Maruti Swift

Overview

I just took the Maruti Swift for a spin, and let me tell you this is one car that you just want to put smile on your face. It’s one of those rides that ticks the practical and a little bit of spunk boxes. A little something to liven things up on your daily drives. If style, performance, and everyday usefulness are what you're after in a car then you'll want to take a good look at the Swift. Finally, after some time with it, I do my honest take here.

Design and Look  

I love that the Swift doesn’t over do it in terms of being sporty. It’s compact, those smooth curves and a bold front grille that adds just enough attitude. It’s got a personality for a hatchback that doesn’t try too hard whatsoever. Sweet spot between sporty and practical, Maruti found. It’s got those floating roof and that swept-back headlights, and just somehow they give it a very modern vibe, it just feels very fresh. Kind of like they wanted just enough flair to keep it interesting without being too loud to scream out. I believe that the kind of car personally I think is the kind which is just enough to make you look cool and yet sufficiently everyday usable.

Engine and Performance  

The Swift's 1.2L petrol engine is frankly a gem for the city. It’s quick, it feels smooth, you press the accelerator and you get this ‘zippy’ feeling about it that’s impossible to avoid. While not a high performance beast, it’ll get the job done and has a little pep to make you feel like you’ve got an active monkey under your grip. It is fuel efficiency that really stands out. Even when I pushed it a bit hard for some spirited driving the fuel gauge hardly moved. Not that a bit more money for fuel is going to break the bank when you’re commuting daily but that's huge if you aren't. I took the time to take it on a quick highway run, and while it isn’t especially fast at high speeds, it’s in city traffic where this engine really comes into its own. Given that it’s designed to deliver just the right balance of pep and efficiency for city roads, it feels like Maruti designed this engine.

Interior and Features  

I can say Maruti has done a decent job with the interior, stepping inside. It’s not trying to be ultra premium, it's comfortable and it’s laid out in a way that just works. Seats are cozy and even in back you get legroom. It’s clean, intuitive and with all the controls exactly where you would expect them. The Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is pretty straight forward for syncing your phone or getting some tunes going and navigating.

Compared to a hatchback, it’s storage wise thought out. It’s not a huge boot, but it does enough for grocery runs or a couple of small suitcases, and that’s fine. But I noticed that they’ve put practical things in like cup holders, door pockets and a reasonably sized glovebox. Everything looks like it’s built to help make your daily drives easier, but it’s nothing flashy. That to me is exactly what a practical car interior should be.

Ride and Handling  

This now gets fun with the Swift. It’s light and responsive steering, so it’s a doddle to zip through the city traffic and fit into the tight parking spots. My senses almost tell it, and it almost feels like the car already knows where you want it to go before you even make a move. I liked that a lot, that’s something I found myself appreciating a lot. While it doesn't really lean over to sports car territory, the ride comfort end of the suspension swing lies more there than sportiness. It’s built for the city, and it truly rides city roads superbly.

The compact size paired with good visibility bank parking and turns feel easy. Really worth doing this if you live in a crowded city or navigating narrow lanes. I like that the Swift just feels ready to just take on the chaos of city life, going with the flow.

Comparison and Verdict  

In case you were looking at other cars in this category, you will get the Tata Tiago and the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios. With a little bit more of a refined interior, the Grand i10 Nios, the Tiago feels a bit sturdy, but the Swift has this mix of style and fun that’s hard to beat. As though the car is trying to encourage you to get pleasure out of your drive and not just get you from A to B.

Would I recommend the Swift, then? Absolutely. If you want reliable car, car that is fuel efficient and has some fun in it for your everyday drives, the Swift makes a great choice. But it’s not over the top, it’s got some quirk and pizazz to the driving that’s been fun, and not necessarily annoying. The Swift feels like a hatchback that has a real grasp on what people need for city life but doesn’t lack the energy to keep things interesting. If you’ve got a hand around your budget and are looking for something easy going, practical and with enough spirit to make each and every drive enjoyable, the Swift could be just the ticket.