Key facts:
Models tested: Suzuki Swift 1.2 petrol auto, 1.3 diesel manual
On the road price: TBC
Date tested: June 2010
Road tester: Richard Dredge

First drive

There's an all-new Suzuki Swift coming, but you'd be hard-pressed to spot the difference. Looks aside, will the larger and more efficient new car live up to its predecessor?

Richard Dredge put Suzuki's new supermini through its paces at an exclusive preview in Austria.

Fun to drive, affordable and neatly styled, the previous generation Swift was a huge success. It notched up 63 car of the year awards globally and accounts for a third of Suzuki's UK sales, which is why the car's styling hasn't changed radically.

Keeping the looks is no bad move, as the new Swift still looks neat, although the new model could look dated in another five years. A nine centimetre increase in length is welcome though, most of it between the front and rear axles, to increase interior space.

The cabin is still tight - the Swift is still less than four metres long - and with a couple of tall people up front there isn't much room in the back. The boot isn't especially spacious, although the split rear seats can be folded to increase load capacity.

The cabin design is much improved, with a modern dash incorporating higher quality switchgear and better quality plastics. Equipment levels should be decent too, although prices and specifications are yet to be confirmed.

What is confirmed is that all versions will have seven airbags and ESP as standard while stop & start technology will be an option on the manual petrol version.

Just one engine will be available at launch this September - a new 1.2-litre petrol unit, with manual or automatic gearboxes. A new 1.3-litre turbodiesel will join the line-up in January 2011, with a manual gearbox only.

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With its 93bhp and 85lb/ft of pulling power, the small and light petrol-powered Swift shouldn't struggle, but the automatic gearbox we drove isn't very slick and was a little laborious outside urban areas.

Things aren't helped by the lack of a semi-automatic option - so you can't select your own gears - but the manual transmission should fare better.

The diesel version feels more energetic, with 140lb/ft and 74bhp. Official performance figures aren't yet available but the diesel keeps up with traffic more happily than the automatic petrol car.

Where the diesel falls down is with refinement and even when cruising, it's noisier than you'd expect. Wind and road noise are reasonably subdued, but the engine is disappointingly vocal.

Low running costs won't disappoint. Suzuki claims the new Swift is capable of averaging 56.5mpg in petrol form and 67.2mpg with diesel power. Road tax should be cheap too, with CO2 emissions of 116g/km and 109g/km respectively.

The new steering system is well weighted and direct, and while the handling isn't class leading, it's perfectly adequate. The ride is also good for such a small car.

Suzuki fans will continue to love the new Swift with its more spacious interior, higher quality cabin and improved dynamics.

Reliability, value and equipment levels are also likely to be major selling points so, while this new Swift doesn't stand out like its predecessor, it's still an easy car to recommend.