Sometimes, you have to take one for the team. You're working defence at your ball-hockey game, the goaltender made a save on one side but gave up the rebound right in the hands of the other winger. The winger sees a nearly open net and winds up for the slap shot. You show up smack in-between the goalie and the shot and you take it on the thigh. It hurts but you took one for the team.
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| The 2010 Swift+ is no ugly duckling, however its decidedly Korean-American-Japanese mix somewhat places it in the middle of nothing styling-wise, much like the Aveo. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
In my line of work, on occasion, we have to take one for the team. Sure, we like pimping around in Audis, BMWs and Infinitis, but there are many, many more cars out there that are not high-end luxury vehicles with 300+ hp, navigation, leather and power everything. One such instance was the rare opportunity, yes opportunity, to drive a 2010 Suzuki Swift+. No 2011 Swift+ is expected. At first, I thought I was going to “bruise” but in actuality, it didn't hurt a bit.
I love small cars and the last time I got to take an Aveo or a
Swift+ for a spin goes back to 2004 in a past life. Here at Auto123.com, in the last five years, we've only tested the Swift+ once in 2009, and the
Aveo twice in 2009. Although the car hasn't changed from 2009 to 2010, this is expected to be the last year (2010) for the Swift+ as we know it, so we thought we would take a final crack at it. In Paris, last fall, I got a quick glimpse of the new Swift and it certainly is pleasing to the eye. More to come on that.
The 2010 Swift+ is no ugly duckling, however its decidedly Korean-American-Japanese mix somewhat places it in the middle of nothing styling-wise, much like the Aveo. That is not to say the little Suzuki is unpleasant. In fact, its honest un-imposing presence puts it on your list of favourite things you own, somewhere between the lamp your aunt gave you in 1986 and that old rocking chair you keep in the basement for no apparent reason.
The Swift+ is a basic form of transportation destined for those looking to get from point A to point B, period. With a base price of $14,715, the Suzuki is one of the least expensive cars in Canada. The problem here is that it looks it. As tested, my top-of-the-line automatic with A/C carries a sticker price of $17,055. A similarly equipped 2011 Ford Fiesta SE hatchback commands $19,599 and that's a large difference to swallow, or so you would think.
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| As tested, my top-of-the-line automatic with A/C carries a sticker price of $17,055. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
