Holden Astra VS Suzuki Swift

Three CarsGuide reviewers drove three different versions of the Astra, and it's pretty clear the R didn't impress in the same way the RS and RS-V did. While the chassis felt great, the issue was put down to the 1.4-litre engine, which had to work hard while the automatic droned on.

I took the RS-V on my 150km country road test loop and found the chassis to be taut and well balanced,  and by the feel of the firm dampers, set-up for more sporty driving and handling rather than comfort.

The RS-V's 18-inch rims, with low-profile 225/40 R18 92W Bridgestone Turanza rubber mean you'll feel almost every crack and bump in the road. Great grip, but the ride isn't comfortable.

The six-speed automatic doesn't match the 1.6-litre engine's perky personality, in that it's slow to change gears. Shift paddles on the steering wheel would add more connection to the driving experience.

Vani's RS-V was a six-speed manual and she loves how quickly that gearbox responds. All all our testers agree the steering is accurate, but artificial and light, although the sport mode gives it more weight, along with changing the throttle response to be sportier.

While the hatch has sporty styling and a firmer ride, Holden has tuned the placid-looking sedan's suspension to be comparatively supple. It's a far more comfortable drive.

I had seat time in each grade. The LS with the manual is the most enjoyable to drive - shifting is easy, the gear ratios are nicely spaced and I could get more out of that 1.4-litre engine.

Being tall and all arms and legs, I found I had to drive with the middle armrest up – my elbow kept bumping into it otherwise when shifting. The clutch also has a high return position.

The auto-only LT and LTZ ride just as comfortably as the LS manual. Steering on all grades has been tuned for Australian roads, and it feels accurate, well weighted and smooth. I've driven far fancier cars with steering that isn't anywhere near this good.

Cabin insulation is also impressive in the sedan – the hatch on the other hand has a fair bit of noise intrusion.

And that engine? Well, you're not going to win any drag races, but the comfortable ride and smooth steering, combined with looks that don't promise land speed records means it's far more suited to the sedan than the hatch.

Even with two well fed Holden employees and myself on board, the sedan didn't once feel like it was running out of puff, even on steeper hills.

The Astra sedan doesn't have the handling ability of its hatch sibling, it also has a ridiculously large turning circle of 11.9m (the Mazda3's is 10.6m),  but it just skims in at seven out of 10 thanks to that great steering feel, and well-tuned suspension, keeping the ride comfortable and composed.

MG claims the MG3 Hybrid will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.0sec and it feels quick, especially in ‘Sport’ mode, rather than the ‘Eco’ and ‘Normal’ settings.

No doubt the MG is the quieter of the two and it’s important to point out the MG3 is able to run on pure electric power, while the Suzuki cannot.

Suspension is by struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear and the MG feels bumpier over typical pock-marked and patched urban surfaces. That may have something to do with the MG3’s 1298kg kerb weight and slightly wider and lower profile tyres - 195/55 vs 185/65.

The MG steers nicely through a squared-off steering wheel, a la the ‘quartic’ wheel found in the Austin Allegro and Rover SD1 from the 1970s. Road feel is good.

Disc brakes front and rear do the stopping on the MG with three levels of regenerative braking available. The most aggressive setting slows the car markedly but won’t bring it to a full stop, so no ‘single pedal’ driving.

By comparison, expect the Swift to reach 100km/h in around 12.5sec and first impressions are dominated by the characteristically coarse three-cylinder engine and exhaust sound.

Flick the Sport button on the gear shift and performance becomes more urgent but it can’t match the MG’s punch. That said, you can feel that extra 60Nm of pulling power when you want it.

But it’s the Suzuki’s supple ride and nimble handling that stand it apart. Despite its shorter wheelbase and substantially lighter weight the little Suzuki irons out bumps and thumps beautifully.

The steering is well-weighted, accurate and responsive with excellent road feel. Braking is by disc at the front and, yes, drums the size of a small Tupperware container at the rear.

But jokes aside, in a car this light a good drum brake will work perfectly well and it does here. No levels of regen braking. As soon as you’re off the throttle a small light on the dash lets you know you’re sending energy to the battery.

In terms of miscellaneous observations, the MG’s front seats aren’t as comfy as the Suzuki’s. In fact, all who drove the MG3 noticed the driver’s seat cushion is overly firm towards the rear, pushing into your tailbone.

The driver’s door armrests are hard in both cars and there’s some mild wind noise in the Swift at freeway speeds.

Both are super-easy to park but the Swift is that bit smaller with superior visibility, and neither car has a rotary dial for audio volume with wheel, dash buttons or screen sliders instead.

Overall both of these light hatches offer excellent dynamics and refinement for the money, but the Swift delivers a more relaxed and engaging drive.