STYLING

As is true of any car, the look of a supermini is important. For instance, a supermini holds a great deal of appeal for younger buyers who attach as much importance to style as they do to resale value.

Suzuki Swift The sportily fashioned Suzuki Swift boasts a dynamic silhouette and comes in a range of vibrant colour options, making it a desirable supermini with youthful charisma.
Ford Fiesta The Ford Fiesta’s compact size and sleek, aerodynamic lines make it an attractive proposition, and its sporty accents and stylish grille further enhance its appeal.
Toyota Yaris The refined and practical Toyota Yaris sports a streamlined profile and expressive headlights that underscore its modern, agreeable qualities.
VW Polo The Volkswagen Polo’s clean-lined and elegant design is further enhanced by a sleek silhouette, making it a mature supermini option.
MG3 This compact car possesses contemporary design aesthetics, such as a distinctive front grille, ensuring that it’s a stylish supermini solution.

WHAT ARE THEY LIKE TO DRIVE?

We’ve established that the Suzuki Swift and its main competitors are easy on the eye, but how do they fare in terms of driveability?

Suzuki Swift Suzuki Swift models equipped with a mild hybrid 1.2-litre engine prioritise efficiency while ALLGRIP variants deliver enhanced traction and stability thanks to their four-wheel system. The latest generation model offers significantly reduced road noise too, ensuring enhancing cabin quietness while contributing to a comfortable ride.
Ford Fiesta The once mundane Fiesta was revamped in the late 1990s to deliver improved handling and driving enjoyment, cementing its status as one of the best superminis. In its final incarnation, it delivers enhanced steering feel and response, along with a 10% increase in cornering grip and electronic torque vectoring.
Toyota Yaris The Toyota Yaris is at its best on urban roads where its precise steering and stable chassis promote a relaxed driving experience. While it navigates corners competently, it could benefit from softer suspension to ensure greater overall comfort.
VW Polo While it’s fun to drive, the Volkswagen Polo lacks extensive feedback with its electric power steering. Nevertheless, the car’s refined suspension handles bumps smoothly, although prospective buyers would be wise to avoid optional 17-inch wheels which increase road noise.
MG3 The MG3 is pleasant to drive, even with hybrid models which offer no manual gearbox option. Like the Swift, it provides a smooth and comfortable ride, particularly when equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels.

INTERIOR AND TECHNOLOGY

When it comes to technological features, how do the five superminis compare? Let’s find out…

Suzuki Swift Standard-issue features include:
▪ Keyless entry and start
▪ Full-colour LCD supervision display
▪ Nine-inch infotainment touchscreen
▪ DAB radio
▪ Bluetooth audio streaming
▪ AUX and USB-A and USB-C inputs
▪ Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
▪ Suzuki Connect
▪ Rear parking camera and rear-mounted sensors
Ford Fiesta Standard-issue features include:
▪ Eight-inch touchscreen with Ford SYNC
▪ DAB radio
▪ Bluetooth connectivity
▪ USB ports
▪ Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Toyota Yaris Standard-issue features include:
▪ Nine-inch infotainment touchscreen
▪ DAB radio
▪ Bluetooth connectivity
▪ USB-C input
▪ Voice recognition
▪ Steering wheel-mounted controls
VW Polo Standard-issue features include:
▪ Eight-inch display screen
▪ DAB radio
▪ 4 x USB-C ports
▪ Preparation for navigation
▪ Bluetooth mobile phone interface
▪ Wireless App-Connect
▪ Rear parking sensors
MG3 Standard-issue features include:
▪ Remote central locking
▪ Trip computer
▪ Eight-inch colour touchscreen
▪ DAB radio
▪ Bluetooth connectivity
▪ AUX, MP3 and USB ports
▪ Apple CarPlay

BOOT SPACE AND PRACTICALITY

Thanks to their compact body styles, superminis are very city friendly, but how practical and spacious are they?

Suzuki Swift The five-door Suzuki Swift comfortably accommodates four adults or a young family of five and features a 265-litre boot that expands to 589 litres with rear seats folded.
Ford Fiesta Interior storage has increased, including a 20% larger glovebox, although rear headroom remains tight for taller passengers. A redesigned boot offers 311 litres of space, expandable to 1,093 litres with the rear seats down.
Toyota Yaris the Toyota Yaris offers ample front space and accessible rear seats, its rear compartment is mainly suited to children or small adults. It features a 286-litre boot which increases to 947 litres with rear seats dropped.
VW Polo The Volkswagen Polo provides plenty of room in the front, features supportive seating, and comfortably accommodates two adults in the back. It features a 351-litre boot too, which increases to 1,125 litres.
MG3 The five-door, five-seat MG3 features a 293-litre boot that grows to 983 litres whenever rear seats are folded.

SAFETY AND RELIABILITY

Dependability is a key consideration when it comes to choosing a new car. In the most recent Reliability Survey (published in 2023 by What Car?), out of 32 marques, the five brands under contention ranked accordingly:

  • Toyota – 2nd: 97.4%
  • Suzuki – 4th: 96.9%
  • Ford – 17th: 91.4%
  • Volkswagen – 22nd: 90.2%
  • MG – 25th: 89.2%

In terms of safety, both the Swift and MG3 achieved three-star Euro NCAP ratings while the Fiesta, Polo and Yaris each received a five-star score.

Suzuki Swift 83% Adult Occupant rating; 75% Child Occupant rating (Euro NCAP).
Standard-issue safety features include:
▪ Multiple airbags
▪ ISOFIX child-seat anchorage
▪ Child-proof rear doors
▪ Blind Spot Monitor
▪ Driver Monitoring System
▪ eCall
▪ Hill-hold Control
▪ Intelligent Speed-control Support
▪ Lane-keeping Assist
▪ Rear Cross-traffic Alert
▪ Traffic Sign Recognition
Ford Fiesta 87% Adult Occupant rating; 84% Child Occupant rating (Euro NCAP).
Standard-issue safety features include:
▪ Multiple airbags
▪ ISOFIX mounting provision
▪ Emergency Brake Warning
▪ Enhanced Electronic Stability Control
▪ Hill-start Assist
▪ Intelligent Protection System
Toyota Yaris 83% Adult Occupant rating; 80% Child Occupant rating (Euro NCAP).
Standard-issue safety features include:
▪ Multiple airbags
▪ Seatbelt reminders
▪ ISOFIX child-restraint system
▪ Child safety door locks
▪ Adaptive Cruise Control
▪ Lane-departure Alert
VW Polo 96% Adult Occupant rating; 85% Child Occupant rating (Euro NCAP).
Standard-issue safety features include:
▪ Multiple airbags
▪ ISOFIX child-seat preparation
▪ Advanced Driver Attention and Drowsiness Monitor
▪ Autonomous Emergency Braking
▪ Dynamic Road Sign Display
▪ eCall
▪ Hill-start Assist
▪ Lane-keeping System
▪ Park Distance Control
MG3 69% Adult Occupant rating; 71% Child Occupant rating (Euro NCAP).
Standard-issue safety features include:
▪ Multiple airbags
▪ Seatbelt reminders
▪ ISOFIX child-seat fixtures
▪ Electronic Stability Programme
▪ Emergency Brake Assist
▪ Hill-launch Assist

SIZE AND DIMENSIONS

Suzuki Swift

Length: 3.63 metres

Width: 1.74 metres

Height: 1.48 metres

Boot space: 265 litres to 589 litres

Ford Fiesta

Length: 4.05 metres

Width: 1.74 metres

Height: 1.50 metres

Boot space: 292 litres to 1,093 litres

Toyota Yaris

Length: 3.94 metres

Width: 1.75 metres

Height: 1.47 metres

Boot space: 286 litres to 947 litres

VW Polo

Length: 4.07 metres

Width: 1.75 metres

Height: 1.43 metres

Boot space: 351 litres to 1,125 litres

MG3

Length: 4.11 metres

Width: 1.80 metres

Height: 1.51 metres

Boot space: 293 litres to 983 litres

*Please note that measurements are approximate.