Suzuki Splash small car

Suzuki Splash 1.2 SZ3

Price: From £9,995 on the road

Engine: 1.2-litre, 93bhp petrol

Transmission: Five-speed manual as standard driving front wheels

Performance: 0-62mph 12 seconds; top speed 109mph

Economy: 55.4mpg combined

CO2 emissions: 119g/km

For all the shouting and big-budget advertising campaigns of the traditional European car-makers, it often pays to look further afield for an equally satisfying and more affordable ownership experience.

If you’re in search of a compact car, one such company with the product line-up to equal that of the usual suspects is Suzuki. It might be a small player but the likes of the Swift, Grand Vitara and Jimny have proved that it’s perfectly capable of delivering value for money without cutting corners.

In the highly-competitive urban runabout market Suzuki’s Splash has been changing perceptions and cutting a dash on the roads. This year sees a modest but important programme of revisions, with the focus on detailed cosmetic enhancements and a new petrol engine.

First seen in its bigger brother, the Swift, the Splash gains a new 93hp 1.2-litre petrol motor to complement the car’s existing 1.0-litre unit. Replacing the Splash’s old 1.2 lump has seen a useful reduction in CO2 from 129g to 119g/km, while economy is up from 51.4mpg to 55.4mpg