funnily enough, there are some out there who say that the swift is a class smaller than the polo.

as for whether or not the swift sport will be a competitor for the polo gti, to some it just may be...

i've recently, after driving a nissan micra hire car (my clutch is brokened), been re-assessing what i value when driving a car (dont laugh, dynamically the micra is very entertaining).

the following comes to mind:
- ability to feel the road through the steering wheel
- a pointy front end
- light front end, helping the car to turn in more when asked, rather than sweep wide
- good feedback when changing direction

i find that outright speed, and 1/10th second quicker pace, is becoming less and less of a factor in driving enjoyment, personally.

for anyone who thinks like i've outlined above, then yes, the swift sport (if it's dynamically on point, with great feedback) could very well be a legitimate contender.