Suzuki Swift Sport review

Interior quality has never been one of Suzuki’s strong points, but while the Swift Sport’s dashboard is made from unappealing, hard plastics, the overall effect is lifted somewhat by sporty red trim pieces, a stylish leather-bound steering wheel and alloy pedals. A colour display located between the red-edged rev counter and speedometer should also keep the PlayStation generation happy; it displays a host of nerdy information such as average speed, lateral acceleration, the turbocharger’s boosting efforts and the amount of G-force generated under acceleration and braking.

There’s plenty of seat adjustment, although the steering wheel only adjusts up and down – as is the case with the Volkswagen Up GTI. Even so, finding the right driving position won't be too taxing. However, the biggest step forward from the regular Suzuki Swift is the heavily bolstered sports seats. Unlike the regular Swift’s cheap and achingly soft pews, the Sport model’s bucket seats are supportive and very comfy, giving the sense that you’re driving something genuinely sporty. However, you’ll need to check that they suit your frame; they’re very narrow, so won’t accommodate everyone.

Forward visibility is good, but the view over your shoulder is compromised by thick rear pillars and small rear windows. Thankfully rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard, while dark roads are amply lit by bright automatic LED headlights. Automatic wipers aren’t available, though.

In terms of infotainment, the Swift Sport gets a 7.0in touchscreen that’s integrated into the dashboard well enough, but its graphics look dated, the screen is slow to respond and the sat-nav is clunky to use. Happily Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring is standard so you can use apps on your phone and bypass the system’s software altogether.