Road test - Suzuki Swift

Author: Ian Strachan

The so-called city car has finally come of age. Customer resistance to small cars is crumbling in the face of higher road tax for bigger cars and the unpredictable price of fuel.

So this is a good time for the Suzuki Swift. Although this car has been around for some years, it has never set the super-mini sector on fire. That's a shame because the Swift is a Japanese car with distinctly European looks and driving characteristics, as well as being economical, low-emitting and comfortable.

I test drove a Swift in SZ4 trim level, powered by a sparkling 92 bhp 1.3 litre petrol engine which returned a very respectable 48.7 mpg in mixed driving. So the Swift is cheap to run as well as being pretty cheap to buy, with prices starting £9,190 for the entry models

The Swift is certainly small, but a clever use of available space and large areas of glass make it feel larger. Those big windows give the car an open, airy feel, belying its true size when you sit inside.

It also has a good specification compared to many of its rivals, particularly in the trim level which I tested.

The Swift is a good looking car, small and quite narrow but still streamlined with soft curves, a nicely rounded front and a gently sloping rear end. But it's inside where it really scores. 

The cabin is a very pleasant place to be, thanks to a good use of trim materials and simple, well-placed instruments and dials. There's lots of oddment space, and all controls fall easily to hand.

Standard equipment on this trim level includes keyless entry - unusual on a small car - electric front windows,  air conditioning, all round air bags,  radio and CD player and 15 inch alloy wheels. 

Head room and leg room is generous for a small car and with all that glass, visibility is excellent. 

Luggage room is not great, but can be increased by folding the rear seat down, and there's also an underfloor compartment beneath the boot floor.

This is a well-priced offering in the super-mini sector with a few more little extras than you'd expect.