Suzuki Swace review: hybrid approach pays off for this family estate

Sometimes it seems that all modern cars look the same.

It’s easy to point at yet another C-segment SUV and bemoan that it looks an awful lot like the one that came out just last week. However, a closer inspection usually reveals subtle differences be it an interesting line across the doors, a slightly bolder headlight design or some fancy wheels.

But sometimes it really is almost impossible to tell one car from another. Take the Suzuki Swace. From a distance it looks a lot like a Toyota Corolla Touring Sports. Even right up close it looks like one and that’s because, behind the Suzuki badges, it is a Corolla.

It’s part of a partnership that has seen Suzuki rebadge the Corolla and Rav4 as Swace and Across respectively to enhance its offering in Europe, while Toyota gains access to Suzuki’s strong standing in other parts of the world.

It takes the idea of badge engineering to a new level. Almost the only difference is the Suzuki badge, literally stuck on top of where the Toyota one usually sits. It even still has the Toyota-style hybrid badges on the front wings.

That’s not a bad thing though. After years of the dismal Auris, Toyota is back on form with the Corolla and so the Swace shares the well-proportioned and sharply-styled lines of the estate body style (there’s no Swace hatchback).

When something looks as good as the base car, there’s no point in spending lots of money on minor metalwork changes, hence why that boot badge is literally stuck on rather than pressing a new panel.

It’s an understandable approach. The point of the Swace is to offer a quick entry into new markets with minimal effort and expense. And it’s a really smart move for Suzuki.