It is a GREAT car!!!!. Review on Maruti Suzuki Swift VDi

Got my Swift Vdi delivered on 20th September 2007.  It is a great car with certain distinct cosmetic shortcomings. Here are my two cents about this car.

Engine is almost silent, but vibrations are still felt at low RPMs. There is no problem as car gathers speed. This can be excused for a diesel car, but this being Swift and keeping in mind to improve the breed, Maruti should refine the dampening effect. The turbo charger is like a gift from god. One can feel the energy building up as rev count reaches 2k and the effect as soon as it crosses it. Sounds good too. Not for people who want have Beethoven's company inside. But thanks to all the plethora of technology which uses variable valve timers and DOHC and what else, the fuel is efficiently utilized to give a good amount of torque at low RPM which in most cases will not let you down with a want for power. Due to this the car feels nimble even at low speeds.

This is where it has gone a bit wrong. The plastic is sub standard, weak and dull to the eye. The interior could have been darkened or very much lightened. The current color just sucks some of the enthusiasm away. The control buttons are also flimsy and lack appeal. I found side the AC vents good but the central one totally kills the effect of the round pods. The driver console is what gets me going. The amber background is appealing. No rear defoggers. Not a problem in Pune but can hear some people moaning up in North. One can get this feature in other cars of similar price. The doors rattled when I got the car delivered but it was fixed after first servicing. I do not know if it is a problem with power window versions or with every diesel version. If they can rectify it during first service, why was it not done so at the beginning. Why wait for the first service? There is a small bit of rattling that still exists but don’t know whether it is mental or physical. Lots of space at the front and a lot less at the back end. There is a gradual decrease and it can be seen. Can’t see me complain, as you will not ever find me there. This makes it a pure driver's car.

The ride is comfortable as long as road is not littered with potholes. The set up of the car is such that the suspension is bit stiff. Good to dampen out the vibration from the engine but I can feel the road beneath me most of the time. The car is very stable at top speed and the needle of the Speedo reaches 160 and tries very hard to cross over. I cannot ask for more. Fatter tires are desired and alloys should be made compulsory but again, this might be the case as car might set up for optimum mileage. This is my guess. Better suggestions are welcome. Seats are very comfortable. Height adjustment is a required feature which has gone missing. There might be a problem for hobbits but otherwise fine for normal people.  All problems aside, car feels racy and when one gets into the driver seat, there is always a longing to take this thing somewhere very far and then keep going till one runs out of road.

16kmpl in city is the least which I was promised in city and I get a fraction more than that in Pune. No complains here as I can barely get out of third gear. Took it on the highway and got 20kmpl. I was driving at speeds excess of 110 most of the time.  I am told that this will improve after the car has done 3000k. Might not be true but my fingers are crossed as this is one of the salient factors why I went for this vehicle.

In the end, it is a great car worth the money. There is never a better feeling than to be driving the latest technology in such an appealing package. Kudos to Maruti Suzuki for gifting mortals of India with such a great vehicle. One almost cannot ask for anything more. CHEERS!!!!