Suzuki Swift vs Ford Figo vs VW Polo Vivo: which one is the best value for money?

We decided on a price cap of about R200 000, and chose our competitors according to some basic criteria: they had to be at least one step up from their ranges’ entry points, feature a manual gearbox, and be petrol powered. The price spread of our three contenders cover a very narrow range of only R 6 200, and the most expensive challenger overshoots our budget by only R 4 000. 

We’ve selected the newly released high-trim Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX, and then pitched it against the mid-level Ford Figo 1.5-litre hatch in Trend specification and evergreen Volkswagen Polo Vivo with the higher output 1.4-litre engine and mid-level Comfortline trim. So which one really gives you the most car for your money?

Facts and figures:

First, let’s look at the numbers:

* Manufacturer's official claimed figures.

Analysis

Power, performance, and drivetrains

Their pricing may be very similar, but their powerplants are quite wildly divergent. We don’t have any turbocharged engines in this group, with all three contenders relying on fairly conservative engineering under the bonnet, with front-wheel drive and manual transmissions as common denominators. 

And, right out of the starting blocks, the Ford Figo takes an early lead. It has the largest engine and the most power, with its 1.5-litre 3-cylinder engine producing a useful 88 kW and 150 Nm. It has the newest engine here, and this shows in its output figures. These staunch outputs give the Figo a power-to-weight ratio of 84 W per kilogram (compared to 59 W/kg in the Vivo and 70 W/kg in the Swift), while its torque advantage will further ensure that the Figo walks away with the performance crown by offering the most bang for your buck.

Coming in in second place is the Swift. Yes, its 1.2-litre engine has the lowest outputs in this group (61 kW and 113 Nm), but that is mitigated by its featherweight construction, which helps boost its performance well into the “Acceptable” category. Meanwhile, the Vivo is hamstrung by its weight (it’s the heaviest car in this group) and relatively low power outputs (for its engine size) of only 63 kW and 132 Nm, which relegates it to the last position.

Economy

The Figo pays for its performance advantage at the fuel pumps, however, with the second-highest claimed average consumption in this group. Official average figures are (from worst to best): 5.9 ℓ/100 km for the Vivo, 5.7 ℓ/100 km for the Figo, and an impressive 4.9 ℓ/100 km for the Swift. 

Seeing a Swift take the crown in this department shouldn’t really come as a surprise, though: it’s the lightest car here (by a large margin), and its engine is renowned for its fuel efficiency. While many drivers probably won’t achieve its claimed numbers, they will come very close – and still match or improve on its opponents’ claimed figures in real-world driving.

Practicality

The Vivo’s slightly larger dimensions help it scoop the crown in this department, but the difference is smaller than you might think. With a minimum boot capacity of 280 litres, it barely trounces the much smaller Swift (by only 12 litres), which in turn beats the Figo by the same margin. 

However, the Vivo is notably more spacious inside, as the Figo and Swift both suffer from restricted rear seat space. The biggest surprise comes in the Swift’s maximum luggage capacity, which actually beats the Polo’s largest load volume configuration, albeit by a single litre. This helps the Swift to second place here, just behind the Vivo and just ahead of the Figo. 

Equipment and safety

This is the key point in the value for money equation: How much stuff do you get for your hard-earned Rands? Being the top-trim Swift, this Suzuki’s stand-out features include electric windows all round, automatic climate control, a 7-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with steering wheel remote controls, Bluetooth- and USB compatibility, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; as well as a leather-trimmed steering wheel, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, and keyless entry with an engine start/stop button. 

In Trend specification, the Figo loses out on most of these features except for the electric windows all round and alloy wheels, while the Vivo is even further behind in the luxury equipment stakes, with manual side mirror adjustment and electric windows only in front. At least they all offer the basics, such as power steering and air conditioning, but there’s no doubt that the Swift GLX offers a level of standard equipment that’s hard to beat at its price.

Safety-wise, there isn’t a lot to differentiate this trio. While the normal safety kit is present (two airbags, ABS, and ISOFIX child seat anchors in the rear), none of them offer traction- or stability control as standard. It is available as an option for the Polo, however, but ticking this option box will inflate its price far beyond our budget target.

Verdict

While these cars offer similar attributes and will undoubtedly appeal on their own merits, it has to be said that the Polo Vivo is the first to fall by the wayside. It may be the most practical of this bunch, but it’s soundly trounced in every other respect. It’s the thirstiest car here, and will have the slowest acceleration, and its rather barren equipment list relegates it to the last place in this value-focused comparison.

Next up is the Ford Figo. Its new-generation engine is a peach, and gives it very strong performance. Unfortunately, its greater thirst (a key factor in running costs) and comparatively sparse standard equipment puts it behind the Swift in the value stakes. 

This leaves the new Swift 1.2 GLX as our value champion. While it has the least power, its light weight boosts its performance to competitive levels, and its standard feature count gives it far better value for money the other two can muster. In those departments where it didn’t score an outright win, it performed well enough to grab second place. The Swift GLX is a nicely-balanced package with plenty of convenience features, yet it still manages to slip below our budget cap. No wonder it won its category in the 2019 AutoTrader Car of the Year competition...

* Pricing was accurate at the time of writing, but may change without prior notice.

Related Reading:
The Swift is a great little car, as we discovered during this road test of a mid-trim GL variant.

Read more about the 2019 AutoTrader Car of the Year category winners here.

We attended the launch of the facelifted Figo, and came away quite impressed at its all-round improvement.

Want to know more about the Volkswagen Polo Vivo? We tell you all about the model range.