The Suzuki Swace's close relationship with the Toyota Corolla is well documented, but in case you were unsure of its provenance, here's what you need to know: the Swace is, in essence, a Corolla with a Suzuki badge. More specifically, it's a Toyota Corolla Touring Sports 1.8 Hybrid with a Suzuki badge, and they're both built by the same people on the same production line. So when one gets an update, so does the other. Funnily enough, the Corolla has just been given an updated hybrid system and a new touchscreen, so guess what? So has the Swace. Will it make Suzuki's hybrid estate more appealing than before? And should you spend your money on this, or the near-identical Toyota?
In the metal
It isn't easy to tell the Swace apart from the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, primarily because the main difference is the Suzuki badge on the nose and tailgate, but the Swace has inherited some of the same upgrades as its Toyota-badged twin.
Not that you can see that from the outside. The new car looks pretty much identical to its predecessor, with the same angular front end and gaping lower grille, but it's arguably better looking than the old car. With 16-inch alloy wheels fitted to all models as standard, the new LED projector headlights mark out the range-topping Ultra cars.
Inside, the changes are more apparent, with a new digital instrument display and a new touchscreen infotainment system fitted to every version. Both are essentially inherited from the Corolla, and though the new instrument display is hardly innovative, it's perfectly functional and it looks considerably more modern than the old 'hybrid' cluster that included digital and analogue readouts.
That's joined by the new infotainment system, which has replaced a screen that was previously the Swace's Achilles heel. Carried over from the Corolla, it's much more modern than the old system, and it no longer has buttons surrounding the display. But while the Swace's screen shares more modern graphics with that of the Corolla Touring Sports, it doesn't quite get the same functionality. Navigation isn't even available as an option, and the menus don't offer a huge amount of choice. Still, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration tech is offered, and most customers will probably use that more regularly.
Other than some new USB-C connectors with which to pair and charge your devices, the interior is much the same as before, and that's generally good news. The cabin doesn't look especially inspiring, but it is lifted slightly by the new screens, and it all feels solidly built.
It's pretty roomy, too, with a cavernous 596-litre boot space. Fold the back seats down - it's a 60:40 split folding rear bench - and you get even more room to play with. Leave them up, however, and you get sufficient rear space to carry two adults, although the tallest passengers might find headroom a little tight. For most, though, there's adequate head- and legroom.
Driving it
Unsurprisingly, the Swace feels much the same as the Corolla Touring Sports on the road. As with the updated Corolla, the Swace is solely available in 1.8-litre hybrid form. Though where the Corolla comes with a choice of four different trim levels, including a sporty GR Sport option, the Swace gets just two more value-orientated variants.
Where once there was a big difference between the range-topping 2.0-litre powertrain and the basic 1.8, though, the gap has been narrowed as part of Toyota's latest updates. They have seen the hybrid system modified slightly, with a more powerful electric motor and battery combination installed. As a result, power has upped to 140hp - an increase of roughly 20hp - and performance has improved as a result. Where the Swace once took more than 11 seconds to get from 0-100km/h, that time has fallen below 10 seconds, which makes the Swace feel more at home when joining a motorway, for example.
More impressively, though, the Toyota engineers have managed to achieve all that without impacting economy or emissions in any significant way. And because the Swace comes with slightly less equipment than the equivalent Toyota, it's the marginally more efficient option. Officially, you'll get 100km from just 4.5 litres of unleaded, which is diesel-esque efficiency, and emissions of 102g/km keep tax rates in check. Of course, you probably won't manage such impressive economy in the real world unless you drive in a very specific way in very specific conditions, but 50mpg (5.6 litres/100km) should be manageable without trying too hard.
Toyota also claims to have improved the hybrid system by recalibrating the throttle so the Corolla and Swace are both more refined at motorway speeds. Of course, the old hybrid systems were generally reasonably smooth, especially around town where the electric motor took much of the strain, but the new 1.8-litre engine feels smoother than before, and it runs at lower engine speeds at motorway pace. As a result, the Swace is now more relaxing to drive long distances, with the engine only really getting rowdy when you put your foot down going uphill.
The new powertrain can't take all the credit for that more laid-back atmosphere, though, because some recognition should be reserved for the suspension. The Swace isn't exactly a magic carpet, but with relatively small wheels fitted as standard, it's really quite supple over the bumps. Some of the most savage potholes will naturally make their presence felt, but generally the ride is quite mature, with the soft seats helping to keep comfort levels high. Even a bit of road noise can't ruin the calming feel.
As with the Corolla Touring Sports, the Swace is clearly not designed to corner like a sports saloon or even a hot hatchback, but it can hold its own on a good back road. The steering is quite light and a bit numb, but its response is fairly linear, and it feels quite direct as a result. Combine that with respectable body control, even with the bulkier estate bodywork, and the Swace will be more than interesting enough for most customers.
More importantly, it's easy to drive around town, with the continuously variable automatic transmission proving more responsive and natural than some other similar systems, and the hybrid system offering efficiency, refinement and ample power. Visibility isn't bad, either, especially as all Swaces come with a reversing camera as standard.
What you get for your money
Suzuki has not yet confirmed Irish prices for the new Swace, but it is expected to be marginally cheaper than the Corolla. With the Corolla Touring Sports starting at around €34,000, we expect a price of around €33,000 for the new car, with customers getting a choice of two trim levels. The Suzuki Ireland website currently shows a starting price of €32,095, but we believe that's for the pre-facelift car.
The basic Motion version is expected to be joined by the Ultra tested here, with both cars getting alloy wheels, the new touchscreen infotainment system and the new digital instrument display. Keyless entry, a reversing camera and a heated steering wheel are all standard, too, along with two-zone climate control and heated front seats. However, the Ultra will add front and rear parking sensors and wireless phone charging.
Summary
Toyota's upgrades have given the Swace a useful leg-up, and Suzuki's hybrid estate car is certainly more appealing than it was before. Admittedly, it doesn't offer the same amount of choice as the Corolla range, which is offered with a greater selection of trim levels, but it remains an efficient and spacious mode of family transport. It's just now slightly more potent and that little bit more modern inside.
