The truth about the new Maruti Swift
27 Sep 2011 9:38 AM by
Bunny Punia
in
Single review,
The Maruti Swift -
It is a car that has been a best seller for Maruti in India with almost the entire percentage of generation X having experienced it at One point of the time or another. Since its launch in 2005 , it has sold like hot cakes with its Fiat derived diesel unit being the higher seller of the lot. Infact , ask any youth about his favorite set of wheels in the hatchback segment and the Swift will probably rank the highest. It is also a hit among the youth when it comes to mods - exteriors as well as interiors!
A lot was expected from the all-new Swift that went on sale in the Indian market in August 2011 - we all expected it to be a far better car in all parameters. Has that been the reality?
Looks :
There is no doubt that the new Swift retains its design DNA. Infact , it is a longer and wider car with smart design lines. You look at the international Swift pictures and you fall in love with it. However , India is the land of fuel economy which means a car ought to run on thin tyres. The lower variants of the Swift , ie , the LDI / LXI / VDI / VXI wear thin tyres as compared to the top end ZDI / ZXI models and believe us , the Swift in these lower trim levels looks completely out of proportion. Come on Maruti , even the Figo wears wider 175mm tyres as opposed to 165mm on your lower trim Swift models. Infact , as the rear has become wider , the thin tyres simply rob the car of good looks!
Interiors:
We all thought that a longer and wider car would mean more cabin space. False. Pit a car that is smaller on the outside , the Liva , next to the Swift and you will get our point. The front seat space is generous however sit at the back and your knees will easily rub with the back part of the front seats. Do this in the Liva or other rivals and you will be surprised! Ditto for the boot space - the loading bay is now upwards and the overall space is still limited to rivals like the Fabia or the i20. And we are not even talking about the Jazz here!
Pricing:
The new Swift petrol range starts at Rs 4.22 lakh and does make for a very good buy. However , the problem comes in the top end ZXI model that sells for Rs 5.53 lakh. At this price , one can pick up the entry level Jazz at Rs 5.50 lakh which has best in class cabin space , best in class boot space , better interior quality , a more practical cabin , a better brand value and an overall better experience!
On the diesel front , the Swift starts at Rs 5.17 lakh - again good value for money. However , the trouble comes with the VDI variant which is their best-selling model. The VDI is for Rs 5.61 lakh - 7k more than the LIVA GD. The Liva offers you more space , better low end grunt from the engine and ABS as standard. The Liva also beats the Swift in the ARAI certified fuel economy figures! The biggest problem though is the huge waiting period for the Swift diesel.
Would you be willing to shell out the booking amount and then wait indefinitely for your set of dream wheels to arrive without any confirmation from the dealer whatsoever? Share your comments here!
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
cool!
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Whatever may be the waiting period, but it is still worth to wait
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Mr Bunny .... Shut up man n write some useful reviews.... u r talking abt Swift not any othr car... this car has been d king of hatchback from 2005 and dis new swift takes the dominance even further.. Dude, its a highly VFM car... n u r tlkn abt Jazz... do u know its history n waiting period for it ??? n u r talking about brand, do u where Honda stands n where Suzuki stands internationally... ?? Go chck n thn write here .. so stop writing carp things without any info.. real info... *** _!_!_
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Vikas, I dont think he has written anything wrong. I wouldnt wait for 6 months before i get my car! I guess this is the sad part of the new Swift
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Oh shut up Vikas - Do u work for Maruti?
I enquired about the Swift - the dealers say give the booking amount and then forget about it. No promises on delivery time and period. Why shall I waste 6 months when I other options in the market as stated by Bunny here?
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
I think the point is a bit lost here. The Swift has been (and always will be) a better driver's car than the others, excepting maybe the Figo, especially in terms of handling. The others such as Liva, Jazz, Fabia etc are more family / commuter cars. So, if you enjoy driving, you will probbably go for the Swift rather than any other. If not, then any of the others will also do. And yes, the waiting period may be a dampener.
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Really you have a point here . It s been four months since I booked swift LDi . And when I called the dealer is not even picking up the call . what you think about Punto ? is that such a bad car ?
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
@Gaadi.com Just want to ask if you want to compare two cars then you should take 1 car at a time and not comparing all the cars to swift in the league...Can u suggest one single which is better then swift ZDI in all aspects taking into consideration all points of swift and is available in the same price or lower price.
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
I wanted a Jazz but it had a 6 month wait swift on the other hand i bought from my cousin who owns a maruti dealership. if you are family it only takes 15 days. But i doubt many people can get away with that.
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Beat Diesel vs Swift Diesel which one is better
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Go for the Punto. Its not just a Hatch but a super stylish hatch. You will enjoy every mile of the driving experience
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
better to go for ford than swift
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
I have no idea about diesel model but about the petrol one, I feel that you have been bribed by other companies to give Swift a small feeling. Well, Honda Jazz is a better car in every case but you cannot compare with Suzuki swift regarding handling. Again, the cost of spare parts are higher for Jazz. Finally, you will get higher re-sale value & mileage in case of swift.
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
totally agreed
Mr Bunny .... Shut up man n write some useful
reviews. ... u r talking abt Swift not any othr
car. .. this car has been d king of hatchback
from 2005 and dis new swift takes the
dominance even further.. Dude, its a highly VFM
car. .. n u r tlkn abt Jazz... do u know its history
n waiting period for it n u r talking about
brand, do u where Honda stands n where
Suzuki stands internationally.. . Go chck n thn
write here .. so stop writing carp things without
any info.. real info. .. *** _!_!_
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Dear Bunny,
Every car has its own share of pros and cons. Comparing Swift D with Liva D is very biased. You have not talked about the lackluster interiors of the latter which are not inspiring et al.
Regarding the JazzSwift comparo Swift is an equally competitive product. Jazz, however, enjoys a snob value, that too at a VFM price now.
The waiting period is definitely an issue.
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
I like this car
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
I dont think Bunny has written much wrong here. My friend finally cancelled his Swift booking due to this huge waiting period. There are other good options in the market today guys
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Finally! This is indeed the reality out there. The Liva diesel indeed scores over the Swift in lot of areas - u guys need to drive it to see the difference (space for example)
Gaadi has done nothing but told the truth about waiting - who waits for 7 months for a hatchback guys
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
All those think this review is biased - check the facts! There was a time wen dis swift was d best - rivals r equally gud now - and this widout waitin period. Cheers!
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
I think we need to consider the cost of ASS(After Sale Service) as well )
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
This BAWA indirectly supporting the another BAWA TATA
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
This is a wonderful car, better than before in all respects, of course difficult to put in words, the only reason why I kept putting off buying this cutie was lack of features, have booked a ZDi, it is worth waiting 6 months or so, when it comes to total cost of ownership it is expenditure on the car that we do plus the cost of depreciation, which is almost nil for this car, guys go ahead and wait, this article is a crap.
Have tested a one myself, even if the wait is 12 months it is worth it..!!!
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Guyz u need to test drive the other baby from maruti.. Ritz vdi and u will not feel like buying swift. it is one of the finest implimentations of the fiat 1.3 engine.
The head room and legroom with good suspensions and driving posture. gives a feel of driving an suv.
I drive a scorpio from 2 yrs, and it is the only hatchback whichmakes me feel comfertable.
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
guys ....swift rocks...dont beleive in these reviews ... a car that satisfies the middle class people segment .... with power and styling ...just go ahead it rocks and no other make is as powerfull and cost economy is such a vital reason for swift....
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Ive tested all hatchbacks. I feel that the swift comes nowhere near to the i20 or polo in terms of driving experience... cheers
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
N what abt the punto
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Swift once upon a time was a good car ... Now it is only a over priced ... Hype created Car where Maruti Suzuki is making fool to the people by lure of adding new features and selling it in the costs of Sedan ... Froggy Look, Huge waiting time, poor interiors, Lack of features and certainly poor mileage will definitely bring down the name of the Swift !!
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
there is a long waiting period for my dzire. it is very bad
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Swift is no doubt a good car. But when it comes to the style and design, nothing great in it. the looks are borrowed from BMW Mini series and the engine (diesel) from Fiat. Absolutely no innovation from Maruti here. No leg room in rear seat and no boot space.
Whereas Jazz is true winner here. If you guys have a careful look at the car, you will see that innovation in each and every part of this car. great boot space, you can move your whole house in this car. Great practicality achieved in the design and true engineering demonstrated.
The Maruti Swift -
It is a car that has been a best seller for Maruti in India with almost the entire percentage of generation X having experienced it at One point of the time or another. Since its launch in 2005 , it has sold like hot cakes with its Fiat derived diesel unit being the higher seller of the lot. Infact , ask any youth about his favorite set of wheels in the hatchback segment and the Swift will probably rank the highest. It is also a hit among the youth when it comes to mods - exteriors as well as interiors!
A lot was expected from the all-new Swift that went on sale in the Indian market in August 2011 - we all expected it to be a far better car in all parameters. Has that been the reality?
Looks :
There is no doubt that the new Swift retains its design DNA. Infact , it is a longer and wider car with smart design lines. You look at the international Swift pictures and you fall in love with it. However , India is the land of fuel economy which means a car ought to run on thin tyres. The lower variants of the Swift , ie , the LDI / LXI / VDI / VXI wear thin tyres as compared to the top end ZDI / ZXI models and believe us , the Swift in these lower trim levels looks completely out of proportion. Come on Maruti , even the Figo wears wider 175mm tyres as opposed to 165mm on your lower trim Swift models. Infact , as the rear has become wider , the thin tyres simply rob the car of good looks!
Interiors:
We all thought that a longer and wider car would mean more cabin space. False. Pit a car that is smaller on the outside , the Liva , next to the Swift and you will get our point. The front seat space is generous however sit at the back and your knees will easily rub with the back part of the front seats. Do this in the Liva or other rivals and you will be surprised! Ditto for the boot space - the loading bay is now upwards and the overall space is still limited to rivals like the Fabia or the i20. And we are not even talking about the Jazz here!
Pricing:
The new Swift petrol range starts at Rs 4.22 lakh and does make for a very good buy. However , the problem comes in the top end ZXI model that sells for Rs 5.53 lakh. At this price , one can pick up the entry level Jazz at Rs 5.50 lakh which has best in class cabin space , best in class boot space , better interior quality , a more practical cabin , a better brand value and an overall better experience!
On the diesel front , the Swift starts at Rs 5.17 lakh - again good value for money. However , the trouble comes with the VDI variant which is their best-selling model. The VDI is for Rs 5.61 lakh - 7k more than the LIVA GD. The Liva offers you more space , better low end grunt from the engine and ABS as standard. The Liva also beats the Swift in the ARAI certified fuel economy figures! The biggest problem though is the huge waiting period for the Swift diesel.
Would you be willing to shell out the booking amount and then wait indefinitely for your set of dream wheels to arrive without any confirmation from the dealer whatsoever? Share your comments here!
cool!
Whatever may be the waiting period, but it is still worth to wait
Mr Bunny .... Shut up man n write some useful reviews.... u r talking abt Swift not any othr car... this car has been d king of hatchback from 2005 and dis new swift takes the dominance even further.. Dude, its a highly VFM car... n u r tlkn abt Jazz... do u know its history n waiting period for it ??? n u r talking about brand, do u where Honda stands n where Suzuki stands internationally... ?? Go chck n thn write here .. so stop writing carp things without any info.. real info... *** _!_!_
Vikas, I dont think he has written anything wrong. I wouldnt wait for 6 months before i get my car! I guess this is the sad part of the new Swift
Oh shut up Vikas - Do u work for Maruti? I enquired about the Swift - the dealers say give the booking amount and then forget about it. No promises on delivery time and period. Why shall I waste 6 months when I other options in the market as stated by Bunny here?
I think the point is a bit lost here. The Swift has been (and always will be) a better driver's car than the others, excepting maybe the Figo, especially in terms of handling. The others such as Liva, Jazz, Fabia etc are more family / commuter cars. So, if you enjoy driving, you will probbably go for the Swift rather than any other. If not, then any of the others will also do. And yes, the waiting period may be a dampener.
Really you have a point here . It s been four months since I booked swift LDi . And when I called the dealer is not even picking up the call . what you think about Punto ? is that such a bad car ?
@Gaadi.com Just want to ask if you want to compare two cars then you should take 1 car at a time and not comparing all the cars to swift in the league...Can u suggest one single which is better then swift ZDI in all aspects taking into consideration all points of swift and is available in the same price or lower price.
I wanted a Jazz but it had a 6 month wait swift on the other hand i bought from my cousin who owns a maruti dealership. if you are family it only takes 15 days. But i doubt many people can get away with that.
Beat Diesel vs Swift Diesel which one is better
Go for the Punto. Its not just a Hatch but a super stylish hatch. You will enjoy every mile of the driving experience
better to go for ford than swift
I have no idea about diesel model but about the petrol one, I feel that you have been bribed by other companies to give Swift a small feeling. Well, Honda Jazz is a better car in every case but you cannot compare with Suzuki swift regarding handling. Again, the cost of spare parts are higher for Jazz. Finally, you will get higher re-sale value & mileage in case of swift.
totally agreed Mr Bunny .... Shut up man n write some useful reviews. ... u r talking abt Swift not any othr car. .. this car has been d king of hatchback from 2005 and dis new swift takes the dominance even further.. Dude, its a highly VFM car. .. n u r tlkn abt Jazz... do u know its history n waiting period for it n u r talking about brand, do u where Honda stands n where Suzuki stands internationally.. . Go chck n thn write here .. so stop writing carp things without any info.. real info. .. *** _!_!_
Dear Bunny, Every car has its own share of pros and cons. Comparing Swift D with Liva D is very biased. You have not talked about the lackluster interiors of the latter which are not inspiring et al. Regarding the JazzSwift comparo Swift is an equally competitive product. Jazz, however, enjoys a snob value, that too at a VFM price now. The waiting period is definitely an issue.
I like this car
I dont think Bunny has written much wrong here. My friend finally cancelled his Swift booking due to this huge waiting period. There are other good options in the market today guys
Finally! This is indeed the reality out there. The Liva diesel indeed scores over the Swift in lot of areas - u guys need to drive it to see the difference (space for example) Gaadi has done nothing but told the truth about waiting - who waits for 7 months for a hatchback guys
All those think this review is biased - check the facts! There was a time wen dis swift was d best - rivals r equally gud now - and this widout waitin period. Cheers!
I think we need to consider the cost of ASS(After Sale Service) as well )
This BAWA indirectly supporting the another BAWA TATA
This is a wonderful car, better than before in all respects, of course difficult to put in words, the only reason why I kept putting off buying this cutie was lack of features, have booked a ZDi, it is worth waiting 6 months or so, when it comes to total cost of ownership it is expenditure on the car that we do plus the cost of depreciation, which is almost nil for this car, guys go ahead and wait, this article is a crap. Have tested a one myself, even if the wait is 12 months it is worth it..!!!
Guyz u need to test drive the other baby from maruti.. Ritz vdi and u will not feel like buying swift. it is one of the finest implimentations of the fiat 1.3 engine. The head room and legroom with good suspensions and driving posture. gives a feel of driving an suv. I drive a scorpio from 2 yrs, and it is the only hatchback whichmakes me feel comfertable.
guys ....swift rocks...dont beleive in these reviews ... a car that satisfies the middle class people segment .... with power and styling ...just go ahead it rocks and no other make is as powerfull and cost economy is such a vital reason for swift....
Ive tested all hatchbacks. I feel that the swift comes nowhere near to the i20 or polo in terms of driving experience... cheers
N what abt the punto
Swift once upon a time was a good car ... Now it is only a over priced ... Hype created Car where Maruti Suzuki is making fool to the people by lure of adding new features and selling it in the costs of Sedan ... Froggy Look, Huge waiting time, poor interiors, Lack of features and certainly poor mileage will definitely bring down the name of the Swift !!
there is a long waiting period for my dzire. it is very bad
Swift is no doubt a good car. But when it comes to the style and design, nothing great in it. the looks are borrowed from BMW Mini series and the engine (diesel) from Fiat. Absolutely no innovation from Maruti here. No leg room in rear seat and no boot space. Whereas Jazz is true winner here. If you guys have a careful look at the car, you will see that innovation in each and every part of this car. great boot space, you can move your whole house in this car. Great practicality achieved in the design and true engineering demonstrated.