1.6 Sat Nav + Dab 3dr Hatchback

Great fun, cheap, well spec'd and a joy to own and drive

Bought my used Sport in January 2016 for what I consider a bargain (cheap enough it was worth a 450 mile round trip over the New Year).

My typical usage meant I was really flexible in the type and cost of car I purchased, but settled on looking for a smallish car that was fairly cheap to run and preferably still had a dealer warranty remaining. I tried all sorts of cars but as soon as I took a Swift Sport out for a spin I was hooked.

I have a 3 door and generally use it for commutes and the odd weekend pootle about. Got kids? No problem, even for a three door the aperture created with the passenger seat tilted forward and the generous headroom means I have no problems whatsoever getting my son in and out of his child seat. Zero, none. Saying that it is going to be tight in the back if you had four in the car, especially with my driving position (I'm 6'1"). Fine for kids though. Boot space in the Sport is tiny as the dual exhaust eats the space, forget prams and tip runs, but it's fine for the shopping and we have my wife's car for the bigger jobs. No spare wheel you get a tin of glop (SX4 space savers fit but in car storage might be a challenge).

I get a genuine 40mpg (brim to brim calculated) which I think is great for the kind of car it is. Performance can be brisk although revving the engine as much as it likes to be revved, took some getting used to. It red lines at 7,200 rpm and it LOVES getting pushed should the need present itself. Handling is a dream, parking and visibility is good and the driving position is excellent. Controls are well placed and it is well spec'd for the money with xenons, Bluetooth, cruise, key-less entry / start etc. Ride can be a little crashy on the 17" alloys at 195/45, but nothing untoward.

Dealership costs have been fine with the one warranty claim (heated window stopped working) dealt with quickly and efficiently. Insurance costs are trivial.

The bad bits - It is a cheap car and it shows in places (piece of string on the parcel shelf, the mirrors aren't self closing with the ignition etc), but build quality has been spot on with no creaks or rattles. Rear space and boot will be compromising for some. Only a four seater not five. That's about it really.

So in essence if you're after a cheap small car but don't want a 1.2 eurobox, give the Swift a go (the 1.5 are reportedly very good too). Sure the Fiesta ST and Corsa VXR are quicker, but they're pricier and as a 40 year old I don't want the looks of a hot hatch or the running costs

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