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The diesel engine version of the Swift offers a responsive and peppy performance, while on paper 0-62 mph in 13.7 seconds doesn’t sound impressive but the bold little Swift performs really well at progressing through lower speeds. The 1.3 litre common rail diesel engine with its turbocharger and intercooler also affords the Swift smooth acceleration. For such a small car it a pleasure to see how well it handles, with 140lb ft of pulling power not to be sniffed at. Suzuki also offers 1.3 and 1.5 petrol engine options which achieve a quicker 0-62 times of 11 and 10 seconds respectively, but minus the fuel economy of the diesel.

The great thing about the Swift is that it offers good fuel economy without compromising on drive. Gear ratios are sensibly set, so no annoying engine strain the minute you hit a slight inclination, unlike some greener cars. Handling is nimble and steering feedback is good. Although the ride is a tad on the firm side, this only really adds to the joy of the driving this supermini, which can be aptly described as having a ‘sporty ride’. The wide chassis base of Swift allows it to hold the road superbly and also makes for a comfortably spacious interior. The 1.3 DDiS is also exceptionally quiet for a diesel, which is a nice touch. A high clutch position takes a bit of getting use to but with a fully adjustable driving seat and steering column, it should not prove too much of a problem. Despite a wide base, the Swift has a tight turning circle of just 9.4 metres.

Suzuki has a great reputation for building reliable cars, for the Swift, it is only necessary to read the consumer car reviews on this model on RoadTestReports.co.uk, to find many reports of its dependability. Suzuki offer great kit with the Swift as standard, which all adds to the sense of a quality and shames some of its rivals. Electric windows, electric heated mirrors, remote central locking, tinted glass, coat hooks, cup holders, CD player all come as standard. While the 1.5 GLX and 1.3 DDiS models gain keyless entry and engine start up as well as alloy wheels, front fog lamps and air con. The interior is very stylish too, with the dash looking decidedly retro, in the coolest possible way of course.

The Swift comes with a good level of security gear, with power steering, central locking, immobiliser, child seat ISOFIX attachments on the rear seat, head restraints, ABS, front belt pre-tensioners, driver, passenger and curtain airbags all coming as standard. As a result of this extensive kit, the Swift has some of the best EuroNCAP results in its class, at four stars for adult protection, three stars for child and three for pedestrian protection, scoring much higher than rival the Fiat Panda, but not as impressive as the more recently introduced Hyundai i10 or the pricey Mini.

With a generous height and greater width dimensions than rival, the Mini, the Swift is surprisingly spacious and comfortable inside. Only slightly let down by its small boot space, but with split fold seats as standard, and a deep set to the boot, the Swift still manages to offer great function and flexibility of use despite its diminutive external appearance. Don’t dismiss it by first appearance, it is deceptively proportioned, with space for rear seat passengers amble enough for most. Inexpensive to run, and ideally suited to city and commuter life, the Swift is practical solution for most travel needs, and would suit small families, new qualified drivers or those who need a cheap run about. The diesel engine is only available in a five door, but personally I’m a big fan of easy access.

Cheaper than the some of its rival superminis, the Swift offers a lot of kit as standard whilst still keeping the price within sensible starting price of £8,750 for the entry level 1.3 GL. Insurance group 4 for the diesel and 1.3 petrol engines or insurance group 6 for the more powerful 1.5. GLX. The diesel engine starts from £10, 950 and offers the best fuel economy of 62.8 mpg, helping to keep running costs down while the petrol-engined 1.3 GL offers 48.7 mpg on a combined cycle which is still very generous. Suzuki revised the Swift in 2008, to reduce emissions from 124 to 119g/km meaning that the Swift qualifies for vehicle exercise duty of just £35 a year. Suzuki also offer a three year/60,000 mile warranty, Suzuki Assistance UK an European roadside assistance for 12 months and 12 year perforation warranty on the Swift to put your mind at ease. As the Swift is less numerous on the road than some of its rivals, and because it has some serious street cred, it should hold its value well too.

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The Suzuki Swift 1.3 DDiS is beginning to emerge as a serious competitor in the supermini market, and having now driven it, it is obvious why. Its power is hardly earth shattering, but it has surprising level of torque in the lower range of the rev counter (to maximum of 190Nm at 1,750rpm), which when you’re fighting your way through the urban jungle, is where it really matters. Diesel lag is almost completely non-existent, thanks to the new common-rail injection architecture of the engine, accompanied by a turbocharger and intercooler.

One of the main selling points of the Suzuki Swift is the superb handling. A surprisingly sturdy ride does not compromise on its’ highly-responsive cornering, which all-in-all means you can have lots of fun flinging this bad boy round the corners with ease. This is also helped by the fact that the Swift has the widest chassis, the widest track and therefore the widest overall width of any supermini.

The fact that this is a Suzuki, and it is a diesel, should ensure that this car will rarely let you down. The interior of the car is packed full of nice features such as a good quality CD player, air conditioning and remote central locking. The dash itself just reeks of cool. The black LCD panel that seamlessly integrates with the smooth plastic finish of the rest of the set-up is just so 1980’s you feel like you’re sat in an episode of Miami Vice, with your suit sleeves rolled-up, cruising down the freeway looking out at the sun glistening on the Atlantic ocean. I love it.

Equipped with twin airbags, ABS, with EBD and brake assist, the Swift meets all the standards for safety you’d expect in a supermini. I’m not entirely convinced by the keyless engine starting, though I’m assured it’s perfectly safe, as long as you remember to lock the car!

To be perfectly honest, space is not the strong point of the Suzuki Swift, but then does that really matter? I could fairly comfortably get a week’s shopping for two people in the boot, and there’s just about enough legroom in the back to fit a sensibly proportioned human being or two, so it ticks all the boxes. Don’t go thinking you’ll get your whole family and all your luggage in this though, it just isn’t gonna happen.

This version has actually been tweaked from the original 1.3 DDiS, to be slightly more fuel efficient (62.8 mpg combined), and have slightly lower carbon-emissions (119g/km). The reason being is that changes the tax bands meant that Suzuki decided to focus on making it a whole lot cheaper to own. It’s only an insurance group 4A, and the diesel version will have excellent residual value. The range starts from £8750, with an on the road price of £10,950 for the 1.3 DDiS which will hardly going to break the bank, though it isn’t the cheapest in it’s class.

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We road-tested the 1.3 diesel variant, there is also a 1.3 petrol and 1.5 petrol to choose from, both offering more horsepower than the diesel. What they probably won’t offer however is the low down torque which the little diesel engine gives you in surprisingly generous proportions. There are doubtless occasion when you would wish for just a little bit more shove but overall the engine performs admirably relative to it’s size and the economy it gives.

This is the Suzuki Swift’s most outstanding feature and is really what makes you want to get into the car and look forward to the routine day to day journeys you have to make. The handling is precise and sure footed and what an amazingly agile car this has proven to be! The Swift never feels like it is in danger of losing it’s grip and inspires confidence in the driver to drive it in a spirited manner. The ride is fairly firm although not overly so.

Road noise is fairly evident on the Swift especially at motorway speeds and some of the plastics used remind you of the budget bracket the car falls within. It is important to remember however that brand new, the Swift can be yours for less than £10,000 and there are few vehicles in this bracket which don’t in some way reveal their budget origins. You would expect a Swift to be very reliable indeed as tends to go hand in hand with cars from this Japanese manufacturer.

Perhaps the stand-out feature from the Swift in this sector is the keyless ignition. As long as the remote central locking control fob is in the vehicle you can start the car simply by twisting the plastic handle already in the ignition. The Swift also comes complete with immobiliser and alarm as standard.

Driver and front passenger legroom is sufficient although passengers in the rear may struggle! The boot, which is actually fairly large for this size of car, has a very handy removable floor, which reveals further storage capability. All in all, the Swift is a simple car which should prove relatively easy to live with.

There is no question that the Swift makes for high value motoring , in a vehicle which will keep going year after year and will provide you with an entertaining drive. The diesel engine we drove delivered 56.4 MPG although we were ‘testing’ the vehicle, so not exactly pottering around in an attempt to achieve a certain threshold. The official mpg figure stands at 62.8mpg on a combined cycle for the 1.3 diesel model. There is the more potent 1.5 petrol engine although this does mean a compromise when it comes to economy.

Suzuki contract hire and leasing