NANNA-FREE ZONE

Suzuki stays true to its hatch brief with a sporty, grippy, well-kitted five-door

The Suzuki Swift is one of those small cars that seems to have been around forever. It has been — almost. The original dates from 1985, when most small hatches were cheap, disposable buzzboxes. The breed has come a long way since then and the new Swift, especially the topspec GLX Turbo we’re testing, is a pretty sophisticated, refined machine. It’s a more enjoyable drive than your typical shopping trolley small hatch, too, just like the original.

VALUE

Swift prices start at $15,990 drive-away for the base 1.2-litre/five-speed manual GL. Our GLX Turbo, with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo and six-speed automatic, is $22,990 drive-away.

Ouch. That’s a big ask for a small car. You can get into a next size up base model Toyota Corolla for that sort of money. It won’t be as well-equipped as the Suzuki, though, which has seven-inch touchscreen infotainment with navigation, voice control, SD card slot, USB, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.

As with most touchscreens, operating the Suzuki’s can be a fiddly, distracting and potentially dangerous process. Voice control works reasonably well for simple phone and audio manoeuvres — but when I asked to enter a navigation address it told me that wasn’t possible in this country. So you need to stop and do it manually on the screen.

There are also 16-inch alloys, keyless entry and start, LED headlights with automatic highbeam, tinted rear windows and aircon, which on test seemed to alternate blowing hotter and colder than the set temperature.

Simple instrumentation in a cute, retrosporty look dash doesn’t include a digital speedo. Covered storage is limited to the glovebox.

In the GLX, you get a contoured, flatbottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel with gearshift paddles. The quality of materials, fit and finish is excellent, as expected from one of the few small cars still made in Japan.

COMFORT

Low rooflines and coupe-style profiles are the current design fashion. Suzuki has kept the conventional box-on-wheels hatch shape for the new Swift — hop in and the high roof and upright windscreen give the cabin a lovely sense of space and light.

You sit high, with clear vision in all directions. Tall drivers can get comfortable and the seat is properly supportive.

Rear seat legroom is more generous than the knees-up squeeze common to this class and four adults can travel comfortably. The boot has a deep well and an extended stepped floor via the 60-40 split-fold rear seat.

You feel the car fidgeting on rough city streets because the suspension is quite firm and only big whacks jolt the cabin. On open roads, the Suzuki is reasonably comfortable, though choppy bitumen can shake the body and steering.

SAFETY

In GLX spec, the Swift rivals the Mazda2 for the most complete safety specification in this class, with a rear camera, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking (up to 100km/h), speed limiter and radar cruise control. Lane departure warning vibrates the steering wheel if you drift across the centre-line, while weaving alert will buzz you if it thinks you’re not in compete control of the car.

Collision warning is oversensitive in town but radar cruise works well in freeway traffic and will hold a set speed.

DRIVING

The Swift has long been a favourite among young, impoverished petrolheads because it has a sporty, enjoyable character and decent handling. Suzuki has made this model lighter, tighter and stronger, so it’s more accomplished

in corners, with strong grip, sharpish though slightly vague steering and powerful brakes.

Suzuki’s new three-cylinder turbo has strong outputs for this class, surprising pulling power at low revs, a bit of a flat spot in the mid-range and plenty of zip up top.

It’s quiet in cruise mode; under power it makes pleasantly gruff and growly noises; and the anticipated engine vibration from the triple is well suppressed.

It doesn’t really matter how or where you drive, you’ll get 5-6L/100km, on premium unleaded.

The six-speed automatic heads straight for the high gears in Drive, which is fine.

Manual mode, which should allow you to hold the lower gears, tap the engine’s top end and use the paddles to shift, just doesn’t want to play, which is very un-Swift-like. It changes up too early and down too late, when it decides.

HEART SAYS

Most small hatchbacks look like something Nanna would drive. This one doesn’t.

HEAD SAYS

Like the hi-tech turbo triple and Made in Japan quality. Potential deal-breakers are four-star safety rating and expensive, frequent servicing.

ALTERNATIVES MAZDA2 GENKI FROM $22,690

Pick of the class, with a sporty 1.5-litre, great handling, superb quality and A-grade safety.

SKODA FABIA MONTE CARLO FROM $23,490

Euro-chic with VW’s punchy 1.2-litre turbo, seven-speed auto, AEB and sunroof.