2023 Suzuki Swift vs 2024 Mazda 2

What's the difference?

Your preference is for a conventional car because SUVs don't do it for you. It needs to be small because the urban jungle is your natural habitat. The budget is set at 'around' $25K. And an economical combustion engine is the best bet, because charging an EV at home or elsewhere isn't on the cards at this point.

The good news is there are numerous choices out there from Japan, South Korea, and Europe. And one that hits the brief bang-on is a long-standing Aussie favourite from small car specialist, Suzuki.

The Swift hatch slips naturally into the urban landscape, and we spent a week with a mid-spec version to see how it measures up in terms of value, economy, cost of ownership, utility and driving performance.

The entry-point into one of Australia's most popular brands has been around for almost 10 years in its current generation, but the Mazda2 has had a refresh.

Possibly for the last time in its current lifespan, the small hatchback gets a facelift to remain appealing, Mazda hopes, to first-car-buyers.

Mazda's up against not only direct rivals, like the Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris, but also the shifting market.

Mazda has sold just over 3500 Mazda2s so far this year, but almost 11,000 CX-3 small SUVs, the latter based on our friend here's platform.

It's a name with a little over two decades behind it, but can it be a first-car-favourite in an increasingly difficult small car market?