The new Suzuki Swift Sport will go on sale next month with a retail price of £13,500, representing an awful lot of fun for the money.

With a taut, agile chassis and a rev-hungry 1.6-litre engine producing 134bhp, the new model follows long and loud plaudits for the original model from both the public and the motoring press.

The new car is cheaper to run than the old one, with lower fuel consumption, cheaper road tax and an insurance rating five groups lower than before.

It will be available in black, blue, white, silver and red, increasing from three the number of colour choices in the outgoing model.

Full UK specifications have been confirmed, and apart from colour choice all cars will be the same - no options are available. The windows and wing mirrors are electric, and the latter are heated as well. Keyless entry is carried over from the last car, and cruise control is standard.

Bluetooth and a USB input socket provide a good spread of entertainment and communication options, while climate control keeps things cool in the cabin.

Xenon lights, 17-inch alloy wheels and the stylish use of black alongside the body colour means that the Swift Sport looks the business and is sure to impress, and that's even before it gets going on a quiet back-road.

It's an impressive little car with a huge amount of standard gear and the ability to make you smile like the proverbial Cheshire cat. This latest news means that the price is right, too, so Suzuki will be hoping for a deluge of orders in January.