Without electrifying their car range, car manufacturers won't be able to make it anymore in Europe nowadays.
That could pose to be a problem for relatively small manufacturers like Suzuki, because developing a fully electric drivetrain is very expensive.
I don't think I have to explain what solution Suzuki has found, because let's face it; this Suzuki Swace is a rebadged Toyota Corolla.
This is the second Suzuki that's actually a Toyota. A short while ago, we drove the Suzuki Across. That actually had a different nose than...
the Toyota, but with the Swace, Suzuki was a tad lazier. It only has a different bumper. However, the bumper goes all the...
way to up here. This bit with the logo and this black bit over both are new.
The headlights themselves are just from the Corolla, which means there are different headlights to choose from.
This Swace has the more expensive headlights, with LED-strips and projector headlights. The cheaper version just has reflectors.
At the back, the Swace always comes with the simple light units. That means you won't have LED-units or dynamic indicators.
You do have to be a car-nerd to be offended by that however. It's easier to be offended by the way they've put on the Suzuki-badge.
A Toyota-badge seems to be bigger than a Suzuki-badge, and it's clearly visible on here.
Behind the tailgate however, the Swace is identical to the Corolla. That means you've got 600 litres to work with when the seats...
are up, and 1.600 litres when the seats are down. Those are good numbers. I do have to say, the rear window is very...
flat and the roof is pretty sloped, so the boot opening isn't very big. What I do like however is the adjustable double floor,
the fact that you can fold down the seats from back here and that you can roll up the screen by hitting it.
Also, the lighting is very good, so there's nothing to complain about back here.
The back seat is pretty spacious as well. Nothing special, but I'm good with my 1.84 m, but I shouldn't have been any taller.
Again, the roof slopes pretty quickly, so you should mind your head when you're getting in and out.
A big difference between this and the Corolla Hybrid is that the Swace is only available with the 1.8-litre hybrid drivetrain.
The Corolla has two different drivetrains available, but the Swace is only available in this full-hybrid trim without a plug, producing 122 horsepower.
That's not a lot. That's why Toyota has added the high-power hybrid to their range. Sure, we're spoiled with all of the electric cars...
and powerful plug-in hybrids, but 122 horsepower for a car that weighs 1.300 kg? That's just not a lot.
You'll notice that when you put your foot down, because the revs will skyrocket. That's partly because of its gearless transmission.
Despite all that, this drivetrain has a lot of advantages. First of all, the cooperation between the electric motor and...
the combustion engine is incredibly smooth. That again is because of the gearless transmission. You'll barely notice anything,
except for the fact that you can hear the engine kicking in. Also, it's incredibly economical.
Suzuki promises it can do 22 kilometres per litre, which you just won't be able to. Instead, if you aim for 17 or even 18 kilometres per litre,
you won't be disappointed. Also, a Corolla, because that's what it is, has a very comfortable drive.
The steering is nice, because you can feel exactly what's happening underneath the front wheels, and it's comfortable at the same time.
In this case, it's even more comfortable than other Corolla's, because this Swace always stands on 16-inch wheels. Corolla's I've driven before...
always were on 17- or even 18-inch wheels. That means you've got higher tires, which comes with pro's and cons.
It feels a tad more woolly than other Corolla's, but there's more comfort as well. Also, it's less scary to park near a curb.
The seating is very nice as well. For a person who drives a lot of SUV's, this really is a relief.
You're in the car, nice and low, and I like that. The seats offer a lot of side-support, which is very comfortable.
In the seat, there's a beautiful Toyota-dashboard in front of you. Except for the Suzuki-badge, that is.
And that's a good thing, because a Corolla looks good on the inside. The build quality is very good as well, and the used materials are premium.
It's not the most modern interior anymore, since there have been a lot of new C-segment cars since the launch of the Corolla,
but it's not outdated either. Also, it's very easy to operate, because a lot of functions have their own buttons with clear clustering.
When it comes to infotainment, it's very decent, but it's certainly not at the top of the segment.
You've got a mostly digital instrument cluster, which comes as standard in the Swace. That shows you all kinds of important information...
about the car, like fuel consumption. Also, you have a big touchscreen on the dashboard, which works pretty well too. It's not the fastest though.
However, it comes with one big drawback. Just like the Across, the Swace doesn't have any satnav as standard. Suzuki and Toyota didn't reach an...
agreement on that. So if you want to navigate in this car, you'll have to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. That wouldn't be a problem for...
me, but if you're used to using a in-car satnav-system, you'll have to get used to something else.
What the Swace has as standard as well, is a heated steering wheel. That's remarkable, because you can't have that on the Corolla at all.
The trim level can be a dealbreaker for you to choose for the Swace, because it's only available in two flavours.
In short: there's no lavishly equipped Swace but there also isn't a barebones Swace. It's right inbetween the average Corolla, really.
Depending on your wishlist, the Swace could prove to be the winner, but other than that, this car doesn't really have any added value.