24/03/08

• Price11,990
• We like...Keen price, top fun
• We don't...Noisy on motorway

Back-to-basics sports supermini is a terrific, well-priced treat. Go buy oneWhen so many cars are getting bigger, heavier and more gadget-packed, it’s refreshing to find one that’s travelled the other way. And more so, when it’s as much fun as the Swift Sport. This quick ‘mini harks back to basics. Four seats, five gears and 125bhp to play with dsn’t promise much nowadays when you’re up for a lark.

Suzuki hasn’t made great cars for a while and certainly not little road-burners. So the Sport’s a big surprise. First, it looks good. Twin exhausts, roof spoiler, 17in alloy wheels and made-specially-for-it tyres send the right messages. Move inside and the cabin, with its red and black seats, shiny-metal pedals and leather-wrapped wheel and gearstick keeps just the bright side of boy-racer tacky.

But is it all show and no go? Well, its 1.6 revs hard, coming alive as it gets going. The motor makes a terrific noise as it works, so good that it’ll tempt you to swap gears when you needn’t, just to hear it again. The ride is sporty-car firm yet there’s still enough ‘give’ to keep you stirred but not shaken. The steering feels tight and direct. It’s a spitfire to drive.

But it’s noisy when nosing along the motorway. Get to 70mph and its low gearing sets the engine humming like a WWII fighter aircraft’s. Narrow your eyes a touch, peer through the Swift’s curved, plane-like ‘screen and, for a moment, you’re Capt Biggles, dodging Heinkels over Blighty. It’s fun for a spell but tiring after an hour or longer.

Mind you, the cockpit you’re sat in is comfier than any wartime air ace’s. For a start, it’s spacious, although the rear seats only two. Supportive front seats hug you, while digital air conditioning keeps your preferred temperature. And there’s a magic key-fob so that, as long as it’s in your pocket, the doors unlock as you touch a button on the handle and the ignition fires when you twist a knob. The boot’s a good size for a small car, too.

For £11,990, it’s amazing. But you don’t have to look hard to see how Suzuki got the price down. Pennies are saved by providing only a one-piece folding rear seat where at this money you might expect it to split/fold. What’s more, the front seats return to bolt upright after you tip them forward to allow passengers to enter or exit, so you must re-adjust every time.

Look hard at the plastics low in the cabin and they are hard and cheap-looking. The door mirrors aren’t heated, to defrost on icy mornings. As gripes go, though, they’re petty.

From nowhere, Suzuki has built a marvel. It’s up for fun, while its keen price, low insurance grouping and respectable fuel economy add a needed dose of real-world sense. Rarely ds a car maker get the job so right, first time.

• Engines1.6
• Power125bhp
• 0-60 mph8.9 sec
• Economy39.2 mpg
• CO2g/km175
• Insurance groups9D
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags4
• Seats4

Motors.co.uk value verdict: