The Suzuki Swift 4x4 is a kind of car that has either a great deal of significance to you or none at all. Most people have absolutely no need of a four-wheel drive supermini, and as we'll see there are many reasons to shy away from a car like this in the unlikely event that you devoted a moment's consideration to it.Then again, there are those who need nothing more extravagant than a simple little hatchback for most purposes and don't want an SUV, but who also require something that will reliably deal with rough ground, perhaps because they live in a forest a mile away from the nearest surfaced road. With the Swift 4x4, Suzuki is pretty much single-handedly offering these folk a solution.Providing drive to the rear axle as well as the front leads to many compromises. The 4x4 is 65kg heavier than a standard Swift, and some of the 93bhp produced by the 1.2-litre petrol engine is absorbed by the gears and shafts. This harms both the performance and the fuel economy, which are further compromised by the aerodynamic effects of a one-inch increase in ride height.That's why the 4x4 is 5.2mpg less economical than a front-wheel drive 1.2 petrol Swift and has a CO2 rating 10g/km higher, and why it takes 1.1 seconds longer to accelerate from a standstill to 62mph. And there's a premium of over £1000 which takes the list price of the cheaper 4x4 SZ3 to £13,819 and the better-equipped SZ4 to £15,739 - rather a lot for what is by no means the most refined car in its class.Of course, there's an upside. This Swift will tackle - gently - potholes that would bring most other superminis to their knees, and although it will match hardly any SUV on a more challenging track it will continue to provide traction long after similarly shaped front-wheel drive cars have helplessly wheelspun themselves to a standstill. Which is, of course, the whole point.More than that, it's not a bad little machine even in everyday conditions. The increased ride height has a noticeable effect on the handling, but with so little power on hand it's difficult to get into trouble. And the ride quality is neither better nor worse than okay.Fuel economy isn't bad either. Even the relatively low official figure of 51.3mpg would take a great deal of skill and effort to match, but I was happy to be able to average 41.8 in a test which included a lot of motorway driving.I don't want, and don't need, a Swift 4x4. As mentioned earlier, though, there are people who do, and if they buy one I see no reason why they wouldn't be perfectly satisfied with it. Engine 1242cc, 4 cylinders Power 93bhp Transmission 5-speed manual Fuel/CO2 51.3mpg / 126g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 13.4 seconds Top speed 103mph Price £15,739 Details correct at publication date
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