Should you buy one?

Yes. The Suzuki Swift Sport is a great little hot hatchback with a simple interior, surprisingly good fuel economy and enough performance to keep you amused. It can’t compete with the Ford Fiesta ST or Hyundai i20 N in a straight line, but we reckon it can shorten the gap in the corners.

The Swift Sport is also cheaper and more fuel efficient than its key rivals, offering a saving of more than £4,000 over the Fiesta ST and a real-world fuel economy figure into the high-40mpg range if you’re prepared to drive carefully. It’s also much lighter, which helps to offset some of the extra performance you’ll find in competitors. After all, a light car doesn’t need as much power to go fast.

If you’re a very keen driver who wants the most exciting hot hatchback available, you should probably look towards the Blue Oval. But, if you just want a fun, efficient supermini with an entertaining turn of speed, you’ll be served very well by the Suzuki Swift Sport.

What we like

We like the Swift Sport’s powertrain. It offers good performance without sacrificing efficiency or driving fun. It handles well, too, and the electrical safety systems (generally) don’t intrude on the experience. As an added benefit, it’s arguably more comfortable to live with day-to-day than its rivals and it’s slightly more fuel efficient.

What we don’t like

The Swift Sport’s steering takes some getting used to and, although its engine is quite frugal, its tiny 37-litre fuel tank means you’ll struggle to travel more than 300 miles without filling up. Its rear seats are also a little cramped and its boot is smaller than its main rivals.

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