Refinement is much improved when you adopt a gentle pace, and there’s now plenty of part-throttle response when you just want to accelerate a little bit. So picking up speed needn’t be tortuous, and seldom do you feel like you’re thrashing the car for very little gain. But there’s still little reward or enjoyment in doing it.
No changes have been made to the suspension or steering, and none were really required. The Corolla hit on a really well-judged ride and handling compromise when it arrived in 2019, and Suzuki hasn’t messed around with it for the sake of a point of difference. So the Swace rides quietly and comfortably and handles well enough to feel more balanced and composed than it really needs to be, even on those 16in wheels. It has an absorbent sort of chassis and steering that’s light but accurate and intuitively paced.
The 2023 update has also brought a new infotainment system for the car, with crisper-looking graphics and fresh software. A lesser system with a smaller touchscreen than even the cheapest Corolla gets, it looks a bit lost within its thick frame, and it doesn’t offer sat-nav at all, nor much in the way of networked functionality. But if you’re happy to use your smartphone as your guide (wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto feature as standard), it will do a decent job.
Prices for the new entry-level Motion model start at £28,999, and you really needn’t bother spending any more.