Swift turnabout for a little sport

There's been a small lather of excitement about the coming of the Swift Sport, a car that has those beyond a certain age reminiscing about the Swift GTi.

Call it a pocket rocket or hot hatch, but the basic fact was the little Suzuki delivered a distinct combination of performance and pricing when it landed here in 1989.

Time moves on, and by the time the GTi departed these shores in 2000 it had been consigned to also-ran status. The entire Suzuki passenger-car line-up wasn't engaging much interest, owing to the unimpressive Ignis and Liana.

However, the Swift mini has done much to right things for Suzuki since its launch in early 2005. It is a credible mini-car, technically impressive, with a funky five-door body, and is good value.

So rolling out a version with higher performance standards makes sense, particularly when you have history in the hot-hatch segment.

Pricing is certainly set smartly enough to keep your bank manager from freezing up. At $23,990 the Swift Sport easily undercuts competition such as the Volkswagen Polo GTI ($26,990) and Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart ($29,990).

It backs that up by including front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, air-conditioning, supportive sports seats, power windows and mirrors and an MP3-compatible, single-CD audio.

Some would appreciate an automatic transmission option to supplement the standard five-speed manual. But the biggest miss is the lack of a spare tyre. You have to make do with sealant instead. Fine in Japanese suburbia, but not so good if you are in Australia 300 kilometres from anywhere with a tyre that is beyond repair.

The standard Swift's good looks are embellished by 16-inch alloy wheels, a bodykit that includes a front air dam, side skirts and a rear spoiler, foglights and dual exhaust tips.

Inside, the small steering wheel has leather trim and the cloth is done in red and black. There's some metal-look plastic splashed around the cockpit and drilled stainless-steel pedals, which adds class. But a roof lining made from what could be ersatz cardboard does let the atmosphere down.

Under the bonnet, the Swift's variably valve timed four-cylinder engine capacity grows from the standard 1.5 to 1.6 litres. With that, power lifts from 75 kW to 92 kW and torque from 133 Nm to 148 Nm. Both are delivered 800 rpm higher in the rev range, at 6800 rpm and 4800 rpm respectively.

The result is perky and enthusiastic. The Sport's engine is entirely usable at low revs in town, gets up and going from about 4000 rpm and becomes truly interested between 5000 and the 6800 rpm redline.

There's also a beaut, raspy four-cylinder induction and exhaust noise to accompany acceleration, which adds to the atmosphere.

At 100 km/h, the engine is turning over at 3300 rpm in top gear. That seems a bit extreme, particularly when cruising on the highway. At least it didn't have too much impact on fuel economy. Suzuki claims 7.5 L/100 km, and we managed 8.4 L/100 km. The drawback is that expensive 98 RON premium unleaded petrol is recommended.

Complementing the drivetrain is a front-wheel-drive chassis that has been tuned for a more sporting response. The body has been strengthened, rebound and dampening forces increased by about 60 per cent, and Monroe shock absorbers fitted. The steering and brakes have also been refined.

It's obvious there's been some thought put into making it all meld together. The Sport rides firmly, for sure, but only the roughest surfaces upset its demeanour. Being such a small vehicle, at 3.8 metres, and so light, at 1090 kg, it is delightfully nimble on tight and winding roads.

There's instant and accurate response from the steering, no shortage of grip from the impressive Dunlop tyres and an absence of the excessive bodyroll that often blights small, tall cars. The Sport makes you smile - often without even realising it. That can apply just as easily commuting in town as on a winding country road.

The rear-seat passengers don't get such a good deal; it's understandably tight back there considering the Sport's size, but there's no slide function to help out and storage pockets are notably absent. The rear seat does flip and fold forward, however, comfortably accommodating a mountain bike sans front wheel.

So does the Swift Sport replace the GTi? Not really. It's a mild, rather than wild, makeover that is easy to live with and fun to drive, but certainly no beast.