SWIFT by name and swift by nature – this car seems set to soar in the estimations of fast car fans who are on a budget.

The Suzuki Swift Sport is certainly fun to drive, but that enjoyment is as much about the car’s agility and grip in the corners as it is about power.

Indeed, the Swift Sport has never been about pure grunt, with the desire to create an all-round sporty package for an affordable price outweighing the temptation to put a 200bhp-plus beast under the bonnet.

As it happens, the turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is still a very punchy unit, providing plenty of useable torque, especially for a light car that weighs in 80kg less than its predecessor.

But it’s the nimble handling capabilities that really put a smile on the face.

Indeed, Suzuki has devoted much of its effort to developing the Swift’s chassis dynamics, with the result that it now offers more poise and control than ever.

The suspension set-up has been completely revised to offer greater driving stability, and it’s all underpinned by the much stiffer and lighter ‘Heartect’ platform already used on the normal Swift model.

It gives you the confidence to tackle sharp corners with purpose as the perfectly-weighted vehicle grips the corners superbly and gives you sufficient feedback through the steering wheel for you to feel fully engaged in the driving process.

Despite not providing any outright driving thrills, the fulfilling experience behind the wheel is aided by the ‘Boosterjet’ engine, which is mated to a slick six-speed manual transmission.

The fact the 138bhp engine isn’t the biggest also has considerable benefits when it comes to running costs, with an official combined fuel economy of 50.4mpg.

The new turbocharger gives the engine an abundance of torque from low down in the rev range, and it’s also capable of pulling nicely through the higher gears.

Ease-of-use is another major plus point for this pocket rocket, with its tidy proportions allowing you to nip in and out of tight gaps when driving around town, or park in spaces that would be out of the question for a larger vehicles.

In the looks department, the Swift Sport, built in Sagara, Japan, has an athletic stance on the road, with muscular shoulders and vertically arranged front and rear lights.

The car’s front-end design is exclusive to the Sport version of the swift because the front grille and bumper project the nose beyond that of the standard model, making the vehicle look more dynamic.

Meanwhile, the side skirts, roof-end spoiler,17in polished alloy wheels and dual exhaust tailpipes complete the sporty appearance, while those opting for the bright yellow paint option certainly won’t be missed.

Inside the Swift, the sporty theme continues, with plenty of contrasting red trims on the dashboard and centre console, while you also get a flat-bottomed steering wheel.

The designers have tried to create an immersive sports driving environment, including a driver-oriented instrument panel.

There’s also lots of equipment as standard, including a touchscreen infotainment system with built-in sat-nav and smartphone mirroring.

The Swift Sport is also quite spacious, with plenty of room for two tall adults in the front.

On the down side, there are still several scratchy plastic surfaces to be found, but that’s only to be expected when you consider the price.

In conclusion, the Swift Sport is a good-looking small sporty city car with a chunky bodykit, a nippy turbocharged petrol engine, and a roomy interior.

At less than £18,000, it acts as a tempting alternative to vehicles such as the the VW up! GTI and the Ford Fiesta ST-Line.

The Lowdown

Suzuki Swift Sport

PRICE: £17,999 on the road

ECONOMY: 50.4mpg combined

PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds and max speed of 130mph

ENGINE: 1.4-litre Boosterjet 4-cylinder

EMISSIONS: 125g/km