With low insurance ratings and new, frugal low-emissions engines, the Swift’s running costs are its forte. While Suzuki may continue to push the its driving appeal, the truth is that the big attraction of this car is the low-cost motoring that it provides.

The previous model didn’t fare well in the green department, especially compared to many of its rivals that offered ‘eco’ models in the range. However, with Suzuki Swift emissions dropping 24g/km to 116g/km for the 1.2-litre petrol variant to make the Swift much more competitive in the environmental stakes. From summer 2013 the revised 1.3-litre DDiS diesel was improved to 101g/km but was only available in the more expensive SZ4 five-door form.

Unfortunately the previous Swift was subject to a number of recalls including the passenger airbag going off when the ignition is turned on, brake failure and handbrake failure. Only time will tell if the manufacturer has managed to iron out these problems on the latest model to give Suzuki Swift reliability a better reputation.