Get ready for another blockbuster

Maruti Suzuki Swift returns stronger, sportier and more stylish, says Siddharth Vinayak Patankar

It is one of the country’s best selling models, and generates much excitement with any change — especially a new generation. The 3rd generation Swift drives in with both petrol and diesel options, and like its sedan sibling, will now also have AMT on both. The 3rd gen Swift has already debuted in Europe and Japan a few months ago. In fact, it comes to us almost a year later. Maruti decided to get us the Dzire first this time around, and that car has already become a runaway hit. It will be no different I suspect for the clever little hatchback.  The new Swift looks contemporary yet retains its characteristic Swift-ness remains. The face is very modern — largely due to the layered headlamp cluster with DRLs or daytime running lights. Sadly these are only available in the Z+ variants, which to me is a huge mistake since the car’s signature look should be available on the popular and higher selling variants that sit one or two below the Z+ models.

The car gets a floating roof design but no contrasting roof options. Yet. Since Maruti has indicated that a few months down the line we will likely get that too, but perhaps more in the form of it after-market iCreate customisation line than a factory built model (as in the case of the Vitara Brezza). The rear door handle is housed in the C-pillar and it will take some getting used. Pronounced haunches at the back lend a certain character and also make the car look nice and wide.The car’s rear sports taillights that wrap around the fenders and complement the new design up front. The new Swift is 40 mm wider, its wheelbase is 20 mm longer, and the boot gets 58 litres more cargo space. But it is 10 mm shorter than the 2nd gen Swift. New paint colours include a new orange and dark blue, besides a dark grey, white, silver, and the trademark solid red.

Inside is where you will find the biggest change. There is a sense of width that you get from the design of this dash. The touchscreen in the central console is a carryover from the Ignis, Baleno, Ciaz, etc, so it gives you Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But again it’s only on Z+ models. The climate control system has a three dial-like design, and the central one doubles up as the display screen. A flat-bottomed steering wheel, better overall plastic quality and a sharp all-black layout help differentiate it from the Dzire’s cabin. There is a better sense of space in the rear, though at the back, the cabin gets a bit plain. No rear AC vents by the way — a bit of a surprise for me.

I drove both engine types, and also got on to the AMT or AGS version. Maruti Suzuki has gone with its tried and tested engines — the 1.2 litre K12 petrol and the 1.3 litre DDiS diesel. While it would have been nice to get Suzuki’s more modern global engine line-up, these two still do the job well on the Indian model. The petrol engine makes 82 bhp and 113 Nm of torque; and comes across as refined and well-tuned, but its character is rather predictable. It’s pretty quick, it’s nice and responsive with the manual gearbox, and it gives you satisfying performance and is the one to get if sporty driving is your thing. The AMT version with the petrol does make performance a bit more sluggish, but you get used to it quickly — as is true of any AMT. It's the same on the diesel too.

The diesel engine remains capable and efficient. It certainly does the job, and has ample torque on it — 190 Nm and the power output is 74 bhp. All numbers are completely unchanged from the outgoing model. The AMT takes some getting used to, but is very convenient to have in city traffic of course. What I would have liked to see, of course, is Maruti offering the top end trim (Z+) as an option with the AMT models. Another miss to be honest! The AMT is definitely a lot smoother and changes are quicker than what we have seen on Maruti’s first AGS. The drivetrain feels almost exactly like it does on the new Dzire though and again I feel Maruti should have done more to give the Swift its own character. The big takeaway of the new Heartect platform is the superior ride feel and better handling on the new Swift. Always a sporty model, the new car does even better. Of course unlike Europe and Japan, we don’t get fatter tyres — which would have contributed even more to making the car exceedingly sporty. But the ride quality — even at the rear — is overall the USP of the new car as far as I am concerned.

Maruti has not shared fuel efficiency numbers, but I am quite sure they will be great given what we have seen on the Dzire already. Prices are the only other unknown. And we will get those when the car launches at the Auto Expo next week. Deliveries will also begin then though bookings are already open. I expect Maruti to keep prices close to those on the outgoing model, so brace yourselves for yet another massive Maruti blockbuster.

The author is Editor, Auto, NDTV

Courtesy: carandbike.com