1.0 Boosterjet Sz-T 5dr Hatchback

Refined supermini, eats Polos

I spent six months reading and watching all the car reviews in my budget, and eventually narrowed the choice to 1) Used Golf, 2) New Astra, 3) New Polo.

Then I spotted a new Baleno at my local dealer, test drove it, and was suprised at how solid the car felt. Mine is the mid-spec SZ-T, comes with the Nav unit, HID headlights, etc, but not the cruise control and radar brakes of the top model.

The car is very spacious with a huge split level boot, and plenty of room in the back. It's also very brisk, the 1.0 litre BoosterJet is tuned for torque, and it's usually in lane 3 on the motorway. It's doing 55 mpg, 61 mpg on the motorway at 70mph.

The car feels 'stiff' in that it's less wallowy than some of the superminis I've driven. So, it's a nice ride, the cabin is fine and the seats very comfy.

The nav unit is also good, and upgrades to accept Android Auto or Apple Play phones. There's a rear camera for reversing, and the HID headlights are terrific. VED is £140. Tyres are 16" Bridgestones on alloys.

So: very pleased with the car, its comfy, brisk, and economical. Also its easy to park in congested towns, but brisk enough for those occasional trips across Europe. A good looker, too. No glove box light. I can live with that.

Excellent value. If you're looking for a supermini, or fancy a Swift, test drive a Baleno.

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