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Hatchback
The Swift would be great fun at any price, but when you consider how little cash you'll have to pay to own one, there aren't many cars that can touch it. Above all, the Swift handles terrifically.
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It loves being chucked into a bend, responding with excellent control and composure. The ride is firm, though, and larger bumps can be heard thumping into the cabin. It's good inside, too. The cabin looks smart and classy - a rarity in cars this cheap - and all the controls are simple to use. There's good space for four people, but the boot is a bit on the small side. All models come well equipped for the price, and pretty much the only major criticism is that the Swift isn't the most refined of cars. The rev-hungry engines give plenty of power, but they get noisy on the motorway and there's a lot of wind and road noise to contend with, too.
Running Costs
Even as a new car, one of the best things about the Swift is the sheer value for money you get. Residual values aren't great, so used examples will be even more affordable. Swift owners might come a cropper on servicing costs, though. You'll pay more to maintain a Swift than you will for most superminis, not least because the service intervals are only 9000 miles apart. Predictably, the diesel gives the best fuel economy with 61.4mpg. However, the petrol engines don't do too badly. And, with the 1.3 managing 45.5mpg and the 1.5 43.5mpg, you'll have to do a lot of mileage to justify the extra purchase price for the diesel. Insurance costs are about what you'd expect for the class. Both the 1.3 petrol and the diesel come with a group 3 classification, while the 1.5 is in group 6.