everything that briefly blossomed and then died in the late Eighties.
Still, some old ideas are well worth reviving and the added ride height and grip offered by this Swift will doubtless come in handy during tough winter conditions. It’s ideal as a low cost, low worry second car for country people who can’t afford to be cut off when the Land Rover is in use.
Best, if you can, to go for the more modern Dualjet engine and the more interesting-looking SZ4 trim level.
Facts & figures
Model: Suzuki Swift 4×4
Price: From around £12,000
Engine: Dualjet petrol
1.2 powerplant
Performance: 0-62mph
in 12.3secs; top speed
of 103mph.
Economy: 58.9mpg
CO2 rating: 111g/km