Suzuki Swift Sport 5dr

The extra doors only really make sense if you intend to use the Swift’s rear seats on a regular basis, while boot space is still on the small side. But the doors are a useful addition nonetheless, and they don’t detract from the Sport’s main focus on driving thrills. Add in a generous kit count, and it’s a clear victory for Suzuki’s pocket rocket.

We’re big fans of the Suzuki Swift Sport. It got the better of the Renaultsport Twingo 133 in our review of the best pocket rockets in Issue 1,233, but was criticised for a lack of practicality. Some of those shortcomings have since been addressed with the introduction of this five-door version.

Clearly, Suzuki believes there’s now a gap in the UK market for the five-door model, because while the bodystyle has been offered in other territories ever since the original Swift Sport was launched in 2005, this is the first time we’ve seen it in dealers here.

From the outside, the only difference between the three and five-door models is the extra pair of doors in the latter. That means you get the same sporty looks as the standard car, plus a subtle bodykit, mesh grille, rear spoiler, twin exhaust pipes, 17-inch alloy wheels and lowered suspension. Overall, the aggressive detailing and more compact dimensions give the Swift an edge over the Skoda Fabia in the looks department.

This racy feel spills into the Suzuki Swift Sport interior, with figure-hugging sports seats, leather trim for the steering wheel and red stitching throughout. The cabin layout is easy to get along with, thanks to large, clearly labelled buttons, although the dot-matrix display for the stereo looks blockier and more dated than the Fabia’s similar centre console screen. The plastics are harder than those in the Skoda, too, but the cabin feels well built and offers plenty of steering wheel and seat adjustment, so it’s easy for the driver to get comfortable.

There’s lots of space up front, and the addition of the back doors obviously makes access to the rear easier than in the three-door. The cabin of the 2013 Suzuki Swift 5 door has also been upgraded to include three rear seatbelts and a split-folding bench, but there’s no more space in the back. That means the Swift is more cramped than the Fabia – headroom is fine, but rear legroom is in short supply, especially if you’re behind a tall driver.

Boot space is also unchanged from the three-door, so you get 211 litres with the back seats in place (that’s 104 litres less than in the Skoda). There’s also the same high load lip as before, so although the extra doors are a bonus, the Swift still trails the Fabia on practicality.

But the disadvantages are blown away by the Suzuki Swift's performance. The 134bhp 1.6-litre engine is 30bhp up on the Fabia’s 1.2 turbo, enabling the Suzuki to show its rival a clean pair of heels - in our 0-60mph test it posted a time of 8.2 seconds. The superior Swift Sport speed was maintained when sprinting from 30-70mph.

In-gear response was only slightly ahead, though. While the close-ratio six-speed manual box helped the Suzuki stay in front, it delivers peak torque of 160Nm at 4,400rpm, and the Skoda produces 175Nm at 1,500rpm, giving a broader powerband.

As a result, on the road these cars have very different characters. If you want to press on in the Suzuki Swift Sport, you need to keep the engine between 4,000rpm and 7,000rpm, while the Skoda is happy to rely on its torquey power delivery. That means the Swift can come across as a little more frantic, but combine this with positive turn-in and responsive steering, and it feels like a proper hot hatch.

Both cars come with 17-inch wheels, yet while the stiff Swift Sport follows every contour in the road, it never feels uncomfortable. It’s certainly no worse than the Fabia, although there is more road noise even at low speeds.

The Suzuki Swift Sport price - £14,249 for the five-door model - carries a £500 premium over the three-door, and undercuts the Fabia by £81. However, it comes with a lot more kit. Metallic paint, Bluetooth and cruise and climate control are all included, while the high intensity discharge lights and keyless entry aren’t even options on the Fabia.

But it’s not all good news financially. Road tax is more expensive on the Swift, while fuel economy of 35.9mpg was around six mpg worse than the Fabia on test. But then if you’re worried about economy, a sporty supermini wouldn’t be at the top of your shopping list.