The stylish, angular-looking Swift has been a very successful supermini for Suzuki, with global sales of well over one and a half million since it first arrived in 2005 writes Peter Carroll.

Which is perhaps why the firm’s designers were reluctant to change its looks for the new model.

But change them they have – and every panel too – though you’d be hard pressed to tell them apart unless you had old and new cars sitting side by side.

• See more pictures of the Swift in our gallery to your right

Not that it matters much anyway, the Swift always was a good looking car.

It is now nearly four inches longer and fractionally wider too, with some attractive detailing in the headlamps at the front and at the rear.

And unlike some rival superminis it does not take on a dowdier character in five-door form either.

The cabin has been spruced up too but does not seem noticeably larger.

While headroom is plentiful, leg room remains at a premium in the back.

Nor is the boot especially large, though at 211 litres it is usable for shopping trips.

A feature of the new boot is its new lightweight parcel shelf. The old one offered more flexibility but was heavier.

It is changes like this which have helped shave 20kg off the car’s weight.

The Swift is built using higher strength steel which has boosted safety as well as handling, thanks to its more rigid structure.

The old 1.5 and 1.3 litre petrol engines have gone – replaced by a 1.2 litre power plant.

It turns out to be a surprisingly peppy performer, producing more power than the outgoing 1.3 unit.

Factor in a sharper steering setup and slightly wider track and it’s no surprise that the new Swift is so good to drive.

The engine sounds buzzy and enthusiastic and has far more get-up-and-go than you’d expect from a 1.2.

It’s even possible to get a bit of front wheel spin from a standing start.

When you start the car and let it settle to idle the engine is virtually silent, demonstrating the other big advance made by Suzuki’s engineers – better refinement.

The Swift can hit 60mph in around 12 seconds, though such is the rev-happy nature of its engine that it feels quicker.

Nor does this performance come at the expense of economy. The Swift can return up to 56mpg on the combined
cycle (up by 7mpg) and its emissions are commendably low at 116g/km.

The car should still return 45mpg even when being driven enthusiastically.

As before, there are only five gears but the ratios are better spaced so you’re not left hunting for a non-existent sixth gear, especially on the motorway.

The test car was a mid-spec SZ3 which has all the necessities plus air conditioning and 16-alloy wheels as standard for around £11,500.

With no flagship sports model, nor even a diesel on the horizon, the Swift range is far from complete.

There will be a bit of a wait for the new Sport to arrive but a revised 1.3 diesel is due in the spring, with emissions of just
109g/km and an impressive combined fuel consumption of 67.3mpg.

I’m not sure I’d wait anyway. The Swift looks good, goes well – and the current petrol cars, with their perky character and decent economy, could be all anyone really needs.

• See more pictures of the Swift in our gallery