Maruti Swift
In its latest avatar, the Maruti Suzuki Swift may look like an evolution of its predecessor, but the changes are very extensive. Maruti Suzuki has made a car that’s sporty, fun to drive and yet, manages to be practical enough to be usable for a small family. It also comes with an added dose of convenience and an improved tech package.
This is for the first time in the 12 years of the Swift that Maruti Suzuki has introduced its compact sedan sibling, the Dzire, first, which gave us an idea of what to expect from the new Swift. What was unexpected is how Maruti Suzuki has given the Swift its original sporty character that takes this hatchback off the safe path that Maruti could have chosen to follow. The big question, then, is – is the third-generation Swift better than the one that it replaces?
While Swift has become more practical thanks to better space, features, and a bigger boot, it has now also become more fun to drive. Yes, the lower variants do not offer the premium feel that their pricing command, but overall, the Swift 2018, continues to be what it already was - sensible and exciting. Perhaps, some more now.
The Swift and the Dzire have been near identical twins in the past in terms of their frontal appearance, with only minor differences in the grille design.
The new Swift too follows suit. The headlamps, for example, are exactly the same. The bonnet and the front fenders too, are designed in a similar fashion. But, this time around, that’s where the similarities end.
While both the Swift and the Dzire get a hexagonal front grille, the one on the Swift is bigger and doesn’t get any chrome outline. As a result, the Swift looks less bulky and more aggressive. The design of the front bumper of the Swift is also different when compared to the Dzire. While both the cars get round fog lamps, the Swift gets a thinner air dam that runs across the bumper merging with the fog lamp housings on both sides which adds a touch of sportiness.
A concealed rear door handle makes the Swift look like a 3-door hatch from the side. It does give it a clean look but it’s not the most conveniently positioned door handle.
The blacked out A-pillar on the new Swift is quite upright in comparison to the new Dzire, where it is more raked and body-coloured. So both these cars look dissimilar in profile now, as against their previous generations.
The Swift never looked as good from the rear as it looks now. The proportions of the rear windscreen to the metal (on the hatch) to the plastic (bumper) appear just right now with no ungainly mass. The Swift also happens to be the first car under Maruti Suzuki Arena to not get variant badging anywhere. There’s only the DDiS insignia on the front fender of the diesel version.
Swift Interior
The Swift gets an all-black cabin with deep grey inserts on the dashboard and the steering wheel. The layout is essentially similar to that of the Dzire, but little differences like the dial-type AC console and round AC vent design, combined with the all-black interior make it distinctive and sportier. While the cabin does look sporty and better put together than before, it’s still very much like other Maruti Suzuki cars in terms of the plastic quality and materials used.
The front seats are very supportive and are cushioned at the right places -- around the back, shoulders and the lumbar. The driver’s seat is adjustable for height but the steering is only adjustable for rake. A telescopic steering would have been a welcome addition, especially since taller drivers can take the liberty to stretch their legs further, thanks to more leg space at the front compared to the outgoing model. The view out from the front seat is excellent with the upright A-pillar not hindering side vision at all. Turning the Swift or parking it front-first will be easy for most drivers.
Lack of knee room at the rear was one of the shortcomings of the previous generation Swift and that has been addressed in the new version. Thanks to the new Heartect platform, there’s more space inside the cabin as the wheelbase has improved by 20mm. It is now possible for two adults, at least 5’8”, to sit one behind the other without compromising on rear knee room. The boot space has also improved by 58 litres although the loading lip is inconveniently high. Thanks to these changes though, the Swift is a better family car than before.
The Swift gets an all-black cabin with deep grey inserts on the dashboard and the steering wheel. The layout is essentially similar to that of the Dzire, but little differences like the dial-type AC console and round AC vent design, combined with the all-black interior make it distinctive and sportier. While the cabin does look sporty and better put together than before, it’s still very much like other Maruti Suzuki cars in terms of the plastic quality and materials used.
The front seats are very supportive and are cushioned at the right places -- around the back, shoulders and the lumbar. The driver’s seat is adjustable for height but the steering is only adjustable for rake. A telescopic steering would have been a welcome addition, especially since taller drivers can take the liberty to stretch their legs further, thanks to more leg space at the front compared to the outgoing model. The view out from the front seat is excellent with the upright A-pillar not hindering side vision at all. Turning the Swift or parking it front-first will be easy for most drivers.
Lack of knee room at the rear was one of the shortcomings of the previous generation Swift and that has been addressed in the new version. Thanks to the new Heartect platform, there’s more space inside the cabin as the wheelbase has improved by 20mm. It is now possible for two adults, at least 5’8”, to sit one behind the other without compromising on rear knee room. The boot space has also improved by 58 litres although the loading lip is inconveniently high. Thanks to these changes though, the Swift is a better family car than before.
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