Suzuki is only offering the Corolla’s smaller 1.8-litre hybrid set-up in the Swace. The petrol engine makes 101bhp and 142Nm, while the 71bhp/163Nm electric motor either operates alone for short distances or assists the combustion engine for a combined output of 120bhp. Drive is sent to the front wheels through a CVT gearbox.

It’s a unit that does its best work in town, where a mix of light acceleration and gentle deceleration using the regenerative braking allows plenty of urban mileage to be covered in all-electric mode. It’s not unreasonable to at the very least match Suzuki’s official 64.2mpg figure in such areas. If there’s enough charge in the battery, it’s possible to select full EV mode – although once the tiny range is exhausted the petrol unit hums back into life.

At higher speeds, the engine starts to let the side down. Despite the electric boost, it never feels that strong, and hard acceleration causes an unpleasant drone as the CVT gearbox holds the revs at the four-cylinder unit’s 5,200rpm peak output. This aside, the Swace drives sweetly. It’s not fun by any stretch, but it handles tidily and rides smoothly – no doubt helped by the chunky sidewalls of those tyres around 16-inch rims.

The Swace is offered in two trim levels: SZ-T and SZ5. The SZ-T kicks the range off from ?27,499, and gets a long kit list that includes LED headlights, heated front seats and steering wheel, a reversing camera, traffic-sign assist and adaptive cruise control.