As humans it is natural for us to want "more" every time. We like a bit more of everything and that is the same with cars too. Who would not like more power and better mileage at the same time? Maruti has done exactly that with its massively popular Swift. The Swift name needs no introduction but the changes to this facelift does, so here goes. In short, Maruti has given the Swift a new petrol engine while updating the features list too. What it hasn't messed with is the design which stays largely the same except for a new grille with a chrome accent (since we love chrome!) while there are dual-tone colours on offer now. The Swift has to be one of the best looking hatchbacks with its aggressive stance and we love how sporty the car looks, especially in red.
Inside, the updates include a new fabric upholstery plus a silver finish on the steering wheel and dashboard. Maruti has also added features like cruise control, auto foldable ORVMs and a bigger TFT display screen for central instrument cluster display. We are fans of the flat bottomed steering wheel while those chunky air con knobs are high in quality. The Swift is a bit compact though and the rear seat space is decent for its class. Let's talk about the new petrol engine now and it is a Dual Jet 1.2l motor with 90hp and 113Nm. It also gets a start/stop system which boosts fuel economy. Where you will love the Swift is in the city as now the engine is a lot more smooth and refined plus it retains its agile nature. The light steering and the compact dimensions makes it a perfect compact city runabout. Plus in regards to the steering wheel itself, it self centres now, which was much needed and is a big improvement. The new engine makes the driving experience better as well and the power delivery is more linear now overall. We drove the AMT version and in the city, you really will not have much to complain with the way the gearbox reacts in stop-go traffic. Paired with this new engine, it makes for a more comfortable driving experience.
The AMT gearbox of course has the typical pause in its shifts but it is only when you push it hard and want that instant acceleration. That said, you get manual shifting also which helps in that regard. Meanwhile do note that the AMT version adds in ESC with hill-hold assist which is not there on the manual Swift. Of course as mentioned earlier, the Swift is a lot more efficient now with a mileage of 23.76 kmpl for the AMT and that is even more than the 23.20 kmpl figure for the manual. Using the start/stop system helps and we got 18/19 kmpl in regular city driving while turning the start/stop system off resulted in 16 kmpl. That is indeed very good fuel economy for an automatic hatchback. Overall, the new Swift is not perfect with its feature list not quite matching up to its competition and with this update, prices have risen to Rs 8.4 lakh for the top-end AMT dual-tone as seen here. However, if you want fuel efficiency plus a degree of fun along with the wide service/sales network advantage which only a Maruti can give, then the Swift still continues to make sense. It is after all the best selling car in India and it is a no-nonse fun hatchback that just got better!
What We Like- New engine is smoother, more refined, brilliant mileage, fun to drive and to look at
What We Do Not Like- lacks features, no turbo petrol engine option
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