First Drive: 2018 Suzuki Swift Sport

It was followed in 2012 by a slightly more powerful (136PS) and just as lively model, which stuck to the template almost to the letter and formed perhaps one of motoring's hardest acts to follow.

Now Suzuki is back with a new Swift Sport. More aggressive, meatier and with more power, it hopes to retain that position as the entry-point to the world of hot-hatch ownership against a world of Johnny-come-latelies. Can Suzuki manage a three-card trick and follow up two excellent hatches with a third?

Thankfully the answer is yes. The new Swift may be slightly wider than the outgoing model, but it's also a teeny bit lower and exactly the same length as the second-generation. Suzuki has also taken the Swift Sport under the tonne mark, with the new model weighing in at just 975kg. Power is up 4PS to 140 thanks to a new, downsized-but-turbocharged 1.4-litre unit with 230Nm (170lb ft) of torque available from just 2,400rpm. Together the weight loss and power gain mean the new Sport completes the sprint to 62mph in 8.1secs and will squeeze an extra 1mph out at top speed (131mph).

Outside Suzuki has beefed the styling up significantly. The old Swift Sport was reasonably easy to tell apart from the standard car to the trained eye, but could still sneak about almost incognito if it wished. The new car (excluding the wild yellow paint job our test car came in) has been given more of the "full works" treatment. While the standard Mk3 Swift is quite cutesy, the Sport goes full-on aggressive. Sprouting a pair of whacking great nostrils, beefy bumpers, aggressive sills, perfectly proportioned dual chrome exhaust pipes and a small rear spoiler, this Swift looks more like a small hot hatch than just a warmed-up supermini, which should appeal to the target market perfectly.

Inside the cabin is roomier and you now sit lower down, for a more racey feel. The interior decorators at Suzuki can be pleased with their work too. Touches of red highlights the dynamic nature of the Sport nicely, and the excellent seven-inch infotainment system is reasonably intuitive and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While this is all excellent to look at, and the seats are supportive and comfy, the affordable nature of the Swift Sport does come with some drawbacks. The plastic quality is lower than some of its competitors, and downright scratchy in places. But the cabin is well appointed with sat-nav, climate control, adaptive cruise control, digital radio, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, tyre pressure monitors, rear parking camera (curiously with no audio assistance) keyless entry and automatic headlights all standard. This is a heavily kitted-out small car.

But what of the drive? Has the quest for more power and more grown-up looks compromised that performance? Mostly no: the Swift Sport is still a hoot to drive, and the 1.4 Boosterjet is definitely more peppy than the outgoing model. The steering is well weighted although slightly lacking in feel and you can chuck it into corners at reasonable speed and still expect it to stick with you, but there's no real adjustability beyond that. The new Swift doesn't feel quite as ready to really have fun and react to all your inputs as you might like, indeed a lift of the foot is barely going to change the little Suzuki's speed mid-corner, let alone bring the back into play. Perhaps this is the result of the Swift's plethora of electric aids, of which only Lane Keeping appears easy to turn off. But it means that the Sport is perfect for a quick schlep across some country lanes and still bags of fun within the speed limits, but not quite ready for an absolute wheel-cocking, wide-eyed hoot when you head out just for the hell of it.

But don't let that put you off, this is still an absolute steal for performance at such a price point. The extras that now come as standard in the Sport have pushed the price up to just a smidge under £18k, but everything is included in that £17,999 price point at a time when a similar Vauxhall Corsa GSi will be pushing into £20k territory, if not over £21,000. Perhaps there will be a version for those who want something to have a bit more fun in in the future, but for now this is almost the perfect first quick car: safe, packed with kit, able to realistically manage 38-40mpg and all for under £18,000. One for the wishlist.

Stat Attack

Engine: 1.4-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol

Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel-drive

Power/Torque: 140PS (138bhp) @ 5,500rpm and 230Nm (170lb ft) @ 3,500rpm

0-62mph: 8.1sec

Top speed: 132mph

Price: £17,999