Back to basics 80s fun on a budget. The perfect second car...

You've finally saved up enough to progress from your parent's car which isn't really cutting it anymore. Limited by your budget you realise there isn't much to be had of today's hot hatch market so you decide you're going to have to settle for something warm. For around £2500 there isn't much else that can compete without breaking the bank on insurance. Maybe the Panda 100hp or a Clio renault sport.. most other choices having the burden of 100,000+ miles. So what should you expect? A feisty, rev-happy 1.6 VVT engine that enters hyper-drive after 4k rpm in first, egging you on to the redline. Grip perfect for B-road fun with sharp handling and short-throws that allow for satisfying downshifts. It's nowhere near modern hot hatch performance, but most of the time you don't feel like you need it. Admittedly, you do have to wring its neck half the time, but it's the corners that bring the most satisfaction. Quick heel-and-toe before chucking it in then suddenly a grin has appeared on your face without fail. It's fair to say the Swift scores highly on driver satisfaction.

Personally, I haven't found anyone who thinks this car doesn't look good... so that must be a sign. With its twin exhaust pipes and more aggressive looks, it catches eyes. The interior boasts sporty body-hugging seats and aluminium pedals with all the lovely Suzuki plastics around the dash... Hearing the door close reminds you of opening a baked beans can, and you kindly tell yourself that Suzuki optimised the build quality for light-weight performance of course.

Swiss Alps 2019

Swiss Alps 2019

Taking it across the Alps highlighted how far two and bit grand gets you with a sporty hatch. Long journeys and this car don't get along well. Its need for a 6th gear was addressed in the new model thankfully, but 70mph at over 4k rpm does get tiring. This problem is fixed by wacking up the radio and is all resolved when you finally reach roads such as the Stelvio pass, where the new priority becomes eating up hairpins. The MPG takes a hit when you like to drive a bit less economically than usual, and deciphering the litres/per km display is a job in itself. But I suppose if you care that much about MPG this isn't really the car for you.

Conclusion

What the Swift is designed to do it does very well, and that is to offer accessible performance and driver satisfaction for an affordable price. Its go-kart like feel with every-day practicality makes it the perfect upgrade for any new driver that's into their driving. If feeling the quality of our English roads and loud journeys doesn't put you off, then there is nothing better for the money.