He: The Swift has been the key model for Suzuki for decades, Dani. The city car has been its strongest performer, attracting buyers looking for an affordable and compact car with a touch of style.

This latest model has been completely reworked both on the surface and underneath, with fresh styling and new underpinnings. What are your first impressions?

She: This supermini has enjoyed a long history and seems to be universally adored, which is probably why it’s been such a big hit over the years. I love how the Swift looks. It’s a bit more grown up but still youthful, cheeky and hip.

This entry-level model, the GL, doesn’t have an infotainment touchscreen, so the small, monocolour interface looks bland and outdated (but there is the option to upgrade this on the GL Navigator).

That aside, the cabin layout looks good. Despite some cheap looking plastics, there are some quality touches such as the leather-wrapped steering wheel and funky air vents. You don’t have the option of personally styling the interior, like with the Ignis or Vitara. This cabin is more conservative.

He: I think the interior is quite funky for the price point. Plus it’s surprisingly spacious for a city car, with decent room in both the front and rear seats.

The boot is a handy 242-litres, with quite a deep floor, so it should swallow the weekly shopping or some small suitcases without much trouble.

As you mentioned, you can upgrade to the GL Navigator to add 16-inch alloy wheels, an automatic transmission and a 7.0-inch touchscreen that incorporates navigation, a reversing camera and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That adds $1000 to the Swift GL’s usual $16,990 drive-away asking price.

She: I think it’s well priced, even if you do spend that extra grand on those added goodies. You need a reverse camera because the Swift’s rear layout hinders blind spot visibility but I’d prefer to stick with the manual transmission over the automatic. What did you think of the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine?

He: It may only have a modest 66kW of power and 120Nm of torque but the Swift is only a featherweight (by automotive standards), weighing just 870kg. So the engine is perfectly adequate for moving the Swift along.

You need to work the five-speed manual gearbox to keep the engine on the boil but if you do it keeps up with traffic.

Plus, Suzuki claims it can sip just 4.6-litres per 100km of unleaded, which is a very impressive return for a non-hybrid vehicle.

She: Even though this new Swift has slightly less power and torque than before, its lighter weight ensures a perky, smooth ride.

I love the manual, the gears glide through nice and easily. It feels light and agile but the steering isn’t so great on the open road.

I was quite surprised to see this base version only managed a three star rating on the Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme).

He: Yeah, it’s a slightly disappointing score for Suzuki. But if you do drill down into the details the crash test experts do say it protects the occupants quite well. Where it loses a lot of points is the lack of autonomous emergency braking and other active safety features, which Euro NCAP puts a lot of weight on these days.

But you can add those features with the optional Safety Pack that adds AEB, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning for another $1000.

So where does that leave your thinking, Dani?

She: The Swift is one of the most enjoyable city cars I’ve driven but the three-star NCAP rating doesn’t sit comfortably with me. It takes some of the shine off. I’m more at ease driving a vehicle that’s scored the maximum five stars. At the very least, I’d be adding the safety pack.

He: No question it’s a sub-par score in this era of consistent five-star ratings by most new models. But it isn’t a deal-breaker for me, if, like you, it features the optional safety pack.

The good value and fun drive experience is enough to win me over and make me a fan.

2017 Suzuki Swift GL price and specifications

Price: From $16,990 drive-away

Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol

Power: 66kW at 6000rpm

Torque: 120Nm at 4400rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive

Fuel use: 4.6L/100km

• For more information, visit our Suzuki showroom.