What’s a turbo Suzuki Swift Sport like to live with?

You might remember that TG recently said a reluctant goodbye to The Best Hot Hatch In The World. Our very fast, very red, very ugly but sensationally good to drive Honda Civic Type R was collected from the office, with just a light amount of scuffling, crying and tantrums before the keys were handed over.

That’s the bad news. But, the potentially very good news is: I’ve still got a red, turbocharged, Japanese hot hatch in my life. I’ve just downsized, that’s all. The tremendous Civic Type R has departed, and its place has been taken by the third-gen Suzuki Swift Sport. It’s like I’ve donned Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. Less than half the power of the Civic, but you’re talking a hundredth of the startled glances and turned heads on the first few drives home…

Not that the Swift Sport is short of fake carbon fibre and mock grilles – there must be a job lot of black plastic going spare in a Tokyo dock, sullying all Japanese fast cars from here to the Honda NSX – but it’s refreshing to be back in something subtle. Although, according to other corners of the internet (I wouldn’t recommend visiting them), this new Swift Sport is Very Ugly. The split rear pillar and the Audi-esque yawn-face are not playing well with the target audience.

Can’t say I mind them myself, but the pinched stance looks nose-heavy, even on 17-inch rims. I’m sure it’s just a consequence of needing a big, squashy plastic nose to butt into pedestrians when they wander out into the road with their headphones ablaze, but you’d have to say, a VW Up GTI has a much squatter, wheel-at-each-corner poise about it, right?

Now, the price. Are you a glass half full or half empty person? The optimists will coo at the fact this car is available with no options. A quid under £18k is all you can spend on a Swift Sport. Even the choice of six colours is free. There’s a decent palette too: bright blues, yellow, silver, white and black. But, having clapped eyes on the Swift Sport last on a motor show stand and admired its glossy deep red metallic hue, Race Red is what I’ve gone for.

Meanwhile the equipment list is almost daft for a lukewarm supermini. I’ll delve into it all soon, having worked out what it could do without. Either way, a 975kg turbohatch festooned with 2018 on-board tech is seriously impressive weight-watching.

Alternatively, let’s play devil’s advocate. Is this mega-garnish really worth £3k more than an Up GTI – or Fiesta ST money? That’s the £18k question. The old Swift Sport casts a long shadow too. It was the last naturally aspirated hot hatch standing, and properly came alive beneath you as you caned that 1.6-litre motor until it glowed red and your face went purple. There was, quite simply, no more satisfying a driver’s car for £15k. Can a turbo, a heap more easy-going torque and a fleet of gadgets fill the chasm in character left by the old SSS?

It’s got a hard act to, follow, the Swift Sport, in more ways than one.

Specification:

1373cc, 4cyl turbo petrol, FWD, 134bhp, 170lb ft
47.1mpg, 135g/km CO2 (WLTP)
0-62mph in 8.1secs, 130mph
975kg