Ok, so I threw the idea of the civic out the window. The only one I can afford is one that is about 5 years old. That and the fact that any second-hand type r will most probably have been relentlessly molested by a 22 year old for all that time. These things put me off. I thought everything was straight forward for me but then the Swift sport came homing into view.

I am going to test drive one next week but I wondered if anyone had any experience of both cars and wants to share. It doesn't seem particularly beefy, it's 0-60 is not much faster than my fabia 2 1.6 and also it has less torque, but I am pretty enamoured with its looks and it just looks like a car that can handle well.

Anyone driven both cars?

Btw, I promise this will be the last post like this. There will be no "Vrs vs porshe 911" thread next week. I promise.

I've driven a Swift Sport, not bad, but on all round space, boot size, 5 doors, a spare wheel,good looks, build quality, it has to be a Skoda.

this is my punto chsing a swift sport down a big hill (there is a stage II fabis vRS trying to keep up with me in the background )

YouTube - Briskoda North West run.

the swift seemed to handle really,really well, but didn't have the acceleration or speed....

suzuki does respond well to a spot of tuning, and there is a fair few parts including turbo and supercharger conversion kits.

I think Sharkrider hit the nail on the head I feel, handle really well but lack the out and out grunt of the likes of a Fabia vRS. And IIRC the engine is built strong enough to take a supercharger kit no problem. I'll get my brother to PM you and he's owned both....and in the video above it was his Swift.

suzuki does respond well to a spot of tuning

Really? I can't find much info about this in the UK.

The suzuki is a nice little car from what I know of it. A colleague has the sport version. He tells me it's ok but is very light and tinny, build quality not brilliant. His words were exactly..."it's a throw away type of car". That said...he tears around all over the country in it.