Forced induction kick has swift effect on Suzuki Swift Sport

If you were to draw parallels between a car and a song, the list would be endless and probably, depending on the factors and situation involved, either accurate or downright bizarre with a few snickers also being involved.

For instance, while the former would resonate perfectly with a Ford Mustang and the Dead or Alive single You Spin Me Right Round, it is highly unlikely that a Chery QQ would have much in common with the lyrics, never mind the title, of Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out for a Hero.

Applying this ‘80s hit conundrum to the Suzuki Swift Sport would result in a number of titles coming forward, but for hardcore fans of Hamamatsu’s warm hatch, the haunting background melody of Dionne Warwick’s Heartbreaker would ring out for a variety of reasons.

Whereas the previous Sport famously sported a high-revving normally aspirated 1.6-litre engines, enthusiasts were up arms when Suzuki elected to go the turbo-route when the wraps came off of the all-new model just under three years ago. Just as worrying was the news of a first time automatic gearbox, which in some markets came in the shape of the ultimate performance horror, a CVT. As it transpired, the end result was anything but cringe worthy.

Near the end of last year, colleague Mark Jones sampled both versions at Gerotek and clocked a 0-100 km/h sprint of eight seconds for the manual and a rather impressive 7.6 seconds for the automatic, which for South Africa, thankfully, comes in the shape of a conventional torque converter six-speed ‘box.

As much as the latter showed a slight upper hand over the former by beating it from 0-100 km/h and in the quarter mile, 15.9 seconds vs 15.4, the row-it-your-own example is likely to be more fun and in-tune with the original, which it turned out to be when it arrived for the customary seven day stay.

On first glance, the Sport is suitably more aggressive than its predecessor with its downwards sloping bonnet, sweptback headlights, black honeycomb grille, oversized fog light pods and sporty 16-inch alloy wheels being more than subtle hints of its prowess. Helping matters further was the racy Burning Red paint finish, as well as other details such as the dual exhaust outlets, neatly integrated bootlid spoiler, concealed rear door handle and blacked-out C-pillar.

Inside, the interior represents a giant departure from that of the old Sport by being minimalistic yet modern and sporty thanks to the red dashboard inlays, red stitching on the seats and gear lever, the leather wrapped D-shaped steering wheel and the very comfortable and supportive body hugging spot seats that holds you tight in the corners.

Much more flamboyant than that of its predecessor with even the switchgear being a noteworthy upgrade in look and feel, build quality is generally good despite there being a few cheap areas down the centre console. Unfortunately, while strides have been in the boot department where capacity is now rated at 242-litres instead of 201-litres, those seated in the rear and of taller stature are unlikely to welcome the lack of headroom or indeed a centre armrest.

What’s more, the seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system has been carried over from the Jimny and while it is easy to navigate through and comes with Bluetooth, USB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it still doesn’t react with immediacy to some inputs and tends to become slow and not intuitive.

If we are being honest though, the laggy system is unlikely to put most off when the starter button is pressed and first gear selected. In simple terms, the Sport is an absolute riot and a hoot to drive.

Based on the lightweight Heartect platform, the Sport only weighs 970 kg, 80 kg less than the old 1.6, which, when combined with the 103kW/230Nm from the 1.4-litre turbocharged Boosterjet engine, translates into immediate response and constant flow of power that has no let up. In truth, it feels a lot quicker than it actually is and with just enough steering feel, gives you the confidence to really stick into a corner.

As befitting of spiced-up hatches of yesteryear, the close ratio six-speed manual ‘box didn’t disappoint and aside from being slick with the clutch itself being light, it felt perfectly suited to the engine’s characteristics and certainly come as an improvement over that of the 1.6. In terms of consumption, the weeklong stay in mixed conditions netted a best of 7.2 L/100 km, well off of the claimed 6.1 L/100 km, but not bad considering that more than a few spells of spirited driving took place.

As for the ride, the Sport sits 15 mm closer to ground than before and comes with stiffer springs, an entirely new rear suspension, front and rear Monroe shock absorbers plus those diamond-cut wheels wrapped in 195/50 Yokohama Advan A13 rubber. The result? A ride that is firm but not overly hard or crashy with the damping acquitting itself amicably when with sudden surface changes.

While the naysayers will continue to bash it for the loss of the free-breathing 100kW/160Nm engine, the inclusion of the Boosterjet engine has not removed any of the analogue feel the Suzuki Swift Sport has become known for. In fact, it feels a lot perkier than before and thanks to its weight drop, every bit the driver’s car it always was.

With a sticker price of R327 900, the manual Swift Sport, against the ongoing decline of three-pedal performance cars, offers not only good value, but old school hot hatch fun with little to loathe.

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