Style unlimited. Review on Maruti Suzuki Swift

I can't take my eyes off it as it stands tall in my drive. The ad said ''My next car is a Swift''. I'll say, ''My first car is a Swift''. I recently bought a red Swift Vxi. And notwithstanding the soft corner one always has for one's first car, I'll try to make my analysis as unbiased as possible.

For starters, the name 'Swift' may be a slight misnomer as I didn't find the pickup all that zippy. However, I am personally more fond of cruising rather than zipping and that's what this car does well. Let's talk about each aspect of the Vxi.

Engine: 1298 cc engine - probably the esteem engine with higher intake - 87 bhp (compared to 85 bhp of esteem) - not too sharp but very silent. Twice I have turned on the ignition on a running engine. The layout under the hood is also quite neat.

Interiors: Now this is one area that Maruti has surprisingly not paid much attention to. I found the finish a bit tacky - for example, the gap between the power-window panel and the hand rest is huge and uneven. The windows also seem to have a poor finish as they occasionally rattle. The dashboard is really neat and gives a very clean look. Utility however is compromised because there isn't much space for storing stuff - the glove compartment is unwieldy and small. There's a lot of space on top of the dashboard to keep small stuff, but I don't really like keeping stuff on the dashboard as their reflection on the windscreen is distracting and can be dangerous in case of accidents. The back windscreen is narrow and not very handy while reversing. However, the outdoor rear view mirrors (ORVM) are really useful. The only problem is that since the Swift is so wide, I always have to ask my wife to adjust the left ORVM for me, much to her annoyance. Some other handy features are the remote fuel lid opener, the door ajar warning lamp and the warning signal you get if you leave the key inside (good for absent minded guys like me). Power windows and central locking are added attractions in the Vxi. There is a provision for round 6-inch speakers on all four doors so there is certainly no compromise on sound quality (no tiny tweeters). I've added a sony mp3/cd player (music system is not part of standard accessory).

Safety: The Zxi has ABS and Safety airbags - but while Vxi doesn't have much to boast about, the car itself feels very safe and cozy. The body looks pretty sturdy and the car stands in a pose that hugs the ground - that itself makes you feel very safe. Of course the standard seat belts for all five passengers have been given and there the Vxi also has a feature called 'brake assist'. I found the brakes a bit too quick but that is probably because I'm used to driving an 800 before this.

Control: Excellent control with the power steering. I went for a couple of long rides and hardly felt anything. The car has superb maneuverability especially in the city.

Feel: The Swift has an SUVish feel. You don't settle down into this car the way you do in an esteem or a fiat palio. You climb up into the car and sit up there and command the roads. The car wraps around you and gives a cozy feel (though some people might find it a bit claustrophobic). I love the dark cozy feeling inside the car - I'm even planning to get black leather upholstery. Road hold is excellent and you can ride on the roughest roads without feeling much - thanks to the well-designed suspensions. Of course, one understands that some compromise might have been made on the softness of the suspension to balance the control.

Space: The Swift looks compact, but the space inside is good. I read a lot of reviews that said that space is less, but I think it's just right for my family of five. It's an RTO approved 5-seater with ample width (1690 mm - just like a Honda City). Leg-room though is average. Space for nick-nacks is a little less as I mentioned earlier. The boot looks very small but if you peep in, it's quite deep - so it can accommodate quite some stuff. The 232 ltrs boot suffers a bit due to the sides of the boot being occupied by the suspensions.

Mileage: I know most people are looking out for this. I read some horror stories about the mileage not exceeding 8 or 9. Some magazines put it at around 14-15, 12 in the city and 18-20 on the highway. Some people told me that initially it gives around 10 and then goes to 15 by 3rd servicing. Well, I've been getting around 13.5 kmpl.

Looks: Need I say anything? I know people's likings differ, but personally, it's the only hatchback I ever fell in love with at first sight.

Whether you should go for the Swift or not depends on what you really need. I went for the Swift Vxi because we already have a Maruti Alto at home for the city trips and needed a car for longer trips. Also, I found the features to be good for the price. Finally, it's a car that makes people turn their heads and look at it. It looks sturdy and masculine and it's one-and-a-half box European design makes it stand apart from the crowd of box-like hatchbacks. For the price, I didn't find a better deal.

A final tip: Since the demand for this car is so high, delivery has been a problem (though I got mine within a week's time). The other problem is that due to the high demand, the dealer won't give you any accessories - not even floor mats and mud-guards - so factor that in when you negotiate the price/emi with your dealer/bank. Also check out for facilities that your dealer offers - like picking up your car for regular services. I bought it from Kataria Automobiles, Vapi - and have had a good experience till now.

Happy car-buying!

UPDATE - 10-Nov-05: Check out for the power windows. The button on the passenger side power window in my car keeps falling inside the handrest - this is the second time it has happened. Also, the window on the passenger seat keeps rattling and in spite of specifically asking the dealer to fix it, it is still there.

UPDATE - 21-Dec-05: I've done about 2700 kms and am getting a mileage of around 15.5 kmpl (about 50% of the time was on the highway). The lowest I got till now is 12.3 and the highest is 16.8.

The other day we had a free Maruti Service camp where the service fellow told me that nowadays most dealers give your car a free teflon coating ('teflon' is debateable, but there's some kind of scratch-proof coating) and anti-rust coating when you buy the car. If you ask and insist for it they give you, but otherwise they don't. I never knew about this - so I called up my dealer's place and asked about it, they said they don't offer it. The two coatings together cost about Rs. 4,200/-. So if anyone's buying the car (not only Swift, any car), you can try asking for the free coatings from your dealer. Once you've purchased the car, then they won't do it for you.

UPDATE - 19-Mar-06: Average is steady at 15. Power window switch broke once again! I have finally got the window rattling problem resolved by the dealer - though the Swift always has a little bit of window rattle (conspicuous when you shut the door). I just got a polish job done (cost me 2000/-) but my car is really shining now! The leather cover on the gear stick has mysteriously torn off (but I suspect my two-year old daughter is the culprit here :-))!