New look for the soaring Swift

A week on from our road test of the new Mini Cooper, the Japanese contender demonstrated the benefits of wading into a sector and delivering on USPs of impressive fuel economy and well-specced standard trim.

Swift prices start at £18,699 for the Motion trim, with the Ultra version tested here £19,799 with the standard five-speed manual gearbox.

A 12-volt mild hybrid system and 1.2-litre petrol engine deliver 82PS and 112Nm of torque, enough to reach 62mph in 12.5 seconds.

Alright, that will leave you trailing in a Mini Cooper’s wake but be assured that the Swift’s 979kg weight makes it fun to throw around.

And it absolutely blitzes the significantly more expensive Mini in terms of fuel economy, delivering on its 64.2mpg combined fuel consumption claim, while emitting just 99g/km of CO2. Only Toyota’s Yaris will better that.

The Swift’s 265-litre boot is over 50-litres larger than a Mini, but smaller than some key rivals, and almost 100 litres down on Hyundai’s i20.

Suzuki is renowned for its reliability and owners’ love for its dealer network.

The brand’s cabins have always been on the plasticky side, but the new Swift’s design introduces a little flair.

While the materials lack the soft touch tactility of a Mini or Toyota, the heavily contoured dashboard looks good and the nine-inch, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay-equipped infotainment system works well.

Suzuki has worked hard to improve refinement and there is noticeably less need to turn up the volume as speeds rise.

All new Swifts come with LED headlights, 16-inch alloys, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, rear view camera, traffic sign recognition and a blind spot monitor.

Ultra trim seems an unnecessary extra cost, adding automatic air con and folding door mirrors.

The Suzuki Swift’s major strength lies in its excellent value, which has been served up without sacrificing style.

In what remains an extremely competitive B-segment – even following the Fiesta’s demise – it is a top choice.