“Matteo’s Ultimate Solution: His Suzuki Swift Sport – Fun and Practical for Everyday Driving”

How to do ? When you are a young car enthusiast driver and you want to combine pleasure with the necessities of everyday life, the choice is limited. Especially since we rarely have the opportunity to afford two different cars, one for fun, the other to move. Matteo has found the solution: it’s a second-generation Suzuki Swift Sport, “the last three-door and the last with an atmo engine”.

Its Swift Sport has 136 hp, which is not exceptional, but taking into account its measured weight, around a ton “1,050 kg exactly”, Matteo is having fun at the wheel of a machine firmly planted on its four wheels sent back to the ends of a perfectly balanced chassis. For three years that he has been behind the wheel, the young electronics engineer (who works in the automobile industry) enjoys his daily life, but also during weekend trips or vacation time. Three years during which he traveled nearly 25,000 km rather calmly, despite his curious driving position.

Practical everyday seating and complete equipment

Because the Swift Sport is often criticized for this position, which is not very sporty, due to a rather high seat. But Matteo adapts very well to it. “On a daily basis, it’s rather practical”. How he appreciates the equipment of his car. For a 2016 vintage car, it is even damn endowed. Keyless opening, auto air conditioning, regulator, Bluetooth and USB socket are standard. “And even the heated seats”.

But how can a young driver afford a small sports car, well equipped, almost new and in perfect condition? “By saving, of course”. And by looking carefully, by peeling the offers and by comparing. “I had tried a 500 Abarth”. But the Italian was less versatile in his eyes. A search that ended up leading to this Japanese car on board which its previous owner had covered only 4,500 km in four years. Matteo paid her 12,500 euros in 2020.

To this sum he did not add much. Except for a slightly louder exhaust line than that of the production model. On the consumption side, the small Japanese karting only requires 7 l / 100 km, “even when having fun, because it has a Variable Intake Timing (VVT) system”. Provided you do not venture too often on a circuit and graze the breaker with each gear change, because in this case, consumption can double. Obviously, Matteo considers the price of his insurance a little excessive at 750 euros per year in all risks. But that’s the price to pay when listed “sport” on a hood, and when its driver is young. But this price is ultimately not so high for a fun car that is perfectly versatile and reputed to be reliable.