Overall rating:

More power, suspension revisions and more kit are added to Suzuki's boisterous Swift Sport. With the changes come some more civility, but push it hard and the Swift reveals some of the old magic is still there.

Key Facts

Pricing: £14,500 (estimated)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: three-door hatchback
Rivals: Renaultsport Twingo, Fiat 500 Abarth, Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart
CO₂ emissions: 147g/km
Combined economy: 44.1mpg
Top speed: 121mph
0-62mph: 8.7seconds
Power: 134bhp at 6,900rpm
Torque: 118lb.ft at 4,400rpm

In the Metal:

Outwardly it's little different than the old Swift Sport. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as the Swift is a good-looking car. Unsurprisingly the Sport adds to its neat lines with the usual warmed over sporting styling like a bigger grille, 17-inch alloy wheels and bold front fog lamps housed in a re-profiled front bumper.

Inside it's similarly spruced up, with a leather steering wheel, chunky sports seats and neat, clear instrumentation. The interior feels solidly built and the plastics are of higher quality than key competition from Renault and Mitsubishi. Specification is decent too, as you might expect in the range topper.

Driving it:

Suzuki has stayed refreshingly true to the driver focus of its Swift Sport model, making sensible tweaks to improve the driving experience. Sitting on wider tracks front and rear the suspension has been thoroughly overhauled to improve precision, steering speed and accuracy and stability. It's been successful too, the Swift gripping well and hanging on gamely even when thrown into bends with what should be too much speed. Back off the accelerator and the nose tucks in, the revised suspension trading some of the old Swift Sport's edginess for greater stability and a more forgiving rear, but it's still enormous fun. That precision and agility has been achieved without upsetting the ride, the Swift managing to juggle control and composure with impressive skill.

The steering is quick and accurate, with decent feel, though the initial off-centre weighting is a touch artificial. The brakes shrug off any abuse they're given, and the 1.6-litre VVT engine is as enthusiastic as ever - the new Sport gaining 13bhp over its predecessor to produce 134bhp. Torque is up too, but this isn't an engine that's imbued with low-rev flexibility. It demands high revs to produce its best.

That does make for a frenetic driving experience, requiring lots of second and third gear high-rev work with the new six-speed gearbox. Good pedal spacing makes heel-and-toe shifts a joy, though a more accurate gearbox with a shorter throw would improve things even more. The six-speeder's additional ratio does mean greater efficiency and improved refinement on the motorway, in keeping with the Sport's slightly more grown-up demeanour.

What you get for your Money:

Suzuki hasn't yet fixed its pricing for the Swift Sport but figure on a list price in the region of £14,500. Equipment levels are comprehensive, with automatic air conditioning, cruise control, alloy wheels, standard metallic paint and plentiful safety kit.

Worth Noting

The sixth gear adds to the Swift's economy and emissions, with fuel economy improving from 39.8mpg in the old car to a far more palatable 44.1mpg in this one. Correspondingly CO₂ has dropped from 165- to 147g/km.

Summary

Not silly quick, but pleasingly old-school to drive, Suzuki's changes to the Swift have added roundedness without overly removing its enjoyable driving character. Plenty of kit, good looks and sensible pricing make it an appealing and far more enjoyable alternative to similarly priced warm sub-superminis. We'd still try and save the extra for a Renaultsport Clio Cup, but if that remains out of reach the Swift Sport is a credible, entertaining and affordable understudy.