Suzukis clean up act

Stop-start technology will be launched on Suzuki cars from next year. Bosses have confirmed the eco-friendly innovation will appear on the all-new Swift, due in summer 2010, and the facelifted Splash.

The firm hopes this will cut its models’ CO2 output by around 10 per cent. It claims the set-up reduces the Splash’s figure from 120g/km to 109g/km.

There’s more good news, as Suzuki has already taken 2,100 orders through the Scrappage Scheme – and around half of these were for its Alto city model. Looking ahead, a replacement for the Grand Vitara compact SUV is due in 2011. Insiders say it will be more in line with the Nissan Qashqai, and better to drive.