Suzuki Swift 1.2 Dualjet SZ4 first drive

A Suzuki Swift featuring a 1.2-litre Dualjet petrol engine which, officially, is still under evaluation. Still, it’s a likely prospect to feature in the range from next year.

Some engine upgrades – including, as the name might suggest, two fuel injectors per cylinder rather than one, resulting in more precise control and finer fuel atomisation – bring useful gains in economy.

According to Suzuki, the engine is capable of 65.7mpg on the combined cycle and emits 99g/km of CO2 – 9.2mpg and 17g/km better than the existing 1.2.

There’s a modest but imperceptible drop in power, a small rise in torque and tweaked gear ratios but, all told, it doesn’t radically change the nature of the smooth naturally aspirated engine, which has always responded best to a healthy amount of revs.

Combined with the agile traits of the chassis, the Suzuki Swift is as responsive and as much fun to harry around town as it has always been.

The urban ride is comfortable, but it is a little fidgety on the motorway. Light steering is tuned to favour busy streets and tight parking and doesn’t offer much feedback at higher speeds.

The interior is not finished with as much flair as some rivals, but it is durable and ergonomically sound.

When pricing is confirmed, this new engine is expected to come at a premium of about £500 over the existing 1.2 and will be available in the uppermost trim level only.

That puts it within a few hundred quid of a 99g/km Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium, although Suzuki’s SZ4 trim includes a generous amount of goodies, including air-con, keyless entry, cruise control, sat-nav and DAB digital radio.

Suzuki Swift 1.2 Dualjet SZ4

Price £15,150 (est); 0-62mph 12.3sec; Top speed 103mph; Economy 65.7mpg; CO2 99g/km; Kerb weight 1030kg; Engine 4 cyls, 1242cc, petrol; Power 89bhp at 6000rpm; Torque 89lb ft at 4400rpm; Gearbox 5-speed manual