The Suzuki Swift Hybrid has been named the cheapest new car to own and operate in 2024 by the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland.

The strong-selling five-door hatchback was the winner of the Australian survey after the RACQ evaluated the running costs of 87 cars across twelve different categories.

According to the club, this analysis could help save motorists thousands of dollars in on-going running costs. The independent RACQ is Queensland’s equivalent of the Automobile Association in New Zealand.

Ged Bulmer, motoring editor of the RACQ, said the Suzuki Swift Hybrid was Queensland’s most affordable car to own. Costs were calculated by factoring in fuel, servicing, tyres, registration and insurance, based on 15,000 kilometres a year for five years.

In New Zealand, the Swift continues to be the most popular car in the light segment. Year-to-date registrations reveal sales of new Swifts achieved 44 per cent of the class and are more than twice that of the second best-selling model.

Britain’s Northern Group of Motoring Writers have named the Swift their Car of the Year for 2024 after the Suzuki model faced strong competition across many brands. The Swift emerged the clear overall winner and the journalists said it was “a fantastic supermini that was economical, dynamic and wouldn’t break the bank.”

The 50-year-old Northern motoring writers is the longest-established group of automotive journalists in the UK and their judges said the Swift was a real joy to drive and packed full of safety and technology for the price.

The latest, fourth-generation, self-charging GLS Smart Hybrid 12V ISG manual is priced at $25,990 plus on-road costs, and the same model with automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) retails at $27,990 plus on-road costs. Topping the range is the RSC model priced from $29,990.