26th Jul 2006, 13:34

Well I think it's funny that half the people on here knocking the Swift GTi probably haven't even seen one, let alone been in one. Just take a ride in one and you will see that they can eat Saxos. I own one and know this because half the other boys in my town own Saxos, and I've only had the car a couple months, but they already know they have to try extremely hard to beat me, and don't want to do that because their cars are too fragile, whereas mine has old school japanese reliability, and it's cheap, so I can drive it hard without worrying.

4th Aug 2006, 12:06

I bought a Swift GTi yesterday, and I think I'm in love with it! My brother used to have one and he used to eat most cars on road... So next time you see a Swift, think twice about racing it!

By the way, what is the standard BHP on the Swift?

4th Aug 2006, 13:28

Psst. Just a rule of thumb, guys, but nothing's "fast" unless it hits 60mph in under 5 seconds. Simple as that. The Swift is a sports car...yeah, right.

13th Jul 2007, 11:21

I'm sorry I have to put my view in here!

I've owned a WRX, and currently run a near stock Celica GT4, and I have to say I respect the little Swift for the car it is!

And the one thing you have to remember is power to weight ratio! When these 1300cc twin cam screamers get a t25bb turbo strapped to their backside running 7psi, they generally put out 180-200bhp tuned properly. All this in a 850kg car means it's going somewhere! Fast!

I would say that on a standing 1/4 against a 220bhp WRX weighing 1250-1350kg, it would be close!

But straight line speed isn't what WRXs are about! They are point to point cars that handle and find traction where others can't! But REALLY, the bottom line is Saxos are rubbish!

Gaz.

4th Jan 2008, 19:03

Hmm... I'd just like to take the chance to voice some opinions.

1. As to whether or not the Swift is a “Sport Car.” It isn’t, it’s a small, warmed-over hatchback. That however doesn’t stop it from being more fun, and significantly cheaper than most of the cars to which it’s being compared here. To compare a near 20yr old pocket-rocket with a RX is insulting, but the swift may be more fun on a truly tight road. As for the suspension, the Swift has pure-trailing-arms, which are more precise than the torsion-axles most cars in its class carry.

2. “Is the Swift as fast as My XYZ?” Probably not, and if you honestly care, than this really isn’t the car for you. The Swift isn’t so much a performance car as it is a car designed to be fun to drive; at that it excels.

3. Is the Swift an “icon of the 90s?” No, thank God, so it’s still cheap.

4. Does any of the anecdotal evidence presented here prove anything? Not one bit, but if you do some research there are still tests carried out by reputable publications, in period, under controlled conditions, and most of them come away saying a lot of what I just have, that the Swift was no rocket-ship, but that in terms of enjoyment that it didn’t matter in the least. The Swift offers fun all out of proportion to its cost and power output.

That’s all I’ve got.

-B.

6th Jan 2008, 00:39

I just picked up a 94 GTi w/81,ooo miles on the clock for free! Is the body perfect? No, and I don't care. I'm using this for a sporty commuter car, nothing less/nothing more. I might take it to an autocross or rally cross just to have fun. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me they have a WRX free for me to pick up that runs. My point is they are fairly cheap unlike the WRX, EVO's, etc.

15th Feb 2008, 17:42

The Swift GTi is... Cheap to run and fast in the right conditions using the rpms fully. 1st and second gear in this car are quite rapid and surprises most. It still pulls hard in 3rd. The swift DOES feel fast, but only if you appreciate it.

It is a fun car to drive, and to compare any much newer cars is simply sad. The Swift GTi won't die because it has more than what you expect from it. Also it still can keep up and beat racers in Saxos etc nowadays. On that point I think the only reason people think it's slow is because they have not had the pleasure to drive one or drive it properly. And if you own an obviously faster car than why say it beats a Swift??

14th Jan 2009, 16:35

You can't compare a Swift to an EVO, or Impreza! My Swift GTI 20 years old and cost barely anything (BTW it runs great and I have had no problems). If I could have 8,000 dollars towards making a fast car, I would NOT buy an Evo (they probably cost more than 8 g's anyway), I would buy a Swift GTi for 1,500 dollars and get a big turbo, intercooler, camshafts, cam gears, racing chip, headers, full exhaust, slicks, etc. etc. way too many mods to list and I would have money to spare, and would DESTROY anything you can do to almost any other car for under 8,000 dollars (including the price of the car obviously).

12th Jun 2009, 14:46

Well I have to say the first time I saw the Swift GTi was back in the 90's in El Salvador, and I just thought they were small economical compacts. Until one blew by me. So I became interested; and thought about buying one. Well let's fast forward. March of 2009 I found one for 1000 bucks. And I have to say you cannot find anything stock that can handle that good and quick for that price. Sure a WRX or Evo, and the new Civic Si are better and faster, but you pay for it like 20k more than I did. And we are talking 18 yrs later. So who cares, it's fast enough to haul ass up the freeway ramp and pass everyone!

5th Sep 2010, 02:01

This car is rare in my country, Malaysia.. right now it is very difficult to find a spare part for my G13B engine.. The engine has got a problem with the distributor, and I still can't find one.. Although with all the problems which I have with this car, I still love it and I won't sell it.. In the last 2 months, I smoked my friend's Civic B16A convert with b20b cyl-block!!! The goddess of 1.3l...