Suzuki Swift Sport

FIRST DRIVE Hot hatch is guaranteed to put a smile on your face

We get an early taste of exciting new junior hot hatch

THE Suzuki Swift Sport is a hot hatch with a mission: to show off the limits of the brand’s athleticism, in a small and fun package. And from its stylish body, to its lively performance, it’s an instant success.

The new Swift Sport will arrive in the UK in the spring, and, on paper, at least, will instantly lock horns with warm hatchbacks such as the SEAT Ibiza FR. Yet, it hopes to punch well above its weight, as we found out on our drive of an early Japanese model.

Fire up the turbocharged 1.4-litre engine and the first thing that you’ll notice are the graphics that light up the dash. Normally such displays have been reserved for highperformance machines such as the Nissan GT-R, so the red-edged digital read-outs serve as a statement of intent, providing everything from fuel economy to G-force.

The racier theme continues across the dash and seats, around the floor mats and on to the doors, while the Sport’s 17-inch alloys, spoiler and stainless steel exhausts set the tone for what to expect on the road.

Based on the same platform as the standard car, the Swift Sport actually uses the larger Vitara S crossover’s turbocharged Boosterjet petrol engine. However, with 10Nm more torque, the lightweight hatch offers a big leap in performance and a new level of driving fun. While 138bhp may not sound like much, when the car weighs just 970kg (80kg less than before), that power output has a new meaning.

Linked to a tight and notchy six-speed manual box, it bursts out of the blocks like a sprinter, sending power through the front wheels and creating enough punch to hit motorway speeds in no time. That extra torque plays an integral role, especially above 3,000rpm, where you’ll find little lag.

There’s no official 0-62mph figure yet, but with its flyweight chassis, a time of around eight seconds could be possible.

It’s the handling that delights most, though. The Swift’s steering is precise and nicely weighted, and the suspension set-up means the car stays flat in tight corners. It turns in briskly with almost no understeer, and brakes with very little pitching.

Of all the Sport’s attributes, one of the most impressive features is the set of safety parts included in the predicted list price. It gets emergency braking and pedestrian detection, a drowsiness monitor and radar cruise control. Other than the over-active lane departure warning system, it all feels really well integrated, too.

Running costs 55.0mpg (est) £45 fill-up