Maruti Suzuki Swift 2018 Review

It's been thirteen long years since Maruti first launched the Swift in India and took the country by storm. It started off a new segment of premium hatchbacks in the country and has led the segment by a mile ever since. So Maruti had a tough task at hand when they had to launch the 3rd generation Swift which was not just a facelift but an all new platform altogether. But the Swift, as they say, is limitless! With this generation of the Swift, they have not just met but surpassed the expectations of enthusiasts and the family folk alike. Let's find out how.

When you look at the Swift from the front or the rear angles, there's a sense of wow it throws at you. The top of the line Z+ variant comes with projector led headlamps with led DRLs. The taillamps are LED across variants and come with Mercedes A Class like guidelights. As soon as you step inside the cabin, you feel a sense of sportiness around you. I especially like the driver facing circular dials with the red surrounds around them. Also the leather wrapped flat bottom steering wheel is not there just for the look of it. The shape adds weight to the top of the steering wheel making turn ins that much more quicker. The AC vents as well as the climate control knobs are circular and complete the overall circular theme of the cabin. The front seats are the best in class and offer excellent side bolstering and under thigh support. Getting into a comfortable driving position is quite effortless thanks to the height adjustable seats and tilt adjustable steering wheel. The Z+ variant comes feature packed with diamond cut alloys, rear wiper, keyless go, engine start/stop button, touch screen infotainment system, automatic head lamps, climate control, electronically foldable and adjustable ORVMs, reverse parking camera with sensors. The Z variant gets all of these except the diamond cut alloys (it gets standard alloys instead), front projector lamps, touchscreen infotainment and reverse parking camera. Another feature worthy of mention is that the front two wiper sprays get three high speed jets each, throwing water evenly on the windscreen for a clean, smudge free wipe.

Jumping onto the rear seats, well there is ample knee room and headroom on offer. However, the seat is enough for two full sized adults and fitting in a third adult would be a squeeze. The underthigh support too is not as generous as that offered on the front seats. The boot has grown in size and is enough to pack stuff for a weekend getaway. If you're planning a longer trip or need to do some airport runs, well you'll have to drop the 60:40 split rear seats to accommodate more luggage and sacrifice on a passenger. So overall, very happy with the way the new Swift has been designed on the outside and on the inside. Also, the equipment level that Maruti has thrown at this car is commendable. If at all there's one disappointment that I have in the design of this car, it's at the side. The rear door handles are placed in the c pillar to give it a coupe kind of look which is ok from the outside. On the inside though, it leaves a big fat blind spot for the rear passenger and makes the cabin feel less roomy than what it is.

I drove the petrol manual variant and am happy to report that the car feels sportier to drive than before. Thanks to the 80 kgs weight loss that this new heartec platform has brought with it, there is a sense of eagerness in the way the Swift behaves. The torque curve is quite linear and the 4 cylinder 1.2 litre K series engine just loves to rev to the redline. The engine is smooth and vibration free throughout. Especially at idling, it is difficult to guess whether or not the engine is actually running. Many people have complained that Maruti is running the same old K series 1.2 litre engine since almost a decade but I am really glad for it. If it's not broken, don't try to fix it. Simple. In typical Maruti fashion, the clutch is light, the gear throws are short and the gearbox itself is slick and precise to use. So whether in stop go city traffic or navigating through highway truck traffic, you'd be happy to be shifting up and down this gearbox. And if, for some reason you prefer not to shift gears, the Swift also comes with AGS or Auto Gear Shifts in the V and Z trims.

Now comes the most important characteristic of any Swift: The Ride and Handling. It's difficult to improve upon perfection but somehow Maruti has managed to do just that, once again. The ride feels quite pliant through city potholes and undulations but the beauty of this suspension, chassis and steering setup is in the corners. The turn ins are sharp and once turned in, the car sticks to the tarmac like superglue, egging you on to tap on that accelerator harder and harder and harder. The brakes are sharp and reassuring, once again telling the driver in you "It's ok. I've got your back. Go ahead, you can push harder." What also adds to the safety package is two front airbags and ABS with EBD standard across variants.

So to sum things up, the new Swift is every bit a Swift at heart. It has lost weight, added features and become even more eager and fun to drive than before. Given the bigger boot and additional rear leg, head and shoulder room, it has become more practical than before as well. At Rs. 8.4 lakhs, OTR Mumbai for the top of the line, petrol ZXi+ variant, it's not exactly cheap. But with a Swift, you're not buying a car, you're buying a piece of automotive history!