Used Suzuki Liana Hatchback 2001 - 2007 review

The Liana needs fettling every 6000 miles and that makes it considerably more expensive to service over three years than a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra.

Dealers are in much shorter supply, too, but the good news is that their hourly rates tend to be a lot cheaper than those of most rivals. Warranty Direct shows that the average repair cost will be lower on the Suzuki than almost any rival, too.

Most small family cars offer a frugal diesel engine, but the Liana only comes with petrol. Still, the 105bhp unit seems to offer reasonable economy, with official figures of 32.1mpg in town and an overall combined figure of 40.9mpg.

However, in our experience such figures will be hard to match, especially on the motorway, where the engine needs to be worked hard. Around 35mpg is a more realistic everyday fuel figure. Opting for the four-speed automatic gearbox will reduce economy further, but insurance on either model is a reasonable group 7.