Used Suzuki Swift Hatchback 2010-2017 reliability

Many Suzuki Swifts are used as city cars so check for parking damage and dings as well as scuffs to bumpers and alloy wheels. By modern standards the Swift has quite an upright windscreen and owners report that they are susceptible to stone damage. The headlamps should also be examined for damage as they are large and expensive to replace.

Those cheap interior plastics don’t wear too well, so check for any scratches or damage and examine the boot for signs of wear – it’s not huge and can be affected if larger loads have been carried, especially around the high loading lip.

The good news is that there are very few common problems to affect the Swift. There have been occasional reports of squeaking from the suspension which has generally been cured by a replacement bush or suspension arm, and cars that go unused for periods of time can succumb to flat batteries.

Engines appear to be more or less bulletproof, but there have been a few failed clutches and untoward noise from manual gearboxes, while the synchromesh on second gear doesn’t like to be hurried. However, even this is a rare problem.

In our 2023 list of the most reliable used cars on sale for models between six and 20 years old, the Swift was ranked third-best small car; only the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris fared better. Only 6% of the Swifts in our survey developed a fault - all of which centred around a battery fault, and were back on the road in less than a day.

But when it comes to our list of most reliable used-car manufacturers, Suzuki was the star of the show, with a 94.7% score and the top step on the podium.