Cheap thrills: Twingo RS vs Swift Sport
The Suzuki Swift Sport and Renault Twingo Renaultsport 133 Cup are a part of a new breed of micro hot hatches; cars offering funky looks, sporty handling and bit of pace, but at an affordable price.
We were amazed with the handling skills of the Twingo when we drove it on a range of demanding roads in Portugal last year making it well deserving of the Renaultsport name.
We’ve had a Suzuki Swift Sport on loan for five months and we’ve become fond of the Japanese motor which manages to out-Mini Mini with its cute design. With its high roofline it doesn’t look like it should handle that well but it genuinely drives like a hot hatch.
But which one is better?
The big numbers:
Looks
There’s something for everyone here – the Twingo is aggressive and out there while the Swift is a prettier, more discreet model. Both cars get a set of 17-inch alloys. Owners can customise the Twingo with various decals on the options list. Both cars are good looking in different ways so it’s hard to pick a winning exterior.
However, that’s not the case with the insides. It’s as if Renault didn’t really bother. Having the digital speedo enclosed above the centre console is annoying – it would be far better suited behind the steering wheel with the rev counter. The interior has too much bland plastic and isn’t really a nice place to sit (despite the comfortable sports seats).
We’re impressed with the Swift’s interior which has dials laid out purposefully with a classier feel, more like what you would find from a German premium model.
Verdict: Swift
It’s hard to pick a winner on looks alone as both models look the part but the Twingo’s plasticky interior lets it down, handing victory to the more mature Swift.
Drive
Corner after corner, the Twingo doesn’t miss a beat, only threatening to understeer when pushed to the absolute limit. It’s a brilliant hot hatch well deserving of the almost fabled Renaultsport name. We’re testing the Cup chassis here which is a £650 option, boasting 17-inch wheels and stiffer springs.
For a high car, the Swift Sport was a big surprise. Due to the constraints of physics I didn’t think it would handle too well. But it does – very well. It changes direction impressively and you have to push very hard for it to understeer.
Verdict: Twingo
Both are brilliant but the Twingo edges it. While the Swift’s steering offers more feel, the Twingo offers a little bit more when it comes to cornering.
Performance
Both models get 1.6-litre normally-aspirated petrol engines with the Twingo developing 133bhp and 118lb/ft of pulling power while the Swift has 125bhp and 109lb/ft.
Performance is near identical with the Twingo’s 8.7 seconds 0-62mph time 0.2 seconds quicker than the Swift. At first there isn’t a huge urgency but when the revs rise both cars become lively little models. On B-roads in third gear the Swift and Twingo are a delight, providing brisk acceleration from 35-60mph.
Verdict: Draw
There’s more than enough performance for B-road fun in both models. The five-speed gearboxes are slick and the throttle is quite responsive. Both 1.6-litre engines need to be pushed hard to get the most out of them with each coming alive after 4,000rpm. The Twingo is 65kg lighter than the Swift and this gives the French car a small advantage when initially floored.
On a less positive note, both are quite noisy at motorway speeds and feel a tad underpowered on steeper hills.
Practicality
Despite being a supermini the Swift is surprisingly spacious inside. After a recent trip to the five-a-side pitches, we comfortably seated a 6ft 5 man behind a 6ft 2 front passenger. This is thanks to the car’s high profile. The boot’s 213 litre capacity isn’t massive but it’s considerably bigger than the Twingo’s 165 litre. The Twingo is only a four-seat affair whereas you can get five in the Swift, although it is a bit tight.
Verdict: Swift
It’s quite rare to have five people in a supermini, but it’s still good to have that option and you don’t have it with the four-seat Twingo. Any car that can get someone of Jeremy Clarkson’s height in the back is impressive, so the Swift wins here.
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Overall verdict: Draw
The Renault Twingo Renaultsport and Suzuki Swift Sport are fantastic micro hot hatches. For outright driving thrills, the little Renault is the better car offering an amazing amount of grip and chuck-ability through the bends.
Dynamically, the Swift isn’t far off the Twingo but it does benefit from better everyday practicality thanks to a bigger boot and more space. It’s also £700 cheaper.
When you look at value, performance and driveability there is nothing between the two cars which ultimately leaves it down to personal taste. We think the Swift is a more mature car than the Twingo and the little French hot hatch the cheekier option.
Thanks to Mike at Paragon for his assistance.
Check out this official video of the Twingo Cup in action:
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