Review: 2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift

The Maruti Suzuki Swift has been on sale in the country for more than a decade and a half and has crossed many important milestones during that period. On last count it had already crossed the 23 lakh sales in India. It's been 3 years since India largest car maker launched a brand-new generation of the hatch in the country, so it was about time that the car was given a facelift and that is exactly what has been done. There are minor updates on the outside and inside but more importantly the car gets a more powerful heart that is also more fuel-efficient than before.

Also read: 2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift Facelift Launched In India, Prices Start At ₹ 5.73 Lakh

Design

The new mesh grille is the big change on the face of the car.

The big change on the front is the new grille that gets a horizontal chrome slat running across it. The LED projector headlamps with DRLs, large halogen fog lamps and the bumper remain the same as earlier. The car now gets key synchronised auto foldable ORVMs as well. 15-inch alloys are available only on the top 2 variants, while the 2 lower trims get 14-inch steel wheels.  

Also read: 2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift Facelift: All You Need To Know

There are now 3 dual tone colour options to choose from in the ZXi+ variant.

The Swift now also gets new dual tone colour options which are available only on the top ZXi+ trim. Apart from the solid fire red with midnight black roof you see in these images you can also choose between pearl metallic midnight blue with pearl arctic white roof or pearl arctic white with midnight black roof. Other variants get 6 mono-tone colour options.

Tech & Interior

The revised instrument cluster now gets a colour TFT display.

The cabin of the 2021 Swift gets few, yet significant changes. The revised twin-pod instrument cluster now comes with a 4.2-inch coloured TFT display and looks much better than the monochrome unit seen earlier. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with SmartPlay studio also finds a place on the new Swift and it is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  It can be controlled via an app which also comes with a navigation system. The seats also get new upholstery which feels a tad bit more premium than before.

Also read: Maruti Suzuki Swift Surpasses 23 Lakh Unit Sales Milestone

7-inch touchscreen gets the updated Smartplay studio system

The new Swift also gets Cruise control and that along with coloured MID, reverse parking camera and follow me home headlamps can only be found on the top ZXi+ variant.  The Touchscreen system, steering mounted controls, leather wrapped steering wheel, engine start stop button and auto climate control are available from the ZXi variant onwards. Central locking, height adjustable drivers' seat and adjustable front headrests are missing only from the base LXi variant.  In the second-row adjustable headrests for 2 passengers and 60:40 split seats can again be found only on the top 2 variants. And still there's no place for an armrest, AC vents or charging points for the rear seat. 

Dynamics

The  1.2 litre Petrol mill makes more power than before.

It might just be a facelift but there is still lots to talk about the heart of this car. The new-generation K-series 1.2-litre dual Jet VVT petrol engine has been taken from the Baleno hatchback. It now makes 88 bhp at 6000 rpm which is 6 brake horsepower more than before. This makes the Swift one of the more powerful cars in the segment and those extra horses mean that it has become more engaging drive that before. A peak torque figure of 113 Nm is also quite healthy, but it arrives a bit late at 4,200 rpm and that takes a little bit of fun away once you get behind the wheel. For those asking if there's a turbo option available, well there isn't one!

Introduction of idle start-stop system ensures better fuel efficiency.

Just like before, the Swift gets both a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT gearbox options. It is one of the many cars from the brand that continues to get the Auto gearshift technology that promises clutch free driving along with better fuel efficiency at a nominal cost, albeit with compromised driving pleasure. For the first time it also gets the idle start stop system, seen on many other cars from Maruti Suzuki. The system helps in achieving higher fuel efficiency and if Maruti is to be believed the Swift now gives 23.20 kmpl on the manual and a slightly higher 23.76 kmpl in this AGS or AMT variant that I got to drive. That is a good 2 kmpl more than before.

Also read: Maruti Suzuki Swift: India's 15-Year Long Love Affair With The Hatch

The Swift remains an agile car and driving it through traffic is very easy. It feels equally at home in the city or on empty roads. The revised steering helps in justifying the hot-hatch tag that has always been associated with the car. The stiff ride and bigger brakes also help in enhancing that reputation this car has built for itself.

Safety

AGS variants of the car get ESP with hill-hold function.

On the safety front, the model now comes with electronic stability program (ESP) with hill-hold on the AMT versions. Dual airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX anchors come as standard on all variants of the car.

Prices

New Swift has become dearer by approximately Rs. 20,000.

The new Swift is approximately Rs. 20,000 expensive than before. Prices for the manual variants start at Rs. 5.73 lakh and go up to Rs. 7.91 lakh for the dual tone models (all prices, ex-showroom). The AGS is available on all but the base variants and is priced between Rs. 6.86 and Rs. 8.41 lakh rupees. The car competes directly against the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios that is priced between Rs. 5.19 lakh and Rs. 7.33 lakh for the manual variants and Rs. 6.57 lakh and Rs. 7.80 lakh for the AMT.

The car has been launched in 4 trims - LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi+

This means the new Swift isn't exactly value for money and while all the changes have made it more appealing than before it has also become a little dearer to own. But there are still a lot of factors that will make you choose it over other cars including the trust the Maruti brand commands and those will help the hatch hold on to its number 1 tag.