o Malaysians , the traditional three-box sedan is still the car of choice . Hatchbacks , as

popular as they are elsewhere , are still more of an indulgence rather than a practical necessity .

Before this , brands were wary about the acceptance of small little hatchback here in Malaysia .

Boot capacity was of higher priority than outright appearance or manoeuvrability , and their expectations of a small volume for models , like the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris , resulted in many wearing big price tags .

In a market where the brands with plenty of loyal traditionalists feared to thread , other brands shoehorned in their sloped back models in

SpECifiCaTiOnS

Suzuki Swift 1.4L GLX

Engine 1,372cc 4-cylinder K14B

Max power 94hp ( 70kw ) @ 6,000rpm

Max torque 130nm @ 4,000rpm

Transmission 4-speed automatic , front-wheel drive

Safety features dual airbags , aBs with eBd and brake assist

Price rm77,888 otr with insurance

an attempt to find a niche audience .

Luckily for them that small shoehorn has cracked open the shell to reveal a rich yolk of demand for hatchbacks from a new generation of urbandwellers with small families .

The latest two hatchbacks to make their appearance

on the stage is the newgeneration Suzuki Swift and the Kia Rio , both of which are lined up against the Ford Fiesta , which has become taken the hatchback spotlight since its introduction two years ago .

All three models we have lined up here are entry-level variants , powered by a simple 1.4-litre engine , and all priced within RM8,000 of each other .

At RM69,999 the Fiesta 1.4 LX is the cheapest of the lot , with the RM77,888 Swift GLX bookmarking the other end of

the price gap , and the Rio EX sitting neatly in the middle at RM73,888 .

While all three fall neatly into the same price gap , with the same performance levels , and roughly equal in dimensions , we couldn ’ t have pick a more diverse group of cars .

Appearance

and looks

Though it has been on the market for two years on the trot , the Fiesta looks like a space-age egg of the future .

Its crisp lines of Ford ’ s Kinetic design still looks as fresh as the day it was penned , with more apparent masculine elements to its looks .

In contrast , the subtle lines and pert body of the Rio looks as breath-taking as an Italian model . Not an Italian model in the runway fashion model sense , but its rear three quarter is a clear nod to the sumptuous shape of the Fiat Bravo , which is no insult to Kia ’ s designers by any wide margin .

We can ’ t give much praise to the designers of the Swift , who went down the course of evolutionary instead of revolutionary , as its two peers here did .

That said , looking at how its predecessor reinvigorated the model range , it is a good call to pull off a “ Porsche 911 ” in terms of design and keep that old

familiar shape around . Not that we have much to complain about with regard to its clean and simple shape .

Unlike its exterior , the Swift ’ s cabin receives a major overhaul with features that are clearly inspired by the Kizashi .

Among the three , the Swift ’ s interior is the best with its simple and elegant layout , well-built , and feels great , everything you run your finger over feels more substantial and well thought out as compared to its competitors here .

While the Fiesta cabin is as forward-thinking as its exterior design might suggest , there are some ergonomic oversights , and it could do with an extra effort

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