ROAD TEST- SUZUKI SWIFT 1.5 GLS:
Some might not notice that there's a new Swift on the block given its similarity in appearance to the old one and those that do might smirk at the resemblance, but after spending a week with the 'new' one, it has grown on me.
From its honeycomb grille and swept-back headlights to that blacked out A-pillar, it's still got the cheeky visual mojo of its predecessor but in a chunkier and more mature kind of way. They've also taken the rear end of the previous Renault Megane, toned down the radical angles and made it far easier on the eye.
As the car arrived, however, I realised that it would not be the ideal companion for the long weekend I'd planned. As my road test schedule is planned far further in advance than my social life, the end result was that I'd be travelling to a farm in the North West with two others, just after some heavy rains. I started to feel sorry for my new Japanese companion.
The first challenge was fitting three people's luggage into the 210 litre boot and even with the lower partition removed, some still spilled over to the back seat. On the upside, at least the boot floor is perfectly sized for a case of beers! Still, I wasn't impressed with its size, which is somewhat smaller than what you'll find in a Polo or Fiesta.
Sinking into the cabin, you're greeted by a rather smart and unassuming design, but you won't find the soft-touch, premium-style surfaces that you do in the rivals I've just mentioned.
The features list, at least in the GLS that I drove, is rather generous though. Start-up is keyless, via a start button, and once on the go, entertainment was via an iPhone plugged into the Swift's sound system, which is also linked to steering wheel-mounted controls. It even has automatic climate control.
Space in the back is ample and it'll swallow two adults no sweat, but it does seem to have a bit less space than the biggest class contenders.
Once on the road, I was impressed with the Swift's slick and solid gearshift operation and the generally solidity of the driving controls. This little car is also very sure footed around corners and the weighty steering is a hoot. The ride is a little on the firm side, but it's still reasonably comfortable on most surfaces.
It also tackled that severely rutted mud swamp of a dirt road with relative ease, remaining sure-footed, stable and rattle-free over roads it was probably never designed to encounter.
If there is a weaker link on the driving front, it has to be the engine. The previous 1.5-litre unit punched above its price class but now Suzuki has followed the rest of the industry in its economy frenzy - which might not be a bad thing considering the latest Brend Crude prices.
So it's 13 percent more efficient, according to Suzuki's official figures that peg combined consumption at 5.5 litres per 100km and CO2 emissions of 132g/km, but the new 1.4-litre engine does have a performance deficit.
Delivering 70kW at 6000rpm and 130Nm at 4000rpm (previously 74kW and 133Nm) it may be on par with similarly sized rivals from Ford and Opel, but it lacks the sprinting ability and fun factor of its predecessor. It just doesn't have much low-down torque and you have to work it hard to extract decent performance at Reef altitudes.
The new Swift is, otherwise, a very likeable car but I feel Suzuki hasn't provided quite enough incentive to opt for one at R169 900.
Despite packing a bit more spec, it is priced too closely to 'premium' competitors such as the Fiesta and Polo and like I said, the Swift is a great little car and one that I really wanted to love but it's not quite premium.