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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