ANYONE in the market for a small hatchback that is cheap to buy, affordable to run and fun to drive is spoilt for choice, writes William Scholes.
This is in contrast to the scenario just faced by the membership of the Conservative Party.
It has had to choose a new leader from a narrow and unpromising pool of just two candidates, one of whom shouldn’t be allowed near Number 10. For the avoidance of doubt, that is Boris Johnson.
Unfortunately, Mr Johnson today becomes the UK’s next prime minister. Sigh…
Thankfully there aren’t too many Johnsonesque options in the small car market. Yes, plenty are good fun and entertaining, but for a supermini to stand a chance it must also do the sensible stuff credibly.
This includes, as the politicians might put it, properly-costed spending plans.
That means it shouldn’t be too expensive to buy, whether that be in cash or monthly payments. It needs to be cheap to run, which means strong fuel economy, low insurance and cheap tax.
It needs to be roomy enough to carry at least a couple of adults and children in safety and with the technology today’s customers demand.
A boot big enough to hold the shopping as well as the flexibility to carry the occasional larger load is also a necessity.
Packing all this within a pint-sized footprint is quite a feat but decades of evolution - it is 60 years since the Mini was launched, for example - means that the field of talented small cars is very crowded indeed.
Default choices include the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo, Vauxhall Corsa and Renault Clio but here at Drive we also rate highly cars like the Mini, Mazda 2 and Peugeot 208.
The car featured on these pages, the Suzuki Swift, is among our favourites.
It ticks all the boxes - value-for-money, economical to run, spacious, and more - but adds to its appeal through being a paragon of small car vim and verve.
The Swift is a light car, and makes the most of its lack of mass by feeling energetic and responsive in a way that some rivals - who have sought to emulate the more refined and demure manners typical of larger vehicles - don’t.
The liveliest version of the Suzuki is the Swift Sport, a 1.4-litre turbocharged riot, but even lesser-engined models share its qualities.
The latest generation of Swift launched in 2017. It comes only as a five-door - the interior and boot space is a revelation compared to the car it replaced - and, as is the way these days, cannot be had with a diesel engine.
The Swift is a light car, and makes the most of its lack of mass by feeling energetic and responsive in a way that some rivals - who have sought to emulate the more refined and demure manners typical of larger vehicles - don’t
Instead, there’s a perky 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol turbo - part of Suzuki’s so-called Boosterjet range and a little brother to the Sport’s 1.4-litre - and a 1.2-litre four-cylinder, which does without a turbo.
The 1.0-litre Boosterjet has 110bhp and 125lb.ft (though automatic cars have 118lb.ft) and the 1.2-litre 90bhp and 88lb.ft. Those might not be huge figures, but remember that the Swift weighs in at around only 900kg.
Depending on trim levels, both engines can be had with Suzuki’s mild-hybrid system. It packages a small lithium ion battery under the passenger seat and uses a trick starter motor-cum-generator to provide a brief burst of gentle electrical assistance to the engine, all in the name of reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. The system can contribute power of just 3bhp, which isn’t much, but up to 37lb.ft of torque, which is more useful and relevant.
It’s a well-integrated system - you wouldn’t know it was there - and does seem to deliver the improvements it promises.
A five-speed manual is standard, and a six-speed automatic gearbox can be had with the 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine.
The Swift also has the distinction of being available with four-wheel-drive.
It’s offered with the 1.2-litre engine and is a fully automatic system, so the driver doesn’t have to worry about turning knobs or activating it in advance of slippery conditions.
I had the chance to try this out recently at a tough little off-road course in the grounds of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the New Forest, and the ease and enthusiasm with which it tackled muddy tracks, swamp holes and ruts was both genuinely impressive and surprising.
The pick of the bunch might be the special edition Attitude model, at £14,599 - though at the moment it can be had with a further £500 off, making it even better value
Trim levels start at SZ3 and rise to range-topping SZ5 via an SZ-T model. A 1.2-litre SZ3 is the cheapest way into a Swift, with an on-the-road price of £12,499; a 1.0-litre SZ-T is £14,499, with SZ5 models starting at £15,999. The 1.2-litre 4x4 is £16,999.
However, it’s possible that the pick of the bunch might be the special edition Attitude model, at £14,599 - though at the moment it can be had with a further £500 off, making it even better value.
The Attitude gets a bunch of cosmetic upgrades so that it looks a lot like the Swift Sport but has the lower running costs - and performance, obviously - of the 1.2-litre car.
As well as a mesh front grille, carbon effect front, side and rear skirts and rear spoiler, it comes with Bluetooth, air conditioning, smartphone connectivity, a DAB radio and 16-inch alloy wheels.
It’s a smart looking little thing, and very pleasant to drive, with tidy handling and an engine that thrives on revs.
For me, it’s exactly what a small car should be. The Swift is a characterful, fizzy ball of fun, it’s handsome and as roomy and as well kitted out as you could reasonably expect.
There is much to like here, and the Suzuki remains one of Drive’s small car recommended buys.
AT A GLANCE
Suzuki Swift Attitude
Price: £14,099 (including £500 promotion)
Engine and transmission: 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol, five-speed manual gearbox, front-wheel-drive; 90bhp, 88lb.ft
Performance: Top speed 111mph, 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds
Fuel consumption and CO2: 51.4mpg (WLTP combined), 124g/km (WLTP), 108g/km (NEDC)
Car tax: £150 in first year, then £145 annually
Benefit in kind: 25 per cent
Euro Ncap safety rating: Four stars (88/75/69/44), 2017; can be upgraded to a five-star rating with optional radar brake support
