The Swift's low price, low maintenance costs and high gas mileage are big pluses. The Swift GT is one vehicle that lets you have your head in the clouds, and still stay down to earth.

The Swift GT performs like a sports car, at a price anyone can handle. It's extremely agile, with rack-and-pinion steering, power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes and four-wheel independant suspension with MacPherson struts. Curb to curb, its turning diameter is a tight 30.2 feet.

And while the Swift GT truly qualifies as a pocket rocket, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to appreciate its aerodynamic good looks, complete with full aerodynamic wheel covers, color-keyed front air dam, side skirts, rear hatch spoiler, bronze tinted glass and integrated halogen headlamps with halogen fog lamps.

The Swift GT manages to bring a level of civilization to what might otherwise simply be an unbridled exercise in power.

The front seats are reclining bucket seats, with integrated head restraints and cloth trim. The rear has versatile split fold-down seatbacks, for additional cargo space. Carpeting covers the entire floor, including the cargo area under the rear hatch.

There's an AM/FM electronic-tuning stereo with auto-reverse cassette, 4 speakers, a digital clock, electric rear window defogger, remote fuel door and hatchback releases, front passive and rear manual 3-point seat belts, passenger-side assist grips and a cup holder in the center console. There's a cargo area cover and dual front door map pockets. Air conditioning is available as an option.

You won't need a map, however, to discover where the Swift GT truly excels. It's right under the hood. The powertrain is a 1.3 liter, 4-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve engine with multipoint electronic fuel injection, delivering 100 hp at 6500 rpm. The gear ratios onits standard 5-speed manual transmission are prefectly spaced for optimum acceleration.

It's a car that has a lot to say for itself. And it talks pretty fast. Most people will only see its tail...