Honda Amaze vs Suzuki Swift

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Honda Amaze in South Africa

Honda Amaze

1.2 Comfort CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 289,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 66 kW 🔧 110 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
VS
Suzuki Swift in South Africa

Suzuki Swift

1.2 GLX CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 296,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 60 kW 🔧 112 Nm ⛽ 20.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tie
Fuel Economy Amaze
🛡 Safety Swift
📦 Practicality Amaze
🔑 Ownership Swift
Swift starts ZAR 254900 cheaper Amaze from ZAR 254,900 · Swift from ZAR 228,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Amaze Swift
Engine Power 66 60
Torque 110 112
Engine Size 1199 1197
Claimed Mileage 18.2 20.0
Ground Clearance 170 145
Boot Space 420 265
Airbags 2 6
Kerb Weight 980 975
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Swift

52
/ 100
+6
pts
#2

Amaze

46
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Amaze and Swift are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency Amaze +11 pts
Safety Swift +12 pts
Practicality Amaze +3 pts
Ownership Swift +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Swift

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

Amaze

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 11/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Amaze

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Swift

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Amaze

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Swift

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amaze Swift
Ground Clearance 170 145
Wheelbase 2470 2450
Length 3995 3890
Width 1695 1735
Height 1498 1495
Kerb Weight 980 975
Gross Vehicle Weight 1420 1380
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 420 265
Towing Capacity 900 0
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 579
Front Track Width 1550 1480
Rear Track Width 1540 1480
Turning Radius Available 4.8
Load Bed Length Available 0
Load Bed Width Available 0
Front Legroom Available 1032
Rear Legroom Available 890
Front Headroom Available 975
Rear Headroom Available 967
Front Shoulder Room Available 1370
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1345
Max Payload Available 425
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Amaze Swift
Engine 1.2L i-VTEC Petrol 1.2L Z12E 3-Cylinder Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 3 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Displacement 1199 1197
Cylinders 4 3
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 66 60
Torque 110 112
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Top Speed 170 160
0-100 km/h 14.5 12.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 3 (I3)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Naturally Aspirated
Engine Code Standard Z12E
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 12.0:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 73.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 95.5
Fuel Grade Required Petrol 93 RON Unleaded Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 5,700 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 4,300 rpm
Turbocharger Available Not Applicable
Engine Position Available Transverse Front-Mounted
Engine Oil Capacity Available 3.1
Power 150 80
Variable Valve Timing Available Dual VVT on Intake and Exhaust
Maximum Engine RPM Available 6500
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Suzuki Swift wins with 52 pts vs 46 pts for Amaze

In structured scoring, Swift emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Amaze may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Swift edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Amaze 11 vs Swift 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Amaze 6, Swift 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Amaze 12, Swift 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Amaze 12, Swift 9. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amaze 5, Swift 5. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Swift edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Swift scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Amaze and Swift in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amaze scores 5 vs 5.

Efficiency: Amaze scores 11 vs 0.

Safety: Amaze scores 6 vs 18.

Practicality: Amaze scores 12 vs 9.

Ownership: Amaze scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Swift the advantage in this comparison.