Modified Maruti Swift comes as ‘The Grudge’
23 November, 2012: An extensively modified Maruti Swift was showcased recently at the 2012 Autocar Performance Show in Mumbai. Named as ‘The Grudge’, it holds all-new ‘aggressive’ looking exteriors with novel front and rear. The grille at fascia is daringly fresh, new body cuts and cues, extended black rear roof spoiler and bulging wheel arches. On the intact aspects of original Maruti Swift hatch, one can closely see roofline and rear window going untouched. This innovative cosmetic modification is done by Mumbai based automobile design company Ferrite Motors. On the mechanical aspect, there is no alteration all remains same as seen in usual Maruti Swift.
Suzuki Swift 4X4 launched
19 October, 2012: How about a Swift hatch with 4X4 mechanism under hood. Sounds enthralling..., Suzuki in Italy has launched Swift 4X4 version of the hatchback not for the off-roading enthusiasts of the country but to get out easily from the severe snowfall observed in the European country. Sold as Maruti Swift in India, the Italian 4X4 version has got exteriors and interiors updated with this new model launch. Powered by the same 1.2L VVT petrol engine it is presented in two trims namely Swift GL Style Outdoor and Swift GL Top Outdoor.
Maruti Swift to get improved braking system
02 October, 2012: After receiving many complaints for brake issue from numerous existing Maruti Swift consumers in India, the No.1 carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, has finally started to work upon the concern. According to customers complain the brakes of Swift tend to get softer at low speeds of 10-15 km per hr during heavy traffic conditions in the city. As per the company there is no recall of Maruti Swift, but it has asked its dealers to get the software in the motor examined and if error found get it rectified. The bestselling hatchback in the country rivals Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and Chevrolet Beat.
Maruti Swift Review by Expert
Maruti Swift, one of the most loved cars in the Indian market, has gradually become a synonym for premium hatchback in the Indian market. Blessed with a superb amalgamation of performance and efficiency, the new Maruti Swift was launched in August 2011, which met with even greater response among the Indian car buyers. It has been continuously enjoying a waiting period of 6 to 9 months since its launch in year 2005.
The Maruti engineers have put-in some real hard work in improving the new Swift on every front be it performance & handling or be it comfort & convenience. The first visible change is in the appearance of the car as it is now more aggressive and appealing in comparison to its predecessor. It has got new spherical for lamps in combination with road presence boosting bigger headlamps. A sporty rear spoiler has been offered along with cornering tail-lamps to improvise upon the rear look of the car, which was not liked much by the car enthusiasts in the previous generation of the car. Working upon the need of the hour, the car is now equipped with much in demand ORVM mounted turn indicators and newly designed 15 inch alloy wheels.
However, it is the interior, where company seems to have got everything right. The car now has more space inside in combination with a basket full of additional features and a more appreciated ‘waterfall’ dashboard design. The quality of interior materials such as plastic and fabric, which was not up to the mark in its predecessor, is now improved significantly.
On the technological front, the company has offered the new Maruti Swift with a series of advanced technological comfort & convenience, entertainment and safety features which were missing in the previous generation version of the car such as Air conditioner with automatic climate control, a multi information LCD screen, dual SRS airbags and ABS (Antilock Brake System) with EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution).
Coming to the engine configuration, the new Swift is offered with the same 1.2L K series petrol and 1.3L DDiS diesel engine, however with improved fuel economy and performance characteristics. While the ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) certified mileage of petrol engine is improved to around 18.6 km per liter, the diesel version now offers a fuel economy of 22.9 km per liter. The other mentionable changes include length of 3850 mm as against 3696 mm of the previous version. Moreover the height of the car is lifted up by 155 mm as compared to the older swift.
Maruti Swift Rivals
There are rare or fortunate hatchbacks that cause some contend to Maruti hatchbacks in India. The lucky Maruti Swift rival here is Volkswagen Polo, which has taken German auto major to next levels in the country in terms of sales. This foreign hatch has got immense capabilities to provide some nightmares to the segment leader. Maruti has got mileage that is much better as compared to Polo along with better interiors to start with at the base models. The starting price of the two is more or less the same Polo comes at Rs 4.57 Lakh, while Swift is up with Rs 4.44 Lakh. On the engine part, both the vehicles boast round about same engine with difference of mere 50cc, here Maruti Suzuki Swift provides with some resistant figures to Polo. The major upper hand with Maruti vehicles is its wide spread service network across the nation, but not the same with Polo here. Another vital factor is the consumer satisfaction of Maruti that is touching new highs year after year.
The lucky hatchback here to provide some threat to Maruti Swift is Tata Vista. The hi-tech hatch from Tata Motors is being loved by car buyers in the country for its sedan like features. Good thing in comparison is that both have petrol and diesel power trains, which ensure a proper head to head. Let’s take mileage first, Maruti Swift returns max efficiency of 18.6 kmpl and 22.9 kmpl with petrol and diesel respectively; while Tata Vista is not that behind with figures reading 18.6 kmpl and 20.1 kmpl from nearly same engine displacements. The Tata Vista picks up a bit late compared to Maruti Swift acceleration that reaches 0-100 kph with much lesser time as seen in the table. Also Swift has got appealing looks, on the other hand, Vista with simple and sober appearance tries to win your heart at an affordable price. Nevertheless, both automakers have widespread service outlets across the country, but it is the quality service by Maruti that makes it win against Tata.
| Model |
Engine |
Mileage (City/Highway) |
Acceleration (0-100 kph) |
Unique features |
Price |
| Maruti Swift Petrol |
1197cc |
14.5 kmpl/ 18.6 kmpl |
12.2 seconds |
modish looks, value for money, practical mileage
|
Rs 5.68 Lakh |
| Maruti Swift Diesel |
1248cc |
19 kmpl/ 22.9 kmpl |
14.8 seconds |
Rs 6.47 Lakh |
| Volkswagen Polo Petrol |
1198cc |
13 kmpl/ 17.2 kmpl |
14.2 seconds |
German engineering, premium interiors, better drivability
|
Rs 6.23 Lakh |
| Volkswagen Polo Diesel |
1199cc |
17 kmpl/ 22.7 kmpl |
15.4 seconds |
Rs 7.36 Lakh |
| Tata Indica Vista Petrol |
1172cc |
12.4 kmpl/18.6 kmpl |
16.8 Seconds |
sedan like features, in-expensive, service network
|
Rs 4.67 Lakh |
| Tata Indica Vista Diesel |
1248cc |
14.3 kmpl/ 20.1 kmpl |
16.4 Seconds |
Rs 6.40 Lakh |
Maruti Swift Mileage and Fuel Efficiency
As mentioned in the previous section, the company engineers have worked hard to provide an improved Powertrain with the new swift both in terms of performance and efficiency. However, it is the Maruti Swift mileage in particular which appears to have improved significantly as compared to the previous generation version. While the 1.2L petrol engine of the car delivers an improved fuel economy of 18.6 km per liter, the diesel version goes one step ahead by delivering 6 percent higher fuel efficiency at 22.9 km per liter.
However, when it comes to city areas, the mileage dips considerably at 14.5 km per liter petrol version and at 19.0 km per liter in the diesel version. A series of factors contribute in making the new Maruti Swift much more efficient in terms of fuel consumption including improved aerodynamic efficiency, reduced body weight and use of advanced technologies.
| Model |
Mileage (City) |
Mileage (Highway) |
| Maruti Swift Petrol |
14.5 kmpl |
18.6 kmpl |
| Maruti Swift Diesel |
19.0 kmpl |
22.9 kmpl |
Maruti Swift Models and Features
Similar to the previous version, the new swift is offered in the 6 variants including 3 petrol and 3 diesel trims. While the petrol is coming in Lxi, Vxi and Zxi variants, the Maruti Swift diesel version is available in Ldi, Vdi and Zdi variants. Below given are the details of Maruti swift features offered in its different variants.
| Maruti Swift Variants |
Features |
| Maruti Swift LXI |
This is the base petrol version which comes equipped with the standard feature line-up of the Swift range including manually adjustable ORVMs, tail gate opener, child lock for the rear gates, high mounted stop lamp at the rear and 3 point ELR seat belts. |
| Maruti Swift VXI |
This is the mid-range petrol variant which comes equipped with a few additional features over and above the base variant including electrically adjustable ORVMs, body colored door handles, black-out A & B pillars, central locking for 4 doors, security alarm, side impact beams and fog lamps at both front and rear. |
| Maruti Swift ZXI |
This is the top end petrol version which has got some segment exclusive features not available in the lower variants of the car including Automatic climate control, audio controls mounted on steering, driver seats adjuster, and a surround sound system with integrated Aux-in and speakers, dual SRS airbags and ABS (Antilock Brake System) with EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution). |
| Maruti Swift LDI |
This is the base diesel variant which has got all standard features of the swift range such as body colored bumpers, green tinted glass, sporty wraparound door trims, sun visor, dual horn and iCats immobilizer. |
| Maruti Swift VDI |
This is the mid-range diesel variant which is equipped with a few addition features over and above the base diesel variant such as body colored door handles, front and rear fog lamps, 165/80 R14 steel wheels with full cap, day and night IRVM, tachometer, all four power windows, central locking, security alarm system, keyless entry etc. |
| Maruti Swift ZDI |
This is the top end diesel variant which is fully loaded with advanced technological features such as airbags for driver and passenger, new age ABS with EBD and brake assist, high end stereo with radio and CD player with 4 speakers and 2 tweeters, automatic climate control and many more. |
Compare Maruti Swift Models
Maruti Swift Colors
The largest selling hatchback Maruti Swift comes in 6 exuberant colors to choose from. The offered shades of the car are truly attention-grabbing and at the same time eye soothing too. All the Maruti Swift colors are presented with metallic finish that bestow a fresh feel every time to take it out for a ride. The colors comprise of Midnight Black, Torque Blue, Silky Silver, Glistening Grey and Pearl Arctic White along with Blazing Red.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Blazing Red |
Torque Blue |
Silky Silver |
Pearl Arctic White |
Glistening Grey |
Midnight Black |
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Maruti Swift Engine, Power and Performance
The new Maruti Swift is offered with the similar petrol and diesel units, however, with a significant improvement in terms of both power and performance. The petrol engine of the car is 1.2L K – Series petrol engine which delivers an improved power output of 87 PS @ 6000 rpm in combination with a torque delivery of 114 Nm @ 400 rpm. The highly efficient 1197 cc engine is blessed with the VVT (Variable Valve Timing) technology, which makes it even more responsive and less fuel consuming.
The diesel version on the other hand is equipped with the same 1.3L DDiS diesel engine which delivers a peak power of 75 PS along with top torque of 190 Nm @ 2000 rpm. The CRDI (Common Rail Direct Injection) technology makes the Swift diesel even more efficient. Both petrol and diesel engines of the new Swift come joined with a five speed manual transmission and are compatible with the new BS-IV emission norms.
Maruti Swift Pick Up and Acceleration
| Model |
Power (PS/RPM) |
Torque (NM/RPM) |
Acceleration (0-100 kmph) |
Top Speed |
| Maruti Swift Petrol |
87/6000 |
114/4000 |
12.2 seconds |
160 kmph |
| Maruti Swift Diesel |
75/4000 |
190/2000 |
14.8 Seconds |
154 kmph |
The pick-up and acceleration characteristics of both petrol and diesel powertrains have been improved in the new generaton Swift model. 1.2L K – Series petrol engine which delivers an improved power output of 87 PS @ 6000 rpm, takes just 12.2 seconds to cross the speed barrier of 100 km per hour with a top speed mark of 160 km per hour.
On the other hand the Maruti Swift diesel variant, which delivers a peak power of 75 PS along with top torque of 190 Nm @ 2000 rpm, takes slightly higher time at 14.2 seconds to reach a top speed of 100 km per hour from a stand still position. The top speed mark of this variant is 154 km per hour.
With improved pick-up and acceleration of Maruti Swift, the new Swift is now easier to drive in bumper to bumper city traffic.
Maruti Swift Interiors and Features
The interior of Maruti Swift is now more spacious and is blessed with an improved quality of material. Moreover, the look and feel has been revamped with the new fascinating ‘waterfall’ dashboard design with higher quality fabric and plastic. As we have already mentioned, the new Swift interior is now more spacious and the company engineers and designers have left no stone unturned in making sure that every inch of the car’s interior space gets optimally utilized. There are a number of storage spaces inside the car including Front door trim packets, high volume glove box, parcel shelf and ticket holders etc.
Coming to the instrumentations, the Swift interior has come equipped with a basket full of features such as tachometer, driver seatbelt reminder, buzzer for log-off and key-off, door closer warning lamp, multi information display, outside temperature display and many more.
The interior comfort and convenience is further enhanced with offering a range of comfort boosting features such as automatic climate control, increased legroom, and driver side power window auto down function, electromagnetic back door opener, and also a lane changing indicator. However, the cargo space of the car is reduced to 204 liters from the earlier model’s 230 liters.
Maruti Swift Exteriors and Features
The exterior styling and designing of Maruti Swift has been revamped significantly with the help of a range of upgrades. The major upgrades in the front profile of the car which now looks more dynamic and aggressive with the addition of new bigger swept back headlamps and newly designed fog lamp clusters.
The company was feeling the need of making over the styling and designing quotient of the Swift for a long time with the entry of a range of stylish and sporty hatchbacks in its segment further contributing in forcing the company to revamp the looks and road presence. Overall, it seems new Swift designers have worked in the direction of providing the new Swift a more up-market look. However, the basic styling formula has been kept same as before, as the company didn’t want to touch the perfect combination of contemporary and conventional designing & styling of the car.
Coming to the side profile of the new Maruti Swift, it has been improved with the addition of newly designed alloy wheels along with turn indicators incorporated on ORVMs. The rear profile of the car is even more exciting with the addition of new redesigned rear door and side stretched tail lamps.
The dimensions of the car have been stretched in order to make the car more comfortable from inside as well as more aerodynamically efficient from inside. While the length of 3850 mm as against 3696 mm of the previous version. Moreover the height of the car is hiked by 155 mm as compared to the older swift. However, width of the car is kept almost same as before with a moderate increase of 5 mm.
Safety Features in Maruti Swift
The new Maruti Swift model is equipped with almost all new age safety and security features of this segment. The braking system of the car is fully loaded the new age features like ABS (Antilock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution), brake assist, which ensures that u remain out of the trouble whenever sudden braking is required, no matter on what speed you are driving.
The top variant of the car is loaded with a dual front airbag system which makes sure you remain safe in case of a sudden collusion. Other mentionable safety features of Maruti Swift include dual horn, security alarm and iCAT immobilizer.
Driving and Handling of Maruti Swift
The new Maruti Swift even more stable on road and takes the driving and handling characteristics to a new level. With the improved aerodynamics, the new Swift is easy to drive on congested city areas while at the same time being much more stable during high speed drive on highways.
Nowadays, when everyone drives in a rush, the new Maruti Swift comes equipped with the essential braking systems like ABS (Antilock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution), which saves actively in case of sudden braking. In addition to this, the NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) level has been further improved with the help of smoother engine and improved suspension system. Moreover the wide body of Maruti Swift is also responsible for easy handling and flexibility.
Maruti Swift Accessories
There are a number of road-presence enhancing accessories that Maruti offers through its arm Maruti Genuine accessories including the likes of front and rear under body spoiler, sporty rear spoiler, front & rear body colored corner protector, new exciting body graphics for front side and rear. Inside the car, the company offers dual tone leather steering wheel covers along with leather seat covers, Multi point mobile charger, 23cm roof flip monitor with TFT screen touch, and many more.
Maruti Swift Road Test Report
Leaving behind the on-papers performance, which is extraordinary, let’s explore by means of a test drive how Maruti Swift performs at work. To start with, the 1.2L K series petrol engine that now works in alliance with variable valve timing (VVT) resulting in refinement of revving and churn-out of more power (87PS) with greater mileage against earlier version of Maruti Swift. While the 1.3L DDiS Multi-jet is kept same with some retuning that displays more refinement while driving.
The handling showcases immense improvement as the turning is sharp, here thanks to enhanced body rolls along with pretty agile and responsive steering wheel. With longer wheel base and proper ground clearance, the bump-absorbing capacity in city road conditions has advanced and occupants rarely feel the same. On highways too, Maruti Swift feels less nervous. The rigid steering has been reworked with a fresh variable-gear ratio design that has made steering feel encouraging, now it assists very well in changing sharp directions.
Both engines of Maruti Swift rev up clearly, without any crank, while being vibe-free inside. The vibration levels especially at the gear knob are always felt in all Maruti cars, but Swift has escaped quite intelligently. The diesel version reaches the 0-100 kph mark in less than 15 seconds. On longer distances, diesel trim is the best bet with pleased revving, as at 100 kph, Maruti Swift is seen spinning over 2,300 rpm, here remarkable part is ‘no engine noise’, which screams fine-tuning instead. The gear shift quality is butter smooth; however suspension feeling is a bit shaky that is sensed at low speeds.
Inside the cabin one feels comfortable, but not plush on uneasy terrains, but this can be ignored, seeing lower price tag of Maruti Swift. The superior grip is mainly a result of wide footprint along with aptly placed 4 wheels at four corners of the vehicle. It goes sailing at 120 kmph and it seems that Maruti Swift can go with it the whole day without getting tired. Furthermore, exterior appearance of Maruti Swift has not changed much compared to older, as one cannot list out amends by merely looking at it from a distance, but has to gaze at it closely.
Inside, the features provide a hint of ‘steal’ from premium sedan Maruti Kizashi, as instruments appear exceptional alongside marvellous steering mounted controls. The rear has more knee room, but due to small window you at times feel dejected, the same was felt in the first generation of Maruti Swift too. All in all, Maruti Suzuki India has managed to gain practical popularity yet again with new generation Maruti Swift, as it will never let you down when it comes to ride quality and handling besides class leading mileage.
Maruti Swift Conclusion
Everything is fine with this product up till now. But the recent very promising launches are ready to haunt Maruti Swift’s success, especially at the time when it has got long waiting queues. There is Mahindra Quanto, Honda Brio and newbie Chevrolet Sail UVA that have ideal capabilities to trap the prospect consumers of Maruti Swift. Among the three, two are very close rivals to Swift, Brio in petrol and Chevy Sail UVA in the diesel department.
Talking about Maruti Swift hatch, it has been a fantastic volume driver for the auto firm since years. Time and again Maruti has proved that--no one knows Indian auto sector well, but they. The vehicle lacks around nowhere, but still the base variant must have been loaded with more of the gears. The engine option of two fuels is responsive, but while handling at some of the off-roading stuff it is a bit tricky, although at the end it copes-up well with it. It is one of the unsurpassed and absolute hatches from Maruti. There have been instances where Swift buyers have moved on to buy Maruti Ertiga, due to prolonged waiting time. But with some very close rivals around it, it would be worth noticing how Maruti battles out this competitive phase.
Maruti Swift FAQs
Q1: What is the mileage of Maruti Swift in petrol and diesel versions?
Answer: The mileage factor has worked wonders for Swift. As it delivers a practical mileage of around 12-14 kmpl in city with petrol Maruti Swift, while anything around 16-17 kmpl with on highways. Moreover, the Maruti Swift diesel mileage will be of nearly 17 kmpl and 21 kmpl for city and highways respectively. However, the ARAI figures are of 18.6 (petrol) and 22.9 kmpl (diesel).
Q2: What is the price of Maruti Swift top end models?
Answer: The top end diesel of Maruti Swift is priced at Rs 6.82 lakh, whereas the high end petrol powered variant comes at Rs 5.72 lakh. Both prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.
Q3: Will Maruti launch Automatic Transmission variant of Maruti Swift?
Answer: The Maruti Ritz AT will be here soon; hence one can also expect Maruti Swift Automatic to make way within the span of 6 months after the Maruti Ritz AT launch in the country.
Q4: When will Maruti Suzuki Sports launch take place in India?
Answer: No confirmations from the company up till now regarding the launch of Maruti Swift Sports, which is basically a high performance variant from Suzuki Japan. According to rumors it is said to be unveiled by early or amid next year.
Q5: Any chances of Maruti Swift CNG launch to lessen the wait of Swift diesel customers?
Answer: This can turn out to be a good idea, however need to wait and watch Maruti’s stand on the same as there is no formal declaration on company fitted CNG kit in Maruti Swift hatchback.
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