A cracking little Suzuki

Suzuki isn’t a brand I write about very often, perhaps because it’s a minnow compared with some. It has a stable one per cent share of the UK car market, almost entirely made up of retail rather than corporate customers. It has loyal fans, but not much of a reputation for taking risks and offering niche vehicles. A good example is the news that it’s to launch rivals to the Nissan Qashqai and Juke. Hardly a surprise – Suzuki isn’t alone in spotting those vehicles have struck a chord with buyers – but neither model will be arriving for at least another three years. ‘Late to the party’ doesn’t really go far enough! Replacements for the ageing Jimny and Grand Vitara are also on the way, but they don’t and won’t sell in great numbers. Volume for Suzuki comes from the Swift, which is a reliable and affordable supermini. However, with the launch of the Swift Sport in January – a car I’ve driven this week – the range has been given a real lift. It’s a cracking little hot hatch and while 136bhp doesn’t sound like much, the car only weighs just over 1,000kg. It’s not the fastest, but it’s certainly one of the most fun. And at £14,000 it’s a lot of car for the money. I loved it!