• Page 1 – Introduction, what to look for
• Page 2 – Honda Jazz
• Page 3 – Suzuki Swift Sport
• Page 4 – Volkswagen Polo
• Page 5 – Also consider: Nissan Note e-Power

Suzuki Swift Sport

Our pick: Suzuki Swift Sport from S$112,900 with COE (June 2021)
Read our review of the 2021 Suzuki Swift Sport here

UPDATE JUNE 2021: We now rank the Swift Sport as the better choice since it brings a whole lot more to the table for a modest increase in price.

The long-awaited Swift Sport debuted here in April 2021, almost three years after the regular version did, thus both the regular Swift below, and Swift Sport here are already facelifted. But we almost figured it was dead in the water and never coming at all – like we said, the compact hatch class has been seriously smooshed by small SUVs, what chance would a more expensive Sport variant stand?

We didn’t count on the new Swift Sport packing ‘proper’ 48V mild hybrid technology though, which allows it a VES A1 rating thus keeping it quite eye-openingly affordable in this era of higher COE prices. Sure, there’s a S$15k premium over the normal Swift, but what the Swift Sport brings to the table is far more than just 15 percent.

Somehow Suzuki have managed to keep the car at just over 1,000kg, even with mild hybrid tech aboard, and with the car’s 127hp turbo 1.4-litre engine – plus additional electric motor boost – the Sport is zingy, peppy, and still an all out ball to drive at any speed. As editor Lionel notes in his review ‘the car seems to accelerate seamlessly anywhere in the engine’s operating range.’ And while it isn’t balls out quick, it still handles very well: ‘Suzuki Swift Sport is not really a genuinely fast hot hatch, but has handling prowess that is hard to beat.’

The Swift Sport also has adaptive cruise control and additional active safety features onboard, is built well, and the sportier equipment in the cabin also remind you exactly where your money’s gone. Like previous versions, it should be cheap to run too – 4.7L/100km is impressive.

But more importantly, as a manual, sport-oriented hatch, there’s pretty much no competition for the Swift Sport at this price range. Historically, it’s been the starting point for those who want more driving fun, or just a little bit more zing to an otherwise boring mainstream. The new Swift Sport does all that, and is even more responsible to boot.

Our previous pick: Suzuki Swift 1.2 Standard from S$97,900 with COE (June 2021)
Read our review of the Suzuki Swift here

The Suzuki Swift’s heyday was arguably the mid-2000s, when historically low COE prices helped it gain favour among car buyers looking for an affordable compact runabout.

But the Swift’s appeal stretches beyond just its competitive price tag. For the money you get a well-built, high-quality Japanese car that’s fun to drive and cheap to run, and the latest version, launched in 2018, continues that tradition.

The Swift has been given a mid-life facelift for 2021, and now features a new 1.2-litre engine that incorporates mild hybrid technology. It develops a modest 80hp and 107Nm of torque, but it remains as peppy and lively to drive as ever, while delivering excellent fuel economy, with a quoted average fuel consumption figure of 4.1L/100km.

Suzuki has also chosen to equip the updated Swift with a whole host of premium features. There’s only one trim level available, Standard (S$88,900 with COE), but for the money you get six airbags, adaptive cruise control, hill hold assist, lane departure warning and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. You can also have a two-tone paintwork for S$1,000 extra to add a bit more personality to your Swift.

There are downsides, though. The Swift is a compact hatchback and feels it – fitting five adults is possible but it will be a squeeze, and the boot space is a little tight, even if it’s larger than the previous generation at 268-litres.

But as a car for the youthful driver with few family commitments, the Swift offers plenty of smiles per mile, without asking for too much of your money in return.

Continue to page 4 for a Continental offering that offers great value

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