The Suzuki Swift Sport we’ve had on loan for five months is nearing the end of its term with Auto Trader.

Adrian Hearn has been hogging the Japanese hot hatch for the majority of the period and he loves its character and driveability, recently taking it on a trip down to sunny Cornwall…

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Practicality: The Swift might be a supermini, but it’s not short on space inside. Four of us went down to Cornwall for a weekend and, while full, the Suzuki wasn’t too cramped.

Sporty dynamics: I’ve driven quite a few non-sporty cars recently and whenever I get back into the Swift I’m pleasantly surprised by the car’s steering and handling.

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Running costs: The Swift’s average fuel economy has dropped from 37.7mpg to 35.7mpg. Most of the time I drive the car on my own but the 520 mile round-trip to Cornwall with friends, tents and scrumpy cider as added weight has clearly affected the economy.

Remote control: You start the Swift by twisting a control where you’d normally have a key. It’s no more practical than a key so why not just have a key? Plus, once the car is started you can drive off without the remote which is just asking for trouble.

Battery: It’s just not very good. After watching a DVD on the entertainment system the car got a flat battery so it needed jump leads to start up again.

The Suzuki Swift goes camping

Remember when the Met Office told us we’re going to be in for a cracking summer? I thought it would be an excuse to make a few trips down to Cornwall to chill on the beach in what’s being known as the year of the staycation.

But lo-and-behold it’s been a washout – and the weekend I chose to hit the West Country was one of the worst of the summer. Perranporth was full of rain, wind and tourist-hating locals.

The Suzuki Swift Sport, however, was a lifesaver.

Taking the car away for the weekend showcased the car’s impressive practicality. The boot’s 213 litre capacity doesn’t sound like too much but it proved enough to carry two tents, two bags and a couple of disposable barbeques. In the back there’s comfortably room for a couple of six-footers thanks to the car’s high roofline.

When the roads are clear, it’s a great drive to Cornwall thanks to the wide, winding dual carriageways and fantastic scenery. I took full advantage to showcase the Swift’s hot hatch capabilities with the little car’s change of direction a joy to play with.

However, there were some huge hills to climb and I found the 1.6-litre engine wanting for a bit more power on some of the steeper slopes.

My mate Will, an Evo-reading wannabe race driver who once tried to keep up with a Ferrari F40 in his old Vauxhall Corsa was particularly impressed with the Swift on the journey, taking time to deliver his own verdict on the hot hatch.

View our Suzuki Swift Sport slide show

He said: “The Swift is a great little car that felt like is has been built by a manufacturer who understands why people enjoy driving.

“It sounds great and has a quality entertainment system. It’s comfortable and it’s really rather handsome, which, in my eyes, makes the understated Swift a winner.” Thanks Will.

Due to the unpredictable weather we found ourselves sat in the Swift making use of the DVD player on the excellent Clarion system, watching Entourage.

We watched three 25 minute episodes which resulted in a flat battery. Yes, it’s partly user error, but it’s not very impressive on the battery’s behalf. You can’t exactly watch a bit, take the car for a drive to charge the battery and then watch a bit more. Problems like this highlight the need for all motorists to have certain tools in their boots such as jump leads.

Embarrasingly we’d spent the journey expecting our friend Phil in his Triumph Spitfire to breakdown but it was us calling for roadside (campside?) assistance as you can’t bump start a new car due to its immobiliser.

Fortunately Suzuki’s service, which all new models get, was excellent and in less than an hour on a Sunday morning a mechanic had turned up with a set of jump leads and sorted the problem.

Barring the battery issue, the Suzuki has been mechanically superb. It starts first time, every time, drives superbly with sharp, poised steering, good brakes, a slick five-speed gearbox and a revvy engine. And after someone – who remains nameless to this day – collapsed into my tent, ripping the door off it, the Swift also proved to be a (semi) comfortable place to sleep.

I’ve only got the Swift for another 1,000 miles and I’m not looking forward to giving it back.

Key Facts

Suzuki Swift Sport
Mileage: 5,000 miles
Fuel consumption: 35.7mpg
0-62mph: 8.9 seconds
Top speed: 124mph
Insurance: 9E
Price: £12,068 on the road
Options: Premium Navigation and audio with music hard drive (£1,500 dealer option)