SECTOR: Crossover   PRICE: £14,999–£23,549   FUEL: 47.8mpg   CO2: 110-135g/km 

While the SX4 nameplate is a familiar part of the Suzuki line-up, it’s the only part of this new car that’s shared with its indirect predecessor. The SX4 S-Cross has taken a step up into the lucrative C-segment crossover, benchmarking the Nissan Qashqai and with sights set on four times the outgoing car’s fleet share.

It means the newcomer is noticeably bigger than the last car to wear the name. Suzuki’s only C-segment model is roughly the same size as a five-seat Qashqai, contributing to sizeable extra legroom and a larger boot than its new Nissan rival.

Engines comprise a retail-focused 1.6-litre petrol and a new 1.6-litre DDiS diesel with 118bhp. Around 80% of UK cars will do without four-wheel drive, bringing CO2 emissions down to 110g/km, but those who need the extra traction won’t hit monthly costs too hard. Equipped with the new ALLGRIP system, it emits 114g/km CO2 and costs £1,800 more.

Tuned for car-like agility rather than rugged off-road use, the S-Cross drives like a regular hatchback, but ride quality has suffered a little to get it this way. The petrol engine is remarkably refined, while the diesel is quiet at speed, delivering solid performance over 1,800rpm while returning over 55mpg on a route comprising mixed roads.

There’s plentiful evidence that Suzuki is laying the foundations of a fleet presence with its newcomer. The range includes a corporate-focused SZ-T trim level, benchmarked against Nissan’s n-tec and including Garmin satellite navigation, DAB radio, a reversing camera and parking sensors among its standard equipment. Service intervals are extended by a third, to 12,500 miles, to keep SMR costs down, while monthly rentals are minimised by solid residuals of 35% for the 1.6 DDiS SZ-T.

Fleet sales of 2,000 units per year won’t make this a common sight in the company car park, but for Suzuki it’s a well-rounded entrant into the corporate sector.