| Week at the Wheel | Suzuki Splash |

Inside & Out:

Suzuki has undergone something of a transformation in recent years. The renaissance began with the Swift, Suzuki's supermini impressing with its design and driving dynamics. Suzuki has followed that up with the Splash, combining a mini-MPV stance with the Swift's impressive chassis. It's a good looking car too, the styling crisp and neat inside and out - even if some of the cabin plastics feel a bit hard. There's lots of space and the build quality is good as well - Suzuki obviously taking some inspiration from Smart with its pod-like rev-counter to one side of the instrument binnacle.

The boot isn't massive but it'll swallow a decent-sized weekly shop, while the rear seats are spacious and comfortable even for lankier passengers. The driving position is high, that giving you both an excellent view out of the large glazed area and the feeling that the Splash is bigger than it actually is. It's so good that Vauxhall badges the Suzuki Splash and sells it in its showrooms as the Agila.

Engine & Transmission:

The 1.2-litre petrol engine might not be over endowed with power but it's a surprisingly willing performer. It's smooth too, meaning even when you do need to rev it to get the most from it there's no accompanying drop in refinement. Its 84bhp allows it to reach 62mph in 12.3 seconds and it feels perky enough to keep up with the traffic in town where it feels most at home. It needs to be revved fairly hard when pulling away, as trying to trickle away on slow revs can result in a stall. The five-speed manual is positioned high up on the central console near the steering wheel and it shifts cleanly and swiftly.

Ride & Handling:

Being based on much the same underpinnings as the enjoyable Swift supermini means the Splash brings real competency to the mini MPV class in ride and handling. Despite its lofty stance and high seating position the Splash delivers good body control in the bends, roll only obvious if you're driving it in a manner most unbecoming for a small family car. The steering is light and precise and the ride does a good job of smoothing out the worst lumps and. More importantly for most buyers of cars like the Splash is its all round visibility and ease of parking, though the parking sensors are very pessimistic in your ability to judge the Splash's length - beeping away annoyingly when there's still plenty of space behind.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Suzuki doesn't have the dealer coverage of Vauxhall so to tempt buyers away from its Griffin-badged twin the Splash comes with a more comprehensive standard equipment list. For the low list price the Splash comes nicely equipped, every model getting air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted stereo controls and an electronic stability control system. Economy and emissions are good too, the 1.2-litre petrol model returning an official combined consumption figure of 51.4mpg and CO₂ emissions of 131g/km. It's not too pricey either, the Splash offering decent small family transport for comfortably under £10,000.

Overall:

An impressive, if unexciting means of getting around, the Suzuki Splash is well equipped, decent to drive and spacious. For small growing families on a budget it's a sensible proposition. Against rivals like Nissan's Note, the Daihatsu Sirion and its Vauxhall Agila twin it fares very well indeed.