2024 Suzuki Swift review: Keeping the supermini flame burning bright

You could be forgiven for not noticing, but small cars are starting to disappear from the automotive landscape. We've lost the Ford Fiesta, the Renault Zoe has gone and the Nissan Micra is no more. And in many cases what's left of the small car set has ballooned beyond recognition.

Plaudits then, to Suzuki, for giving us a brand new "supermini" in its new Swift. I love the supermini segment, and I'm not ready to give up on it yet. I also loved the last Swift, so I was very keen to get behind the wheel of this, the fourth generation.

Firstly, if you think it looks a bit familiar, you'd be right. Its styling is very much a reworking of the last Swift, and it's based on the same platform, but it's not some radical departure. It's more than a facelift, but only just.

There's only one engine available, and it's a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated three-cylinder with a trick "mild hybrid" system that essentially works as a beefier stop/start system, boosting economy and adding a soupçon of electric surge. There's only 81bhp available, but in a car this light it's what cliché fans would refer to as "nippy".

It's also remarkably efficient. Driven carefully the manual version will top 60mpg and, even driven not very carefully, 50mpg is manageable. So I'm told.

True to form with Suzuki, the new Swift is all about offering decent spec for decent money. The base model - there are only two - starts at £19,199 and that'll get you things like adaptive cruise control, a rear camera, heated front seats, wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play, keyless entry and the usual suite of safety systems.

Even the range-topping "Ultra" version has bigger alloy wheels, climate control, folding mirrors, and heating piped into the rear seats. The price of all this decadence? £20,299.

There's a CVT automatic gearbox option available, but I wouldn't choose that unless you have to. You can also opt for a four-wheel-drive option, but that'll take your emissions figures over the magic 100g/km mark, and add a bit of weight.

The 2WD manual is everything you'd like a supermini to be. Peppy, sure-footed, lively, and fun. It's also surprisingly refined. There's more sound deadening in the newcomer, and the suspension setup is well judged. I took the Swift on a few long journeys and it was a fine companion, with a decent boot, comfy cabin, and the much larger touch-screen is a welcome addition.

Poke around the interior a bit too much and you'll find some hard plastics, but generally it's a nice place to sit, with good rear seats that are fine for two people, even if they're a bit tall.

That new infotainment system, incidentally, is one of the few nods to the fact this is a modern, current car, at least from the inside. Thankfully, you don't need to use it to adjust the temperature or the seating position - there are physical buttons for that.

You also don't need to dive into its menus to turn off the hideously annoying speed limit warning beeps. They're not Suzuki's fault, it's mandatory now, but the car often misreads signs and turning the warning off could be easier. A button on the dash would have been welcome, but instead you have to poke through the menu on the driver's display. Every time you start the car.

Even though the Ford Fiesta has vanished, the Swift still has some credible competition, but it's still one of the lighter options, it's extremely frugal and cheap to run, it's surprisingly roomy, and great value for money.

More than anything, though, it's just great fun. And the Fiesta has left a void for it to fill in that regard.

It's not without its flaws, but you just can't help but fall for its charms.

Model tested: Suzuki Swift 1.2 Mild Hybrid Ultra

Price: From £20,299

0-62mph: 12.5 seconds

Top speed: 103mph

Power: 81bhp

Economy: 64.2mpg (combined)

CO2: 99g/km