New Suzuki makes a Splash

The new five-door Splash strengthens Suzuki's position in the small car market. Photo / Supplied

The new Splash five-door hatchback strengthens Suzuki's formidable presence in the New Zealand small car market.

Fitting between the larger Swift and smaller Alto models, the 1.2-litre Splash GLX adds a new dimension to the compact class.

Measuring 3715mm, the Splash is 135mm shorter than the latest generation Suzuki Swift, while the 2360 mm wheelbase is 70mm less.

Significantly, the lighter Splash is 80mm higher than its stablemate and has slightly more ground clearance.

The car's shape is characterised by a gently rising nose, A-pillars that blend into the roof and a flowing roofline that slopes towards the back, culminating in an almost vertical tailgate.

Large boomerang-shaped tail-lights are positioned towards the outside on the C-pillars, a look that is further enhanced at night. The positioning of the rear lights allows a wider tailgate for easier loading and unloading.

The 178-litre boot capacity expands to 573 litres by folding the 60/40 split rear seats, while a 36-litre under-floor compartment in the boot with waterproof lining is ideal for stowing valuables and wet or soiled items.

Powering the Splash is the same motor used in the new Swift for European markets, essentially a shorter stroke version of the engine found in the Swift for New Zealand and Australian markets.

It delivers 69kW of power - just 1kW less than the larger-capacity power unit - and 118Nm of torque compared with 130Nm.

Suzuki claims fuel economy for the manual Splash of 5.1 litres/100km, while the automatic averages 5.7 litres/100km. That translates into CO2 emissions of 119g/km for the manual and 133g/km for the automatic.

The 1.2-litre engine provides the Splash with a top speed of 175km/h and the ability to accelerate from a standstill to 100km/h in 12 seconds.

It has MacPherson strut front suspension with a torsion beam rear, and coil springs front and rear.

Fifteen-inch wheels are shod with 185/60R tyres, and the steering is rack and pinion.

Complementing the ventilated front disc brakes and rear drum brakes is ABS with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and brake assist.

Standard equipment includes six airbags with dual front, dual seat-side and dual curtain airbags, while there are seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters for the front seats, and height-adjustable seat belt anchorages.

There are childproof rear-door locks, an engine immobiliser for security, two child seat tethers and two ISO FIX child restraints. It carries a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating for adult occupants, and three stars each for child and pedestrian safety.

It is priced from $17,990 for the five-speed manual to $19,500 for the four-speed automatic.

This driveaway price includes all on-road costs, a three-year/100,000km warranty and a full five-year roadside assistance plan.

Five colour options are available in New Zealand, with the only non-metallic body colour being Bright Red. The other colours are Cool White Pearl, Silky Silver, Galactic Grey and Smoky Green.