A CLASSROOM is filled with many types of children and many different personalities. There are the smart ones, quirky characters, naughty rascals, mischievous types and myriad in-betweeners.
When it comes to the hatchback class of 2014, the pair here is best described as mischievous. They show off with their better-than-average performance without messing with the naughty kids (like the wicked Ford Fiesta ST or Peugeot 208 GTi). They don’t fit in any preconceived box, which imbues them with buckets of charm.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Appearance-wise, neither the Swift nor the Sonic look like they’re trying too hard. That said, both display hints of their sporting potential. In the case of the Swift Sport (which is also a member of our long-term fleet), the Champion Yellow paint job ups the visual appeal, while a model-specific black-mesh grille, chrome-tipped dual exhaust outlets, a grey diffuser and a tailgate-mounted wing distinguish it from a run-of-the-mill Swift. The latter recently received a midlife facelift, but the Sport, being distinctive in its own right, remained largely untouched.
With the RS badge on its bum, the Sonic raises expectations. This flagship of the Sonic range has an aggressive front-end thanks to a bespoke grille and large foglamps. At the back, there’s a roof-mounted spoiler and a large exhaust outlet.
Inside, the Sonic has comfortable bucket seats that are wrapped in leather and an Alcantara-aping material, and are garnished with red stitching, while the pedals feature metal inlays. Besides these items, however, there isn’t much else to set it apart from its Sonic siblings. The new MyLink infotainment system with a touchscreen interface does add a modern feel to the interior. Overall, there’s a clear focus on quality and efficient ergonomics.
The Swift’s interior features sports seats (which do not drop low enough and aren’t all that comfortable) and red stitching on the steering wheel and gear lever cover. When compared with the Sonic RS’s cabin, the Sport’s interior does feel slightly dated. That said, its simplicity makes for a more intuitive user experience.
FUN FACTOR
Fancy threads get you only so far on the playground. Do these hatches walk the talk, or are they all garnish and little substance?
Their report cards certainly show similar potential. The Swift’s 1,6-litre naturally aspirated unit develops 100 kW and 160 N.m of torque. The Sonic has a 1,4-litre forced-induction engine that bests the outputs of its classmate with 103 kW and 200 N.m. Both are fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox.
The Swift’s powertrain and transmission combo makes for a sporty drive. The engine has a free-revving nature and the transmission is slick. It’s easy to snap shift and, with the help of well-weighted steering and hunkered-down suspension, it provides dynamic driving and composed cornering. The result is a fun little car that offers a taste of the driving fun dished up by serious hot hatches while being pleasant to use as an everyday runabout.
The Sonic, conversely, isn’t as well endowed in the driving department. That said, it’s certainly no disappointment (unless you were fooled by the RS badge into thinking it’s a hot hatch). While it does exhibit a touch too much body roll, it rides better than the Swift.
The Sonic’s engine also impressed us with its strong power delivery. However, the clutch is difficult to modulate smoothly and the gear changes feel sloppy when compared with those of the Swift.
THE NUMBERS
In testing, the hatches shone in different departments. We achieved a zero-to-100 km/h sprint time of 9,23 seconds in the Swift, while the RS failed to break the 10-second mark, completing the task in 10,35 seconds (the 200 kg mass difference plays a crucial part). The RS, however, excelled when it came to overtaking acceleration, beating the Swift in all the speed sections.
Stopping power for both vehicles is aided by ABS and EBD, which helped the yellow car to average a 100-to-zero km/h time of 2,78 seconds. The burnt-orange Sonic averaged 2,97 seconds.
STANDARD FEATURES
Not much separates their prices and both are generously equipped with entertainment, comfort, convenience and safety features. Items such as air-con (climate control in the Swift), cruise control, multifunction steering, ESC (with traction control and hill-hold in the Sonic), Isofix anchorage points and airbags are standard on both vehicles. The Swift, however, has six ‘bags, while the Sonic has only four.
The entertainment systems in the two differ quite a bit. There’s a simple, easy-to-use setup in the Suzuki that is capable of playing CDs and music stored on USB sticks and auxiliary devices. It also features Bluetooth connectivity. The Chevrolet, on the other hand, appears more upmarket with its MyLink touchscreen system. It’s a slickly designed system that is simple to use. It plays music and videos via USB, aux-in or Bluetooth. However, there’s no CD player.
TEST SUMMARY
Now for the hard part. We did not expect the Swift and Sonic to be so closely matched, anticipating that the former would comfortably take the trophy at the final prize-giving ceremony. But, when they are viewed as flagship vehicles in their respective ranges and not simply as junior warm hatches, the competition runs close. There can only be one winner in the end-of-term report cards, though.
The Sonic RS is a good commuter that offers excellent standard specification, but is an average performer when it’s playtime. Which naturally begs the question why Chevrolet slapped those hallowed letters on its rump.
The Swift Sport finds a more appealing balance. It’s a great performer on the playground and a solid everyday prospect despite the slightly harsh ride. In CAR’s books, it scores an A.
Roadtest Scores
Chevrolet Sonic RS – 75
Suzuki Swift Sport – 77
