Want a dirt-road-capable Suzuki with a little more comfort than a Jimny? Try this one-off Swift mild-hybrid hatch with lifted suspension and styling tweaks.
The Suzuki Swift city hatch has been given the Jimny treatment, with more rugged looks and taller suspension ready for dirt roads and fire trails.
But potential customers hoping for one to park alongside a Jimny in the garage should learn it is strictly a one-off, created by Suzuki in the Netherlands for "inspiration" on how "fun" the Swift can be.
Named the AllGrip FX – for "fun" and "eXplorer" – the special Swift is based on the standard all-wheel-drive version sold in Europe, and offers no more power from the 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine.
It means accelerating from zero to 100km/h still requires at least the 13.6 seconds claimed for the regular model – similar performance to a five-door manual Jimny – but there have been changes under the skin.
The one-off gains new, taller 195/55 profile "coarse" all-season tyres for its 16-inch wheels – up from 185/55 rubber – as well as changes to its suspension.
It sees the FX special ride 32mm higher than a Swift AllGrip, for total clearance of 172mm – still less than even a Suzuki Vitara compact SUV.
Other changes include a black finish for the alloys and wheel-arch surrounds, Thule roof rack, black Suzuki badging, a rubber rear bumper guard, AllGrip decals, and a Tralert front LED light bar.
There is also leather upholstery with AllGrip embossing, rubber floor mats, and a Dometic cooler and storage box.
The Swift AllGrip FX is based on the standard all-wheel-drive AllGrip variant, meaning it uses a 61kW/112Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine aided by a 12-volt 'mild-hybrid' system.
It is matched with a five-speed manual transmission, and an all-wheel-drive system which activates a clutch pack that sends drive to the rear axle when wheel slip is detected up front.
The larger tyres are likely to add to the regular car's claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 13.6 seconds.
Suzuki Swift city hatchbacks sold in Australia are front-wheel drive only, a model said to be nine-tenths of a second quicker to accelerate from 0-100km/h, and 76kg lighter with a manual transmission.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
