Why would I buy it?

Fun to drive Smooth and efficient petrol engine Effortless aftersales experience

Why would I avoid it?

Lacks new-age features Build quality not the best Firm low speed ride

Verdict

Overall Score

8 / 10

Finding a proper jack-of-all-trades hatchback is not as easy as it sounds. For all intents and purposes, your regular hatch is either comfortable or a hoot to drive. Value oriented or outright premium. Backed by a household name or a relatively newer brand. However, complications become apparent when a hatchback tries to do everything well all at once. Which is what makes the Maruti Suzuki Swift such a fascinating proposition. On sale since 2005, the Swift has always been particularly sporty to drive and to look at but lacking in terms of rear-seat space and equipment. In 2018 Maruti did improve the thing on all those counts with the third-gen model which is not only stylish and fun to drive but also a genuinely comfortable family hatch.

Three years on, the Swift has now been refreshed with a substantial engine update and additional equipment. Here’s what all you get in the 2021 model year update.

Engine and Performance

7 / 10

The most improved bit of the 2021 Swift is its engine. It is still Maruti’s 1.2-litre 4-cylinder K-Series engine but with improved combustion tech. In fact, the engine gets 2 injectors per cylinder and variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust valves. The Swift now makes 90bhp (up from 83bhp) and 113Nm of torque, both handy if not remarkable figures. Maruti Suzuki says they have also improved the fuel efficiency and lowered the emissions of this K-Series motor by adding idle stop/start tech and improving the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system.

As a result, claimed fuel efficiency is now as much as 23.20kmpl for the manual and 23.76kmpl for the AMT version. Now there wasn’t enough time to put these figures to test but we did manage to strap our specialist timing gear onto the new Swift to eke out acceleration and roll-on figures.

Predictably, the new, more powerful Swift posted a slightly quicker 0-100kmph time of 11.75 seconds compared to the old car (12.26 seconds). In terms of roll-on acceleration, it did 20-80kmph in third in 14.35 seconds and 40-100kmph in fourth in 16.90 seconds, making it decently responsive. More than raw numbers we ended the day highly impressed with how refined this new K-Series motor is. It is outstandingly quiet and smooth with no vibrations whatsoever for the most part. Sure, this naturally aspirated engine is no match for the power delivered by the new range of 1-litre turbo motors but the new Swift is still plenty quick and moves forward with enough gusto. Unfortunately, if you want a hot Swift, there isn’t one at the moment but given its looks, there should be.

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Ride and Handling

7.5 / 10

Those familiar with the pre-facelift Swift, or even the Baleno or the Ignis for that matter, would identify similarities in the way the new Swift rides over different surfaces. Maruti hasn’t altered the ride and handling set up, meaning the low speed ride still borders on a firmer side although we would like to add that the Swift is in no way uncomfortable over broken roads. Sure, you can hear the suspension working over pot holes and expansion joints but the overall ride quality remains pleasant and flat. The light steering is excellent for driving in traffic but is likely to leave some drivers wanting for more weight and feedback when driven spiritedly. Thankfully the Swift now gets a self-centering rack which makes low speed driving a lot more reassuring. All in all, the light steering combined with a reactive front-end makes the Swift feel quite dart-y. The only downer is the economy-minded Apollo Alnac tires which struggle to remain quiet and lose traction earlier than expected when you are really going for it.

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Interior Space and Quality

7 / 10

The cabin design and layout is untouched for the next generation model. That said, it remains among the better looking/packaged interiors in its segment. Like before, the Swift gets a seemingly sporty all-black cabin whereas the Dzire is shipped with a more mature looking beige interior and just like before, the dashboard is minimalistic yet smartly styled with the large infotainment display dominating proceedings. Plastic quality remains good for the segment with fit and finish similarly ranked, however, there are still some mediocre bits to be seen out in the open – the door panel and the center stack appear too shiny and a little hard. Overall, the fit and finish is decent but it cannot match the likes of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios or the Volkswagen Polo.

The Swift isn’t the largest hatchback in its class yet it has a fairly long wheelbase which means the doors are large enough and they open wide for easy entry and exit. Interior space remains unchanged and that’s not a bad thing at all. The 2021 Swift continues to be a comfortable family hatch with large and accommodating front seats and a good deal of leg space. The rear bench offers excellent back support and while the legroom is on par with the segment, under-thigh support is particularly good since the seat is set fairly high.

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Features and Safety

6.5 / 10

The tech stuff is headlined by Maruti’s Smartplay infotainment system which is now featured across their range. Although not the sleekest system, it is fairly easy to use and comes with smartphone mirroring and now with a host of cloud-based services. The audio quality and output is on par with the segment, however, the lack of physical buttons to control everything is bothersome on the move. The 2021 Swift comes with dual front airbags, ABS, a reversing camera with guidelines and parking sensors but there is more to the safety story. With the update, you also get ESP, bigger brakes on both ends and a recalibrated steering with self-centering to improve things further. In terms of comfort features, cruise control and key synchronized electrically foldable wing mirrors have been added to the top-spec variant, however, the Swift misses out on a few new-age features like rear AC vents and wireless charging, that ideally should be standard on the top-spec variant for this kind of money.

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Conclusion

7 / 10

There is a lot to like about the 2021 Swift and the way it looks despite the lack of any substantial visual changes. It’s a thoroughly modern design, without being zany, and has a solid evenness in its lines and creases and that’s something which is becoming rare in new car designs. There aren’t many hatchbacks that look this good and drive this well and with the 2021 update, you also get more equipment and safety features for your money. More importantly, the fact that the Swift is backed by the most trusted brand in the business also helps its cause.

Now although the 2021 Swift doesn’t address all of the previous model’s foibles, namely the firm low speed ride, lack of new-age features and hard plastics, it is still plenty likeable and the improved petrol engine and driving experience should be enough to comfortably keep it on top of the sales chart.

Pictures by Kapil Angane