Introduction

If you know the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, you’re familiar with the Suzuki Swace hybrid, too.

As mid-size estate cars go, they look very much alike – and that's because they’re pretty much the same vehicle.

Suzuki and Toyota formed a collaboration in 2017 and, last year, announced they would be working even more closely with one another.

It means some models they’ve produced are virtually identical, and the result is that, in some parts of the world, a car has a Suzuki badge. In contrast, the same vehicle in another country has a Toyota emblem instead.

The automakers are doubling up in some markets, though, resulting in two very similar cars ending up on the roads, including here in the United Kingdom.

The Toyota RAV4 and the Suzuki Across, for example, are more or less the same motor, too.

Now, two-and-a-half years after it launched, Suzuki has updated the Swace - a self-charging full hybrid – although, unlike the Toyota Corolla, it only offers the estate version, not the hatchback.

At A Glance

The only real difference between the Swace and the Corolla, in terms of looks, is at the front end. But, even then, the contrast is incredibly subtle.

The Corolla has a wide ‘mouth’ with a split at either side of the lower front lip and another divide in the upper centre of the grille to accommodate the Toyota badge.

The Swace, on the other hand, opts for a more straightforward ‘mouth’ without any splits. The grille isn’t quite as broad, either, allowing a bit of spare room for an aggressive air intake at each side.

Finally, due to the lack of the upper split, the Suzuki logo is placed slightly higher up instead.

Those are the only noticeable differences, though.

The headlight arrangement, where the lights are twice the thickness at the sides when you view the vehicle head-on, is the same on both cars.

When observed from the side, there's an indentation running along the skirts, plus another one just above it at the bottom of the doors. Meanwhile, the shape, window design and mirrors are identical on both models.

The rear is the same, too, with tapering rear lights which point into the centre of the boot.

Like the Corolla, the Suzuki Swace isn’t likely to win any awards for its dazzling good looks, but it’s got enough personality in its design to win over customers.

It is appealing but in an understated way.

Key Features

The most significant differences between the Toyota Corolla and the Suzuki Swace are found in the trim levels and engines.

Whereas four grades and two hybrid petrols are offered on the Corolla, the updated Swace now provides half the choice of Toyota: two trims and just one powertrain.

The entry-level Motion trim comes with a generous level of equipment, though.

As standard, you get 16-inch alloys, an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto and a DAB radio. The car also vaunts a digital instrument cluster, LED exterior lights, roof rails, rear privacy glass, automatic headlights and wipers, a heated leather steering wheel and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and keyless entry.

The Ultra grade adds Bi-LED projector headlights, front and rear parking sensors, ambient lighting, leather-trimmed upholstery and a wireless phone charger.

Thankfully, as far as power is concerned, it’s the higher-end system from the Corolla that makes its way into the Swace, offering up 140PS from its 1.8-litre petrol hybrid. That's also an increase in power for 2023, up from the previous 122 PS. 

It is also a full hybrid, which means that it’s self-charging, so there’s no need to plug it in to replenish the batteries.

While that won’t get you the substantial economic benefits of a plug-in hybrid, it's still surprisingly frugal by comparison. However, we'll look at the economy figures in more detail later.

You also get a host of new safety equipment, which we’ll come on to in a bit.

The Suzuki Swace is front-wheel drive and comes with a CVT gearbox.

Performance & Drive

Given there's only one powertrain offered compared with the Toyota Corolla's choice of two, we're relieved it's the more potent one that Suzuki has gone for because the lower-powered unit isn't quite up to the job.

Even the more muscular powerplant takes 9.4 seconds to get from 0-62mph, which is hardly extraordinary. But then, for the type of driver Suzuki is going for, it's sufficiently satisfactory – and it's reduced from 11.1 seconds in the old Swace model.

Indeed, the hybrid system is quite punchy and offers worthy acceleration off the line and at higher speeds. So, getting from 50 up to 70mph as you join a motorway isn't likely to trouble it, for example.

At low speeds around town, the Swace can feel quite serene to drive with the engine off, as the electric motor can power the car on its own for short distances. However, the engine will join in when you ask for more clout from the accelerator pedal than the electric motor can provide on its own.

When the combustion unit does start contributing again, though, the transition is seamless and barely noticeable, unless you’re focusing your attention on it.

The engine can be noisy at speed, though, due to the higher-than-normal revs demanded by the CVT gearbox. And that produces something of a whiny drone at times.

A CVT is, essentially, adaptive – that means there’s only one gear which continually adjusts itself automatically to provide you with sufficient power, taking into account the speed you’re currently driving at.

Despite this, though, the Swace is better than we expected.

Granted, it could be more fun to drive, and you will need to thrash it a little if you're in a hurry. But if you're the sort of person who likes to thunder along, then you'll likely not be looking to lease something like the Swace in the first place.

In terms of ride comfort, Suzuki (or should that be Toyota) has done an excellent job of blending an absorbing ride with engaging handling.

Okay, it’s no hot hatch, nor will it match BMW for its cornering prowess, but as journeys go, it does a civilised job of smoothing out imperfections in the road surface without feeling excessively bouncy.

After going over poorly maintained road surfaces, the ride quickly settles down again, and it retains a good level of absorption through the suspension no matter what you throw at it.

The steering is direct and offers a suitable amount of feedback, getting noticeably heavier as speeds increase.

That doesn’t mean the Swace is adept at being thrown around corners, but the lean in the bends is relatively well-controlled, given its reasonably large estate bodyshell.

The Suzuki will understeer if you push it too hard, and you'll start to run out of tarmac. But if you keep it well within its limits, it’s pleasing, albeit not wildly entertaining, to drive.

There are three driving modes, too – Normal, Eco and Sport. These settings control the ferocity of the acceleration and even the extent to which the air conditioning is used, letting you choose whether to prioritise economy or performance.

Running Costs & Emissions

The Swace has very respectable economy figures, managing a claimed 62.7mpg from its full-hybrid powertrain, despite being connected to a 1.8-litre petrol unit.

The powerplant produces just 102g/km of CO2, which is also impressively on the low side.

These figures might not be enough to tempt company car lease customers away from plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars, though, which have far lower (or even zero) carbon dioxide emissions figures than even the Swace can manage.

Nevertheless, this is one of the most economical self-charging hybrids you can lease.

Unlike some of its East Asian counterparts, Suzuki may not be a marque renowned for its premium quality, but it is regarded as a hugely reliable and trustworthy manufacturer.

In addition, don’t forget that this car is ultimately a Toyota with a Suzuki badge on it – and Toyota generally enjoys a solid reputation for dependability, too.

Interior & Technology

The Swace’s cabin design isn’t bad at all.

It is noticeably lacking the luxuries you'd expect from higher-end marques, but then Suzuki isn’t trying to be something it’s not.

The estate doesn’t look low rent either, though, offering an excellent middle ground which is pleasant but not something that's going to wow you.

The materials feel relatively well-sourced, especially in the Ultra trim, which has some additional leather features. At the same time, some silver garnish modestly adds a splash of brightness to the cabin, and cheaper, thin plastics have been kept to a minimum.

Instead, you’ll find plenty of plush, soft-to-the-touch surfaces which enhance your perception of quality.

One criticism we used to have of the Swace was the infotainment screen, which had a very thick border filled with buttons on each side, which made it look a bit dated.

Although the screen housing is much the same, the buttons have been removed, allowing for a wider display. However, it would have been more convenient for the switches to have been positioned beneath the infotainment unit rather than taking them away altogether.

The screen sits high up on the dashboard, although it's still 2.5 inches smaller than in the Corolla.

At least the system is pretty easy to use, with a reasonably intuitive menu layout.

The screen is responsive, too, even if it lacks the clarity of higher-resolution systems found in some of its challengers.

The seven-inch digital instrument display offers three modes depending on what information you wish to look at, which adds a nice touch.

One downside, though, is that navigation isn’t offered on the Suzuki Swace at all, so you’ll need to pair your smartphone to it and use an app instead. That could be a dealbreaker for some who don’t want their phone’s data being used.

Practicality & Boot Space

The seat adjustment in the Suzuki Swace is entirely manual. So, it’s a case of pulling levers and sliding seats back and forth, up and down (but not side to side), until you find a position that you're comfortable with.

That didn’t take us very long, plus there’s an appropriate amount of adjustment in the steering wheel to aid the process.

The seats are comfy, and adjustable lumbar support is offered as standard on both trims.

There is a good view out of the front, and although the rear pillars are quite a bit thicker, all Swace models come with a reversing camera as standard. But, as we mentioned earlier, you only get parking sensors on the top-of-the-range Ultra grade.

If you’re on the tall side, you won't fight for room in the front, which is spacious, offering plenty of shoulder room and legroom.

The rear is impressive, too, offering a generous amount of headroom for even taller passengers, and although three adults sitting next to each other is a bit of a squeeze, it's achievable.

There are many spaces to store belongings, too, with a good-sized glove compartment. But the door bins aren't massive if you want to take drink bottles with you.

The Swace offers a broad and deep boot opening, with the cargo capacity measuring 596 litres, which expands to a quite extensive 1,606 litres with the rear seats down, which fold away in a 60:40 configuration.

This is similar to most of the Swace’s competitors, although the Skoda Octavia Estate offers more room. At the same time, the adjustable boot floor in the Suzuki adds more convenience if you need to get rid of the load lip to slide bigger or heavier objects in and out.

Safety

The Suzuki Swace has yet to be crash-tested by safety experts Euro NCAP, but the Toyota Corolla's rating should give a reliable indication of how safe it is.

The Corolla scored a maximum five-star rating, earning a whopping 95% score for adult occupants, 84% for children and 77% for safety assists.

In the Swace, you get a rear-view camera, automatic emergency braking, dynamic radar cruise control and road sign assist, plus lane tracing assist with alert and steering assist, all as standard.

The Ultra grade adds blind spot monitoring, safe exit assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and the front and rear parking sensors we mentioned earlier.

Options

There is very little on the Suzuki that is in any way customisable.

You can choose from many colours for the Swace’s exterior paintwork, which, by default, comes in solid ‘Super White’.

Platinum white pearl, silver metallic, dark blue mica, black mica, phantom brown metallic and the interesting-sounding oxide bronze metallic all cost several hundred pounds extra.

All shades are available on both trims, while there are no options regarding changing the interior colour, which is called satin chrome.

Apart from that, you can get some protection film for the rear bumper and door handles, plus some nice-looking door sill trims.

A key cover is offered, too, along with a multi roof-rack and cargo nets, the latter of which also has a separate fitting kit available.

Rival Cars

Unsurprisingly, the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is the main alternative you ought to look at because, if nothing else, it’s got a wider choice of trim levels and powertrains.

As we’ve said, though, it is otherwise virtually identical to the Swace. So if you don't like the Suzuki, there's unlikely to be anything the Corolla can do to salvage your interest.

The Corolla is more expensive, too, which will be reflected in leasing costs.

The Skoda Octavia Estate and the Ford Focus Estate are well worth checking out, too, as they're among the best motors outside the premium brands.

Because the Swace is a full hybrid, you’ll pay slightly more than for an equivalent non-hybrid – and that means you can lease most of its foes for less than the Suzuki, which might tempt you if electrification isn’t a priority.

The Hyundai i30 Tourer and the Kia Ceed Sportswagon might also appeal.

Verdict & Next Steps

The Suzuki Swace is a surprisingly good car, with decent if unremarkable performance, a comfortable ride and, for a vehicle that's not engineered to be thrown about, pretty good handling, too.

For a 1.8-litre petrol unit, it's superbly economical, offering very low emissions. But company car drivers may still prefer to look at PHEVs and fully electric vehicles.

However, the hybrid system pushes the price beyond that of the non-hybrid Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia estates, both of which are more tempting.

The CVT gearbox on the Swace is a bit whiny, too. Nevertheless, the Suzuki estate has plenty going for it, with decent practicality and a pleasant interior.

We would stick with the entry-level Motion trim as, while the additional features offered on the Ultra model are nice, they increase the leasing price with things you most likely don't really need. Plus, the Motion grade provides a munificent level of standard equipment as it is.

All things considered, the latest Suzuki Swace is pleasing, a tad understated, and perhaps even underrated, but there are still better options out there. Aren't there always, though?

Where to next?

View our latest Suzuki Swace lease deals, from £308.18 per month**. 

Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details. 

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*Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews of the Suzuki Swace Hybrid.

**Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 02/05/23.