Around 4.0L/100km. That's the headline, and for a lot of hires it's the only number that matters. The Swift is small, automatic, easy to park and about as cheap to run as a car gets.
Overview
The Swift has been the default small hire car in Australia for two decades, and the current hybrid version is the most economical one yet. The engine is a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol with a self-charging hybrid system — no plugging in, no charging stops, nothing for the customer to think about. It produces 61kW and 112Nm, which is modest, but the car weighs under a tonne so it feels perfectly adequate around town. The result is a claimed 4.0L/100km on the automatic. On a two-week hire, that difference against a mid-size SUV is worth real money. It's genuinely small — 3.86 metres long — which is exactly the point. Northbridge on a Friday, the Fremantle markets, a multi-storey in the CBD, a tight hotel car park: none of them are a problem. For a visitor unfamiliar with Perth roads, a small car with light steering and good visibility takes a lot of stress out of the first day. The boot holds 265 litres with the rear seats up — two soft bags or a decent shop — expanding to 589 litres folded. Inside there's a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so navigation is handled by your phone. Being straight about the limits, because it's better said here than at pick-up. The rear seat is tight, and adults won't want it for a long trip. With four people aboard there isn't much boot left. It takes premium unleaded despite being the cheapest car we hire. And it doesn't carry a spare tyre.
Benefits of choosing Suzuki
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Premium Damage Waiver ($500 Excess)
Reduces your damage liability from $3,500 to $500. Available for drivers aged 21+.
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STANDARD Young Driver Damage Waiver ($1,000 Excess)
Reduces your damage liability from $3,500 to $1,000. Compulsory for drivers aged 18-20.
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PRESTIGE Premium Damage Waiver ($1,500 Excess)
Reduces your damage liability from $5,000 to $1,500. Available for drivers aged 25+.
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STANDARD Compact SUV Tyre, Rims & Glass Cover
Reduces your liability to $0 for damage to the windscreen, windows, rims and tyres.
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PRESTIGE Tyre, Rims & Glass Cover
Reduces your liability to $0 for damage to the windscreen, windows, rims and tyres.
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125kms/Day Free
125km included free per day. Extra kilometres charged at $0.50 per km.
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Unlimited Kilometres
Unlimited kilometres within a 500km radius of Perth CBD only. $12/day standard, $20/day MU-X, $30/day Prestige vehicles.
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Extended Area of Use
Required for travel into regional WA including Esperance, Kalgoorlie and Exmouth.
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Additional Driver Fee
Add an extra approved driver. Capped at $50 per driver.
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Child Seat
Various sizes available - choose on collection. Capped at $100 per seat.