Suzuki Swift Sport

Driving
After just a few miles, it's clear the Swift is a hot hatch of the old school - it has stiff suspension, is eager to turn in and feels very direct. There's a little body movement as you enter a corner, but once settled, the amount of grip gives you plenty of confidence. Even with the standard stability control switched off, roadholding is excellent, and the limit of grip arrives progressively, so any slides are easily corrected via the perfectly weighted steering. Moreover, the Swift gives lots of feedback, and minimal inputs with the controls adjust its line keenly. With strong brakes, a slick gearshift and an eager nature, the Swift is fun to drive. But on the downside the ride is firm, and things get quite bouncy over rough surfaces. The 1.6-litre engine also lacks character, but it pulls well across the rev range and offers decent performance. Crucially, there's a feeling of mechanical strength from the Suzuki too - the Sport is well engineered.

Marketplace
Taking its inspiration from the firm's success in rallying, the Sport certainly looks the part. The lowered ride height and stylish wheels complement the standard car's chunky lines and rounded edges. And details such as the twin exhausts, small roof spoiler and gunmetal finish to the front bumper look great. The Sport comes only as a three-door in black, red or metallic silver. Sporty styling and 17-inch alloy wheels help distinguish the range-topper from the rest of the line-up. It comes with a single engine option, a 123bhp 1.6-litre featuring variable valve timing. Competitors in clued the Citroen Saxo VTS, Ford Fiesta Zetec-S, the Fiat Grande Punto Sporting and the MINI Cooper.

Owning
The Suzuki's air of solidity continues inside, where the cabin materials look and feel expensive. There's an upmarket appearance belying the sub-£12k pricetag. Red stitching on the leather gearlever and steering wheel add a sporty touch. The figure-hugging seats offer plenty of support, but they could do with dropping a bit lower, as the wheel doesn't adjust for reach. This aside, the driving position is good, and thanks to the curved windscreen and upright A-pillars, the view ahead is excellent. With only two rear belts, the Swift is strictly a four-seater, although head and legroom are good. It's loaded with kit, too - keyless entry, six airbags, climate control and metallic paint are all standard. The group 9 insurance rating is reasonable too, and while 9,000-mile service intervals are short, and the dealer network a little restricted, Auto Express readers rate the dealers themselves as excellent. However, we didn't achieve anywhere near the quoted 39.2mpg combined average - it returned 27.1mpg in our hands.

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