[Vikram9193]

Great review! So high speed stability is good, suspension is silent, and safety is finally good enough (subject to tests). The steering too is well-weighted. In other words, the Swift is now a grown up car like the Euro hatches. This is big news.

But have traditional strengths been retained? Well the engine sounds good, but it’s slower, and doesn’t race to the redline. The car is still light and agile, but may not be able to oversteer and sharpen its line under trailing throttle, whereas the first and second gen cars apparently could do this***.

Other disappointments: the engine cutting out at the redline, the less sporty dash, and Suzuki’s continued cost cutting with rear seat seatbelt sensors.

***I don’t have first hand experience of this technique. I’m a Punto guy and never learnt to do this since my car doesn’t seem to lift-off oversteer, except once on an S-bend (!). Apparently the Baleno RS and the Figos and old Swifts are the cars for the job, rather than the much vaunted Punto and Polo. Autocar UK review of the last gen Swift and Swift Sport said both cars had lost this ability, but the previous ones had it.

[kpkeerthi]

Originally Posted by nithin_dct

I have booked a AMT and yet to test drive. is it not as good as baleno AMT?

The outgoing (1.2L 4-cyl dual jet) Swift's and the current gen Baleno's AMT are one and the same. It's highly unlikely that Maruti would compromise on the quality of the AMT in the newer Swift compared to the outgoing model. However, do test drive and decide for yourself.

[TheSMG]

Visited showroom and checked New Swift. Test drive car was not available, however I got an opportunity to start the engine of the car at the showroom basement. The engine is nowhere as refined as the previous K12 series engine at idle of my Baleno. There are vibrations felt under the seat. Moreover, the seat height adjustment available previously is missing from this version. Good things noticed are even though the AC is not Auto AC for VXi, but the controls are same as auto AC and not the flimsy knobs. The ICE in VXi has wireless smartphone connectivity.

[W.A.G.7]

Wow! It looks good in the photos. But, as I said... the engine will be underpowered. As mentioned above, 99% of the people wouldn't care if it made 81 or 89 horsepower. They will go with the Swift Brand name and bring the cash to Maruti. Having said everything about the power, I have to admit it - it will be a good secondary city runabout beater car for the family. It will be worth checking out the new Swift in person, just for the heck of it!! I did not see the review for the AMT version of the Swift here, did I miss it somewhere in between?

[buzzy_boy]

Checked out the Swift at the showroom. They weren't offering test drives yet. But, realised one thing straight away; if you're an enthusiast = you'll buy the Swift MT, period. Just for the MT gearbox.

Oh - my - goodness: I haven't experienced such good action in a hatchback for a very long time. The closest rival is the MT on the Honda City. However, unlike the City, the Swift seems to have a more sorted chassis.

The good engine note is the cherry on the cake. Who needs power when you can just hoon this thing about, a couple of gears lower than where you should be.

I can't wait to get my hands on a TD.

[Durango Dude]

That the 2024 Swift hasn't appealed to TBHP members is evident in that I had to search for it and wasn't to be found in the first 3 pages It's gotten buried somewhere in the archives on day one itself. I've mixed feeling for this iteration of the Swift as the it's polarized opinion like no other iteration of the Swift before: due to down grade of power, torque and cylinders, hefty increase in price and dark as death interiors and that screen with huge bezels looks down right ancient. Maruti is becoming complacent and is milking it's good will till the udders bleed. For the increase in price it must Wow the market with a better engine and great interiors: that the 2024 Swift has fallen short off.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by sulliavi

There is a Kannada proverb: "ಬರ್ತಾ ಬರ್ತಾ ರಾಯರ ಕುದುರೆ ಕತ್ತೆಯಾಯ್ತು", translates to "Gradually, the king's horse turned into a mule." This is what has happened to Swift over these years.

What a shame Maruti !

I agree with you completely. The first Gen (Horse) Suzuki Swift that came out in 2005 ( close to 20 years ago) had a quiter engine, more horse power and better torque than the present 4th Gen (Mule) Suzuki Swift. Looks are subjective and I feel the first Gen Swift looked better too.

Maruti has the habit of shooting itself in it's leg when the going is great. It killed the Maruti Zen to bring out the Estilo, that failed miserably and couldn't hold a candle to it's predecessor.

I loved the earlier sedan "Baleno" for it's peppy engine and amazing driveablity and it was a good car (except for the boxy looking rear section) and then Maruti hicjacked that name and stamped it on a compact car. same thing with "Grand Vitara". The earlier SUV turned into another premium compact car with same name. Doesn't Maruti have any new names for these new cars?

I was looking forward for the new 4th Gen Swift. perhaps a decent bump in the power and a proper upgrade. Now it is here, I see, it's a huge let down. So, I join the chorus.... What a shame, Maruti!

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

I was looking forward for the new 4th Gen Swift. perhaps a decent bump in the power and a proper upgrade. Now it is here, I see, it's a huge let down. So, I join the chorus.... What a shame, Maruti!

No amount of shaming is going to change the fact that the Swift 1.2 was at best, a brisk car. Then came others in the hatch segment which were much faster. The Abarth Punto and the Polo 1.2 GT TSI remain the best sporty packages in the hatch segment to my mind. I haven't driven the 1.0 Hyundai turbos, but the Polo's DSG 1.2 Tsi combo was explosive. If anything, the Swift 1.3 DDIS was the real deal.

[RunGaDa]

Originally Posted by deovrat

Just as a theoretical discussion, can it really be a con at this stage if the said vehicle later goes on to attain, say a 4-star rating? A lot of new vehicle launches have not been tested either by GNCAP or Bharat NCAP, the new Creta as an example. Yet those reviews never mentioned this as a con, and rightfully in my view.

Yes, it’s a Maruti. The focus is on mileage per litre. Expecting them to build heavy cars with more mileage needs innovation. Neither there’s a hunger nor desire to do that.

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by Deamon0508

I'm genuinely curious, and not just for your comment but in general, why would anyone need to rev up to the redline during an overtake?

...

At lower gears (ignore 1st), if I'm going up to the redline, I'd assume it's because it's a single carriage way and I see oncoming traffic, requiring me to accelerate and complete the overtake. In which case, I'll probably reduce the risk to my car and the oncoming traffic and hang back for a longer better clearing.

Maybe a scenario that I haven't thought of yet?

I absolutely didn't have any intent of bashing. We are respectful on this forum and all comments are appreciated.

You are correct - It is precisely at lower gears on single carriage ways when you are trying to close gaps that I was talking about. An example is the Coimbatore L&T bypass - notorious for slow moving & long trucks, sometimes two of them in convoy. A weak engine means you will push it harder and then this cut off means you will be caught off guard if you do not know the characteristics of the engine. The diesel I have driven just tapers off on power and even then, it had to be a planned overtake with early upshifts right at the edge of the powerband.

You are careful (and planned) which is great, but I have seen several people who pin the A Pedal in the hopes that the car will accelerate in proportion to the throttle input and those are the folks I want to caution.

Also, you can say that I am disappointed that Maruti has reduced the power of the iconic Swift significantly.

[Latheesh]

Why does the rear 3/4 view reminds me of Fiat 500?

Slowly and steadily Swift "design" identity is losing with each iteration.

[Deamon0508]

Originally Posted by sudeepg

I absolutely didn't have any intent of bashing. We are respectful on this forum and all comments are appreciated.

...

Also, you can say that I am disappointed that Maruti has reduced the power of the iconic Swift significantly.

Thank bud, much appreciated.

You're right in being disappointed with the lack of power in the new swift, but from all I've seen and read, the real-world difference would be marginal at best, and the 4th gen would probably have a better low-end than K12. The spec-sheet doesn't necessarily convey the whole story.

I personally lost the Swift plot after the first generation itself, albeit good, the second was much softer than the 1st gen DDiS that I so fondly remember. Third gen felt flimsy and with very obvious cost controls. The fourth, I can't look beyond the bonnet shut line and the somewhat disproportionate rear three quarters.

Needless to say, this is going to be a success, and can hopefully prevent the extinction of characterful hatchbacks in India.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by Aditya

• 1.2L petrol is not fast & exciting enough for enthusiasts. Not as refined as the outgoing 4-cylinder, nor as powerful (power has actually dropped to just 81 BHP)

Name is Swift, but not as swift. This is the new generation, but built for the older generation.

Maruti is a company so obsessed with volumes and margins. When they're capable to kill an iconic nameplate as a Jimny in India, this is more much digestible. Now I read that they're not going to offer any sport or RS edition in India. Maruti is doing just Maruti things, let's just sit and watch.

Maruti doesn't believe in brand building. They just want to be seen as the flag bearers of efficiency and economy. Look at Hyundai and Kia. They have the N lines and faster turbo petrols and with full 4 cylinder. Maruti and it's top honchos(read RC Bhargava) instead introduces Cylinder Deactivation Technology, of a different kind..

i've never owned a Swift, but have driven them a lot on many occassions. What a delight it was to drive them, even more so with wider and superior tyres. So, well done Maruti for killing the essence of another iconic car. After all, "watering down" is the theme you like the most, top to bottom.

As long as it keeps the cash registers ringing, Maruti would continue to churn out these.

[deovrat]

Originally Posted by RunGaDa

Yes, it’s a Maruti. The focus is on mileage per litre. Expecting them to build heavy cars with more mileage needs innovation. Neither there’s a hunger nor desire to do that.

The review mentions "body shell featuring 45% high tensile steel and 20% ultra-high strength steel". Lets hope that is not just marketing jargon and that it actually converts to some real world safety rating. Fingers crossed

[Bhodrolok]

Does it have weight sensors in the rear seats or do the seats belts have to be kept plugged when there are no occupants to avoid continuous beeps?

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

Name is Swift, but not as swift. This is the new generation, but built for the older generation.

It's almost as if they are targeting the same buyer who bought their Swifts in early 2000s and their current age related concerns.