PUNCHING UP

CAN SMALL HATCHES REALLY OFFER A DOWNSIZED VERSION OF THE CLASS ABOVE? WE GATHER THREE OF THE BEST TO FIND OUT

- TRENT GIUNCO

WHEN I GROW UP...” It’s a defiant line trotted out by kids when they realise an argument has reached a stalemate and they aren’t going to win. It’s a default retort out of frustration, as if their underdeveloped minds are trying to say “I’ll show you one day”. It’s a state of play that’s only resolved through hindsight and maturity. Essentially when we grow up.

The three assembled small hatches resemble that progression out of adolescence. They’re still among the tiniest tots of their respective families, but each asserts a newfound level of maturity with high spec levels and fully grown pricing.

That’s especially true of the freshly updated Mazda 2. It has been stuffed with extra kit and there are styling tweaks to the front and rear bumpers as well as the grille for a more mature design, but the fourth-generation 2 is pretty much the same as when it came out in 2014. And yet you will need at least $20,990 to get behind the wheel of the entry-level G15 Pure – or $24,490 for the G15 Evolve tested here. Considering that all the mechanicals transfer over virtually unchanged and the fact the previous base hatch was $15,570, it’s a big jump.

However, when it comes to the Suzuki Swift GLX Turbo you’re paying extra for the oily bits. It’s the only model in the Swift line-up to use the 1.0-litre three-cylinder BoosterJet engine, and it’s a little sweetheart worth paying for, even if it does bump the price up to $22,990. Extra goodies like rear disc brakes, auto LED projector headlights, four speakers, telescopic steering-wheel adjustment and digital climate control are added over the $18,990 GL Navigator safety pack.