Suzuki Reviews

Suzuki's first attempt at a mid-sized car, the Kizashi, couldn't have been much braver. The Japanese company chucked itself into a market that -- in Australia at least -- is becoming more and more competitive.The standard Kizashi is an intriguing prospect, partly because hardly anyone buys them and there doesn't seem to be a good reason for that, apart from badge snobbery. The Kizashi Sport is even more intriguing, given Suzuki's sporting heritage in strange pursuits such as the annual and treacherous Pike's Peak hillclimb in the US.VALUEThe Suzuki Kizashi range starts at $27,990 for the Touring and reaches the $39,990 Sport AWD via the $34,990 Prestige. Suzuki's first ever mid-size car, the Kizashi is a distinctive-looking machine, even with competition from the svelte Mazda6 and technocratic-looking Honda Accord. And it's far better-looking than the Subaru Liberty.It gets a chunky, hunkered down look with lowered suspension and a set of handsome 18-inch alloys. The Sport is also distinguishable by deeper front and rear bumpers, a subtle bootlid spoiler and chrome accents. The Sport is based on the Prestige - both have electric seats, leather interior, sunroof, automatic HID headlights, fog lamps, rain sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, bluetooth and USB connectivity and seven speakers for the stereo.As with all Kizashis, the steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach, has cruise control, keyless entry and start, dual zone climate control and trip computer. The interior is particularly well-executed and includes generously upholstered leather inserts on the doors and silver stitching unique to this trim level, with perforated panels on the squab and back.The leather seats are soft but slippy and, unfortunately, the front seats are hard and too flat. As this one was fresh from the factory, the leather probably had some stretching to do, but there's not enough support. Front and rear parking sensors are backed up by an in-dash radar display as well as a reversing camera that uses the sat-nav screen. The 6.1-inch screen isn't quite bright enough and looks like an aftermarket unit. It makes up for it by being easy to use and, in contrast to other Suzuki Bluetooth units, is easy to set up. The Kizashi faces serious competition, both direct and indirect. Mazda's new 6 has just arrived, with a very pretty new body. The bottom-of-the-range Sport kicks off at $33,460 and already runs the Kizashi close on equipment. The logical rival in the 6 range is the Touring at $37,500. The 6 has a few more kilowatts and another 20Nm of torque and also carries less weight and uses less fuel. There is no AWD option but there is a diesel engine available.The Subaru Liberty 2.5i trumps the 6 and matches the Kizashi's AWD and CVT at $34,990. It's down on power but is a more relaxed engine than the Suzuki's. The Liberty isn't nearly as well equipped (you'll need to go to the $42,990 Premium) and on the styling front is a bit gawky.  It's less fun to drive, too, but has Subaru's bulletproof reputation to fall back on, as well as a price closer to the Kizashi Prestige.Other players in this size and price bracket include the Volkswagen Jetta and the Hyundai i45. Neither are particularly sporty and in the VW's case, a bit on the small side.TECHNOLOGYThe 2.4-litre VVT four-cylinder engine, shared with the rest of the range, develops 131kW at 6500rpm and brings along 230Nm for the ride. The Kizashi's transmission, a continuously variable unit with a six-speeds for sport mode, valiantly makes the most of the power and torque. Paddles on the steering wheel control the "gears" in the CVT.An evolution of the SX4's, the Sport's AWD system is activated with a dash-mounted switch. When in AWD mode, torque is sent to the rear wheels in response to the stability control system's sensors, as well as information from the steering and engine. Up to half the engine's torque can be sent rearward. Suspension on the Sport is 10mm lower and rides a set of 10 spoke 18-inch alloys wrapped in 235/45 Yokohamas.DESIGNFor a first effort, the Kizashi is a fine-looking car. The wheels are pushed right out to the corners, escaping the long front overhang of many all-wheel drive sedans. While a little tubby from some angles, the overall design is coherent and consistent. The Sport adds chrome trim that works in some places -- but the silver blades on the door look chintzy and wobble. The bright red of our test car magnified the chrome's blinginess.The interior is well put together and is better than most Suzuki interiors by a good margin. There's a lot of space inside, with good leg and shoulder room in the front and good room for two in the back, but centre rear footroom is compromised by a pronounced transmission tunnel. Even with a sunroof, there's enough headroom up front if you're under 190cm, but you'll want to be shorter in the back.The plastics all fit well and barring a couple of colour mismatches, look and feel good. However, if you knock on the dash top, someone three houses down will come to their front door. They're that hard. The boot is a commodious 480 litres and can be enlarged by dropping the 60/40 split rear seats.SAFETYThe Kizashi scored five stars in ANCAP testing. The whole range has ABS, front, side and curtain airbags and a knee bag for the driver. Stability and traction control are standard, as is brake force distribution and emergency brake assist and adds AWD. The Sport is also equipped with a reversing camera, useful from a safety perspective - the very high boot deck obscures the rear view.DRIVINGWith all that weight and a distinct lack of power, the Kizashi Sport is more a touring sedan than sports sedan. The lack of torque means the engine and transmission work together to keep the engine spinning in its upper reaches. As brave as it is, this little red engine was never going to set records.The steering is slightly under-geared, meaning you have to turn the wheel a bit more than is ideal when bombing around the suburbs or flying through the bends. Despite the adjustable wheel, the driving position is hard to get right. The pedals seem a bit too close, bringing to mind Alfa Romeo driving positions from the late 70s. It's not quite that bad, but the short leg/long arm feel is unmistakeable.Suzuki claims a 0-100km/h time of 8.8 seconds, but that seems a little ambitious from behind the wheel and is a second slower than the manual Touring. The 70kg weight impost of the AWD system is partially to blame. The upside is that the Kizashi rides comfortably and is hushed when you're moving, except for a bit of tyre noise at speed. The handling is confident and on a stretch of good back road with all-wheel drive switched on, it's a lot of safe fun. It's not exciting, but it's satisfying.The CVT gearbox is impeccably-mannered, and at times feels like a traditional torque converter, with smooth uptake under acceleration. When pushing on, it's best to use the paddles as the CVT doesn't do engine braking and if you're not careful, your speed can get away from you. The plastic paddles, however, are a bit nasty and you need long fingers to easily reach them.On balance, the car is fine in two-wheel drive on everything but wet or loose surfaces – where it needs the AWD system to be sure-footed. But being able to switch it off means you can save a bit of fuel, which is important because we found it impossible to match the Kizashi's claimed 8.4l/100km - we got closer to 12l/100km.VERDICTThe Kizashi Sport doesn't make an enormous amount of sense unless you are going to appreciate the  benefits of slightly better handling and the security of AWD. A lack of manual transmission is also a strange omission. Setting all of that aside, if you forget that it's not really a sporty sedan but a convenient monicker for the top-of-the-range, the Sport does make sense. It's got plenty of gear, is well-built and even stands up well to its moneybags Japanese competition from Mazda, Honda and Subaru.When you remember that Suzuki as a company is much smaller than most of its competition and doesn't have the benefit of a huge global partner to supply it with parts and knowledge, the Kizashi looks even better. While $39,990 might seem a stretch, the Sport is well-equipped, looks great in the right colour and is as much fun as you can have in the segment before a $60,000 price tag with a German accent. And on top of that, you're supporting the underdog.Suzuki Kizashi SportPrice: from $39,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmSafety rating: 5 star ANCAPEngine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl, 131kW/230NmTransmission: CVT; AWDThirst: 8.4L/100km, 198g/km CO2Dimensions: 2.7m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.5m (H)Weight: 1600kg

The Suzuki Swift hatch holds a special place in the hearts of Australian drivers, especially those who remember the peppy little GTi version last seen in 1999.With the blink-and-you'll-miss-it-new-model Swift update in 2010, fans were disappointed that the GTi still wasn't back on the list. For now, the Swift Sport is about as close to a GTi as Suzuki is likely to get. So is it convincing enough to coax buyers into its brick-like body?VALUEPriced from $23,990, the Swift Sport is $4000 more than the Swift GLX and a stout $6000 more than the faux-sporty RE.2. That extra cash buys you an upgrade from the 1.4 litre to the 1.6 litre VVT engine, a host of interior and exterior upgrades and a series of very effective chassis tweaks. The interior scores a six-speaker CD audio system with remote controls on the steering wheel, USB and Bluetooth phone and music streaming. You also get cruise control, headlight washers and keyless entry and start. The HID headlights are excellent, which was a pleasant surprise. An unpleasant surprise was the obnoxious beeping when the car is locked or unlocked.Hyundai's Veloster is the closest competitor philosophically and financially. The lack of proper rear access and the challenging looks play against the Hyundai, but it’s better-equipped and runs the Swift respectably close for road ability. The Veloster starts at an identical $23,990 and also has a double-clutch transmission option.Ford's Fiesta Zetec is down on power and torque and goes without the sportier chassis tune the Swift has, but is $3000 cheaper. The Fiesta's lower price you with some spare change to spend on the lengthy options list which includes the Powershift DCT double-clutch transmission. Both these cars best the Swift Sport's bizarre optional $2000 CVT auto with seven fake steps built in for the benefit of paddle-shifter fans.TECHNOLOGYThe 1.6-litre VVT develops 100kW of power and 160Nm of torque with the aid of variable valve timing. The six-speed manual manages 6.5l/100km on the combined cycle but is a little better on a steady freeway run. We saw 6.1l/100km in a mix of city stop-start driving, back road blasting and some freeway work. The chassis is a livelier package than the non-Sport Swifts, courtesy of re-tuned dampers and stiffer springs front and rear.DESIGNThe Swift's cheery face has been with us for two years, but in reality it's very similar to the car that preceded it -- which debuted eight years ago at Paris motor show. The current Swift grew in every direction but kept the same visual formula. It's a pleasingly chunky, upright shape and with the bigger wheels looks like a brightly-coloured Pixar-styled bug ready to leap into action, far more so than its under-wheeled brethren.On the Sport, you'll find deeper front and rear bumpers, side skirts, 17-in alloys, foglamps and a wing over the tailgate. The detailing on the Sport's ostensibly aero-related improvements give the car a more sporting, aggressive character -- you'll not mistake it for a lesser-equipped sibling. Inside is a big improvement over the lower models, with sports front seats and leather steering wheel. The slightly ill-fitting, scratchy plastics remain -- as does that haunting suspicion that something will start squeaking because the materials are so hard.As with the rest of the Swift range, the high roof is perfect for really tall people or those who like to wear their hair metro-gel high. The boxy, upright styling delivers a lot of cabin space, which is maximised by high-set rear seats. Shoulder room front and rear is hardly galactic and you may knock elbows while shifting gears. The boot looks ludicrously small when you first pop the tailgate. There's a false floor, but that extra space doesn't go a long way to making it a serious proposition.SAFETYThe Swift is packed with safety gear - ABS, front, side and curtain airbags as well as a knee bag for the driver. Stability and traction control are standard, as is brake force distribution and emergency brake assistance, helping the Suzuki to its 5-star ANCAP rating.DRIVINGIt takes a while to warm to the Swift. The manual gearbox is notchy and noisy, almost to the point of obstructive. A light touch is needed for a clean shift but the clunk-clunk-clunk is a little tiring. The clutch is light and the bite point could be anywhere, you can't really feel it. The electric steering is devoid of life, but quick and well-weighted.Despite the promise of the twin exhausts poking through the rear bumper, the noise isn't hugely inspiring and you begin to wonder what the fuss is about. Once you're moving, the car's dynamic ability quickly becomes apparent. Even though the ride is comfortable, the front end is super sharp, no doubt helped by a set of grippy 195/45 Bridgestone RE050s wrapped around 17-inch alloys.Nothing beats physics like a light kerb weight, something other manufacturers have taken a while to grasp. The Swift's 1060kg is 50kg lighter than the old model and lighter than most of its competition, making it agile and eager to change direction. We might, however, forgive a little more weight if it went to noise and vibration suppression - tyre roar is intrusive at high speed on anything but the smoothest surface and the pedals buzz more than we'd like.The 100kW power figure is adequate, but the 160Nm of torque is firmly at the bottom end of acceptable, forcing you to work the gearbox on even modest inclines. The torque arrives at 4400rpm, meaning you need to keep the needle pointing north by north-east to get the best out of the engine. It revs cleanly and happily, but you'll not want to stray too close to the redline as the engine runs out of puff and starts to thrash a bit.While getting up to speed can be a bit of a chore and won't trouble your neck muscles, keeping that pace is a genuine hoot. The Swift can be flung at corners at quite high speeds and it will hang on gamely before gentle understeer sets in, easily sorted with a lift of the throttle. The grip is surprising and while the chassis is moving around underneath you, it's never unnerving and always letting you know what's going on between each tyre and the road.The whole time the car stays remarkably flat and resists being knocked off-line by mid-corner bumps. The strong brakes never seem to give up, despite them looking tiny behind the big wheels. Again, the steering doesn't talk to you, but the chassis itself gives you plenty to go on with. Once you're past the apex of a corner, it almost begs you to get back on the throttle – and it promises to be a riot on the track.It feels a lot like the true spiritual successor to the original Mini, a fun car for drivers on a budget. Suzuki themselves were on a budget and choosing to put their effort into the chassis rather than chasing steering feel or a snick-snick gearbox to please the purists was the right choice.VERDICTYou could complain that the Swift is no GTi and that it needs more power, but that's missing the point. The comparatively low power and torque figures means the chassis will never be overwhelmed and it puts the driver in charge of the car, gets you involved and thinking ahead about gearshifts and braking. You'll hardly ever see the traction control light blinking at you.It shares little of the high-tech features its main competition enjoys and will have a harder job if Renault ever makes good on its unspoken threats and finally releases the Renaultsport Twingo. While lagging a bit on power and gear, the Swift is bags of fun once you're moving and the softness in its character means it is never hyperactive around town, its most likely habitat.It won't replace the Swift GTi in our hearts, but the combination of five doors, excellent handling and mechanical simplicity means the Swift Sport stands on its own as a budget sportster you can live with.Suzuki Swift SportPrice: from $23,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmSafety rating: 5-star ANCAPEngine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl petrol 100kW/160NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, FWDBody: 3.9m (L); 1.7m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 1060kgThirst: 6.5L/100km; 98 RON; 153g/km CO2

It's neither the fastest nor the best but the Swift Sport offers a lot of bang for your buck.The five-door hatch is a cracker and plants a huge smile on the dial. The test car was bright yellow with tinted glass. It looked the part and harks back to the days of the original hot hatches, such as the first Golf GTI.It's not the quickest, but its light 1060kg kerb weight and well-sorted chassis gives it the ability to leap into and out of corners like an excitable Jack Russell puppy. One of the big joys of cars like this is that you can revel in their abilities in the most modest environments.A deserted roundabout here, a quick corner there, roads like the Captain Cook Highway and the myriad roundabouts between Cairns and Palm Cove, the bendy bits to Port Douglas and the twisties on the Rex and Gillies ranges. It's easy to park and the potential for fun is there every time you turn the ignition on, or in this case, push the stop-start button on the dash.VALUEThe Sport is $26,990 drive away and naturally comes with a body kit, including a rear roof spoiler, sport seats and stainless steel pedals, exclusive multi-spoked 17-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlamps and Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with traction control. There are seven airbags including driver's knee airbag, five-star crash safety rating, fully automatic climate control airconditioning, CD radio with MP3 capability, including Bluetooth and an USB port, and cruise control.The sport seats have red stitching and a three-spoke multifunction leather steering wheel comes with steering wheel controls for cruise control and the radio. Swift includes the convenience of keyless entry and start, Bluetooth hands-free communications, six-speaker AM/FM/CD system with USB and a digital climate control airconditioning system.DESIGNThe front sports a large grille, fog lamps and bi-xenon headlights. Black-painted A-and B-pillars and the alloy wheels give the Sport a distinctive appearance. There's an integrated roof spoiler, side skirts, dual exhaust tailpipes and a metallic diffuser. Deeply contoured and supportive front seats with seat cushions and backrests hold the driver better through corners.Red contrasting stitching on the seats, steering wheel and shift knob create a sporty feel. The Sport is 3.89m long, 120mm longer than its predecessor and 40mm longer than the normal Swiftmodel. Apart from some cheap-looking hard plastics, the interior is a nice place, although there's lots of sombre black broken up with some matt silver trim.The Sport is a looker, with a body kit that complements its stubby proportions and wheels that nicely fill the arches. Space is tight. Headroom is excellent, but rear legroom is not and there's not much space in the boot. The canary yellow paint offset by the dark tinted windows looked a treat on the car we drove.TECHNOLOGYThe 1.6-litre M16A engine is an evolution from the previous model. The performance increase is achieved primarily through improved cylinder efficiency and an increased valve lift. The variable valve timing for the intake camshaft and a variable intake manifold also ensure improved airflow. The improved cylinder filling is achieved with smoother intake ports, revised variable valve opening times and a larger valve lift on the intake side, as well as a variable intake system.At medium engine speeds, a valve closes in the intake. If the motor is working at a higher or lower part of the rev range, the valve remains open and the path to the inlet valves is shortened considerably. This function improves the available torque across the rev range. The net effect of these changes have increased peak output by 8kW to 100kW, while torque has increased from 148Nm to 160Nm.The considerable weight saving, in tandem with advanced engine technologies, has reduced fuel consumption from 7.3 litres/100km to just 6.5, representing an 11 per cent improvement. There's a new CVT auto which will appeal to those who don't like changing gears although I prefer the six-speed manual. The colour palette adds to the appeal with bright colours including yellow, red, blue, white, silver andblack.DRIVINGThe Swift Sport is a lot of fun around the city and on tight winding roads. The electric steering is direct with sharp turn-in from the lovely leather-wrapped wheel. The gearbox is a bit notchy and I found it hard to find a comfortable driving position because of the uprightness of the cabin.The car is well put together with almost no squeaks or rattles. The racing bucket seats are supportive and comfortable and visibility is great front and rear, courtesy of slim A-pillars and powerful headlights at night. The corners of the car at the front can't be seen though and care needs to be taken in tight parking spots.The speedometer with its 30km/h increments is a pain, with its cluttered face making it hard to accurately gauge speed because 80km/h or 100km/h are not marked by numbers. It rides well, handles well and road noise is reasonable except on coarse bitumen. The light weight adds to the agility of this little rocket.The small 1.6-litre 100kW naturally-aspirated unit is no firebrand, but is adequately zippy when kept on the boil. Nothing happens until you reach 4000rpm and then it whips into a frenzy and shrieks past 7000rpm. It enjoys being punted hard through roundabouts and on tight winding roads like the Gillies and the Rex ranges.The Sport just loved the undulating sections of the Springmount Rd and could be driven with great zest and fun. The little car can also cruise quietly and comfortably on the open road. However, there appeared to be a problem with the trip computer on the test car. I started off with the reading at 15.4 litres/100km and it dropped noticeably into the low 10s after a lively stint up the Gillies Range.As I settled into a 100km/h cruise from Mareeba to Mt Molloy the reading kept climbing into the 11s and 12s and when I returned the car it had recorded an average of 13.7L/100km. I did not believe the results as the official overall figure is 6.5 litres/100km and this is double. The technicians at Suzuki were to place the car on a diagnostic machine to see why the trip computer was returning abnormally high readings.VERDICTI love this little pocket rocket. It ticks all the boxes as a fun and fizzy drive in the city, on the open road and on winding hilly and country roads. It's a happy looking car and a happy car to drive. Ladies will love its compactness and the bright colour range. The boys will relish its sportiness and its agile handling. The chassis can certainly handle more poke. Small car motoring does not mean merely an A to B conveyance as the Swift Sport proves.Suzuki Swift SportPrice: from $26,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmSafety rating: five star ANCAPEngine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl petrol 100kW/160NmTransmission: 6-speed manual; FWDBody: 3.9m (L); 1.7m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 1060kgThirst: 6.5L/100km; 98 RON; 153g/km CO2

Did you get a shock a couple of weeks ago when the price of petrol jumped almost 30 cents litre at the pump? Fear not, help is here.There’s little you can do about the rising cost of oil – but there is a choice of fuel-efficient cars with most mod-cons for less than $14,000 drive-away, no more to pay. Previously, it hasn’t always made economic sense to trade-in your old banger and buy a new car purely to save money on petrol. More often than not, the fuel savings are evaporated by the high cost of a new model.But that’s changing. The strong Australian dollar – and the most competitive new-car market in the free world – means you now get much more for your money. Standard fare typically includes six airbags, air-conditioning and, in most cases, wireless Bluetooth phone connectivity. That’s in addition to the miserly consumption and peace of mind new cars provide.As ever, the headline prices are for cars with manual transmission. Figure on another $2000 for auto (where available). One other word of caution: always ask how much metallic paint costs. Holden charges as much as $550 extra (Hyundai and Nissan $495 and Suzuki $475) which takes some of the shine off the bargain price.With all that in mind, we’ve assembled the four cheapest – and most worthy – fuel misers money can buy.Holden Barina SparkSales of the smallest new Holden money can buy have fallen off a cliff this year because of newer competition and the lack of an automatic transmission. But the baby Barina Spark will be worth another look in January when it finally becomes available with an automatic transmission – two years after it went on sale.The Barina Spark is among the smallest of this bunch but it comes with five doors and five seating positions, although there is really only room for two in comfort in the back. The interior has a futuristic design. It’s a user-friendly layout, with plenty of storage cubbies, although the plastics are hard to the touch.The 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine is willing but, as with most cars in this class, you need to keep the revs up to maintain momentum up hills. Or keep with the traffic. Road holding is sound but not best-in-class. Happily, there’s a full-size spare in the boot.The sound system is below average and Bluetooth is not standard (it’s a $410 accessory). In North America the Barina Spark is available with internet radio; Holden is rolling this feature across the range starting with the regular Barina in the new year.As with many brands, Holden offers fixed price servicing. But check the fine print: Holden requires you to service the car every nine months, not 12, which makes it dearer to maintain over the three-year warranty period. And another thing: Holden has the dearest metallic paint option in this group. At $550 extra, be sure to haggle.VERDICTSharply priced but lacks some features standard on rivals. Wait until January for the updated model.Holden Barina SparkFrom: $13,990 drive-awayEngine: 1.2-litre four-cylinderEconomy: 5.5L/100kmTransmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed auto from JanuaryHyundai i20In the past few months the Hyundai i20 has had a facelift and a price cut, and it’s now back to being a bargain buy. When the i20 was released two years ago, Hyundai initially set the price at $16,990 – and buyers stayed away in droves.The Hyundai i20 has the longest warranty of this lot – five years and unlimited kilometres – but at this price only comes with three doors. Standard fare includes six airbags, Bluetooth connectivity (including music streaming) a new six-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmissions.The i20 is among the roomiest of this quartet, with the biggest boot (Hyundai i20: 295L, Nissan Micra: 227L, Barina Spark: 170L, Suzuki Alto 110L). As with the others, it comes with a full size spare. The Hyundai i20 is also the only car in this price range to score a five-star crash safety rating (the Volkswagen Up is five-star but it is $13,990 plus on-road costs, giving it a drive-away price closer to $17,000).The Hyundai’s interior is neither striking nor dull, it’s been designed to make life easy with 12V and USB power sockets, decent sized door pockets and a roomy glovebox. Given that the i20 has the biggest engine of this bunch, it’s no surprise it has more go and copes with the daily grind with less stress than the others.Road holding is near the top of these four cars but not class-leading. We’re not a fan of the Kumho Solus tyres in the wet. In the dry they’re fine. Hyundai’s fixed-price servicing deal is among the cheapest available – but the offer runs out after three years. Disappointingly, service costs return to free-market prices in the last two years of Hyundai’s warranty coverage.Given that it has just introduced this program, here’s hoping Hyundai extends the servicing deal to five years before the first customers hit this hump in their ownership experience. And another thing: Hyundai makes a point of the fact that the i20 was designed in Germany – but it’s built in India.VERDICTThe roomiest, zippiest and safest among this quartet (also has the longest warranty). But you only get three doors at this price.Hyundai i20From: $13,990 drive-awayEngine: 1.4-litre four-cylinderEconomy: 5.3L/100km manual, 5.9L/100km autoTransmission: 6-speed manual or 4-speed autoNissan Micra STWith its bubble-shaped cutesy looks, you could be forgiven for thinking the Nissan Micra is a bit of a toy car. But it’s surprisingly capable and, in the three-cylinder guise we’ve chosen, more fuel-efficient in the real world than the rating label suggests.The Micra very nearly won a host of Car of the Year awards when it was released two years ago, winning praise for its road holding and fun-to-drive dynamics. It tops the class in this price range (and has the tightest turning circle this side of a Smart car).Picking the right time to buy is key to the Micra's appeal. It has been priced as low as $12,990 drive-away for a manual model (an absolute steal), but the current cash offer is $13,990 drive-away – or 0 per cent finance for 60 months. However, if you take the finance offer you must pay full retail, which is closer to $15,990 drive-away.Our advice? Pay cash or arrange your own finance and shoot for a $12,990 drive-away price and see if you can get a Nissan dealer to take the bait. As with the Hyundai i20, the Nissan Micra has an inoffensive but functional interior, with plenty of hidden cubbies, big door pockets and glovebox and (for an economy car) surprisingly good seats.Although there are seats for five, it’s better off carrying a maximum of four. An unusual omission, the centre back-seat position lacks a head rest. The sound system may look bland but the audio quality is above average, and the Bluetooth set-up works a treat – but it doesn’t yet include music streaming and there’s no USB power source, just a 12V socket.Nissan offers fixed price servicing for the Micra (and the rest of its range) but it’s the dearest in the business. Nissan requires a visit to the dealer every six months – and the cost of each visit is higher than the competition. And another thing: Depending on overseas demand, Nissan sources the Micra from factories in Thailand and Indonesia.VERDICTOur pick based on its current discount price, the Nissan Micra is the best to drive in this group and (contrary to the label) among the most frugal.Nissan Micra STFrom: $13,990 drive-awayEngine: 1.2-litre three-cylinderEconomy: 5.9L/100km manual, 6.5L/100km autoTransmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed autoSuzuki Alto GLIf you really want to drive your dollar further, the Suzuki Alto is the champion. Priced at $11,990 drive-away, it’s making life hard for the other mainstream brands – and even the cut-throat Chinese car makers struggle to undercut it.The Suzuki Alto is three years old now but is standing up well to the test of time. Its 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is not the most refined in its class, but it operates with sewing machine-like reliability. It’s also the most frugal car in this group – in part because it demands premium unleaded petrol (95 octane), which is dearer to buy but goes further than regular petrol.The Suzuki Alto doesn’t come standard with Bluetooth but the current $11,990 offer for the “Indie” pack includes a portable navigation unit which comes with Bluetooth. The Alto has a hard-wearing functional interior that probably won’t win any beauty contests, but it’ll likely outlast owners. At least Suzuki is honest about how many people can fit comfortably; it only has seatbelts for four occupants.The boot is small (at least there is a ful size spare underneath) but as with all the hatchbacks here, the back seats fold so you can fit more gear. And another thing: Suzuki is the third-biggest car maker in Japan and outsells Mitsubishi, Subaru, Honda and Mazda in Europe. The Alto comes from India, where Suzuki is the market leader.VERDICTAt this price, nothing gets close. The limited edition ‘Indie’ pack is a bargain as it includes navigation and Bluetooth.Suzuki Alto GLFrom: $11,990 drive-awayEngine: 1.0-litre three-cylinderEconomy: 4.7L/100km manual, 5.3L/100km autoTransmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed auto 

They don't follow through with this philosophy as much with their cars but in the new Swift Sport you can see the link.It spins out to 7500rpm for starters, has a close ratio short shift manual gearbox and now, features more weight saving technology such as the "hollow" lightweight alloy wheels.As it stands, the new Swift Sport, at 1060kg is quite svelte compared to five door competitors. And it shows in the drive feel and agile handling delivered by this cheeky looking customer.PRICE AND EQUIPMENTAt $23,990, Suzuki Swift Sport is a fair old hike up on the $15,990 get-go for garden variety Swift GA but the cars are like chalk and cheese.It has a range of "go-fast" bits attached to the body - front, side and rear skirts, rear spoiler and diffuser with integrated dual wide-spaced exhaust tips, striking multi-spoke 17-inch alloys and big, bixenon headlights but no LED daytime running lights.There are seats for four and small but functional (expandable) boot space. Inside is totally in keeping with the car's intent. It looks modern, funky and functional even if there are minimal soft touch surfaces. The instruments are conventional as is the switchgear. But the sporty seats look the business and it has a sweet shifting close ratio six speed transmission along with metal faces pedals.It gets Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, keyless entry and button start along with a chunky multi-function wheel. Suzuki has done enough inside to impart the right sporty flavour to the Sport. Safety is five star thanks in part to seven air bags and stability control.ENGINEThe Swift Sport is something of a performance car with 100kW/160Nm from its 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, petrol engine, a revised version of the previous unit. It doesn't score direct injection but does have variable valve timing and variable intake systems to boost efficiency. We saw the claimed 6.1-litres/100km but the Suzuki Swift Sport prefers premium fuel.It would be great to have a turbo 132kW donk but realistically, Swift Sport doesn't need it. There is always the insurance issue to bear in mind with a turbo car and besides, you can drive the wheels off the little Zook and have nearly as much fun at lower (legal) speeds.THE DRIVEThis is limited a tad by skinny tyres that lose grip too early in the fast cornering process making Sport skittish especially if the road is a bit rough. But most other dynamic aspects of the car are good with quick(ish) electric steering, strong brakes, relatively flat ride and a solid chassis featuring judicious use of high strength steel. On our favourite drive road we were looking for more from the Zook but after a reality check realised the thing was actually going at a cracking pace.VERDICTHard to beat for the money. Great little city car, impressive out on the highway too. Cheeky but cute appeal in spades.Suzuki Swift Sport Price: from $23,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmResale: 58 per centService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: five starSpare: aerosol repair kitEngine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl petrol 100kW/160NmTransmission: 6-speed manual; FWDBody: 3.9m (L); 1.7m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 1060kgThirst: 6.5L/100km; 98 RON; 153g/km Co2 

There are pretenders in life and cars are no different - some have the looks but no talent to back it up. The Swift Sport is not one of these charlatans and just because the Sport dwells below $30,000 doesn't mean there's no fun to be had.Suzuki's updated Swift Sport follows a well-worn hot-hatch formula that in some ways the brand was key in creating  - little car, slightly bigger engine - to provide plenty of frugal fun.VALUEThe Swift is not quite Suzuki's bargain basement model (there's the Alto below it) but it has always carried a sharp pricetag and for what you get the Sport is no different. It's great value, sporting a subtle bodykit and sports interior trim to differentiate it from the cooking models.The features list also includes Bluetooth phone link as well as music streaming, a USB input for the six-speaker sound system, a leather-wrapped reach'n'rake adjustable sports steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, sports pedals, a trip computer, bi-xenon headlights, single-zone climate control, fog lights and 17in allow wheels, but no spare tyre, rain-sensing wipers or automatic headlights.TECHNOLOGYNeither car is at the cutting edge of the automotive technology envelope, but the powerplant is not an old boat anchor either. The little 100kW/160Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder - a development of the superseded engine - has variable intake valve timing and lift, as well as a variable intake manifold set-up.The Sport's powerplant also boasts smoother intake ports, revised variable valve opening times and a larger valve lift on the intake side, as well as a variable intake system. It is teamed with a six-speed manual (as fitted to the test car) or a continuously-variable transmission with a seven-speed sport mode.The claimed fuel use - it needs 95RON PULP - is 6.5l/100km for the manual or 6.1 for the CVT, but according to the trip computer we matched the CVT's figure in the six-speed manual during our time in the car.DESIGNThe exterior is evolutionary - there's no chance of it being mistaken for anything other than a Swift - and that's not a bad thing. This little car has an honest charm about it, with a sporting theme supplied by the neat but low-key bodykit.The overall length is up 120mm to 3890mm, with 50mm of that addition in wheelbase growth, and wider front and rear tracks, but with 30kg lopped from the kerb weight. At 1510mm it's quite tall for a baby hatch, which explains why it's easier at 191cm for me to get comfy behind the wheel, although getting in and out is a little tighter than first expected.Cabin space is enough for two adults and two kids to get from A to B without complaint, although the boot isn't huge. It does have a split-level hidden section, which is handy in some ways but it's easy to forget you've stashed something there. In its least-voluminous guise, the boot claims just 210 litres of space, rising to 900 litres if you drop the rear seat backrests and load it up.SAFETYIt might be little but the Swift Sport does have a solid feel to it, as well as packing a safety features list that boasts traction and stability control. There's also anti-lock brakes and seven airbags (dual front, side, curtain and a driver's knee) - enough for it to wear a five-star ANCAP crash testing rating.DRIVINGAn honest little performer, this hot hatch is a diligent worker and an eager corner-carver. The drivetrain has some flexbility to run in a higher gear but pile on some engine revs and it's willing and useable. The six-speed manual is a nice gearbox, made easier to use by a reasonable driving position, even for taller drivers.The design is conservative but not harsh on the eyes and it's a good kid-carter, provided none of the occupants is too long of leg. The bootspace means you have to be a bit selective on how much you can pile into the back, but rip the false floor out and leave it at home, otherwise you're bound to forget something. It's firm on the road but the suspension boffins at Suzuki have managed to dial in enough compliance to keep fillings in teeth - it is certainly a less brittle ride than you might expect from a dedicated Sport model. Divest yourself of offspring and life-partner and the Sport is an amusing machine on the right back road.It turns in with much more enthusiasm than its shopping-trolley origins would suggest, feeling light, agile and entertaining. The Bluetooth phone pairing and audio streaming set-up is overly complex and doesn't always hook up automatically once paired - if you pair up the Bluetooth phone link on an iPhone 4, for example, the music player function on the phone is left out in the cold and vice versa.VERDICTTechnology issues aside, the Swift Sport is a great little car - if you are in the market for a small car and still like to drive, this is the value for money choice.Suzuki Swift SportPrice: from $23,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmResale:  48 per cent (Source: Glass's Guide)Service interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: five starSpare: mobility kitEngine: 1.6-litre 16-valve four-cylinder, 100kW/160NmTransmission: 6-speed manual; FWDBody: 3.9m (L); 1.7m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 1060kgThirst: 6.51/100km, on test 6.1, 95RON, tank 42 litres; 153g/km CO2

The Suzuki Alto may not sing as sweetly as a church choir, but when it comes to economics it hits all the right notes. VALUE With prices starting around twelve grand and petrol sipping performance the new Suzuki light passenger car is perfectly in tune with a rarely opened wallet. This fact has not escaped the notice

Mazda6 Touring Sedan Auto and Suzuki Kizashi Touring Auto go head-to-head in this comparative review.

The idea is simple - make as much cargo space inside the van's perimeter as possible. Simple stuff, really, but then it gets hard. Make the van safe - preferably with a five-star crash rating like the Mercedes Vito. Load it with passenger-car features, make it flexible with seating, ensure ride comfort and

Graham Smith reviews the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Suzuki Swift as a used buy.