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2024 Maruti Swift vs rivals: Enthusiasts reveal their choice of car

12th June 2024, 14:18 by Ananth Iyer

Stylish exterior is unmistakably "Swift", although opinions can be polarizing.

BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

2024 Maruti Suzuki Swift

What you'll like:

Stylish exterior is unmistakably "Swift", although opinions can be polarizing
Smart-looking interior with a good-looking dashboard and fine ergonomics
Manual transmission with short throws is very slick and a joy to use. Absolutely brilliant MT!
Great drivability and light controls, along with a small footprint make it a joy in the city
Sporty engine sound is addictive. It's the best sounding 3-cylinder I've driven
Choice of sporty MT and convenient AMT - take your pick
3-cylinder engine is fuel-efficient; ARAI rating of 25.75 km/l for the AMT (MT is 24.80 km/l)
Enjoyable handling & good high speed composure with a precise steering
Long list of features including automatic LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, LED foglamps, cruise control, 9-inch touchscreen HU paired with an Arkamys sound system, rear A/C vents, wireless charging, footwell lighting, connected car features etc
Safety features such as 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all, ESP, hill-hold assist, ABS+EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts etc.
Maruti's widespread service network, excellent after-sales support & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

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)
Priced very close to the more premium & spacious Baleno
Mediocre plastic quality (interiors) is typical Maruti grade; very ordinary
AMT can get jerky & slow. Some competitors offered smoother ATs (e.g. Altroz DCT, Hyundai's AMT, i20's IVT)
No CNG or diesel option like some rivals
Low speed ride is jiggly due to suspension tune & 15-inch wheels
Black interiors and smallish glass area can make one claustrophobic, particularly at the back
Rear seat’s under-thigh support is mediocre for taller passengers
Some misses (auto-dimming IRVM, TPMS, sunroof, driving modes, smaller spare tyre on the Z trims...)
L & V variants get horribly skinny 165 mm tyres. Please upgrade
163 mm ground clearance raises our eyebrows, although Maruti hatchbacks aren't known to scrape speed breakers

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Review Link

Tata Tiago

What you'll like:

Great styling. A very chic-looking hatchback at a value-for-money price!
Tata has put in a lot of effort on quality and it shows. No signs of cost cutting at all
Solid build & construction, unlike most of its flimsy competitors
High quality, well-designed interiors. Lots of storage and a useful 242 liter boot too
Suspension offers excellent ride comfort with neutral handling
City friendly nature: light controls, agreeable ergonomics & good driveability (both engines)
Amazing 8-speaker Harman entertainment system. Sounds top class
Feature list with 2 driving modes, parking sensors + display, cooled glovebox, full MID & more

What you won't:

Mediocre 3-cylinder engines. Petrol, especially, is unimpressive
Low refinement levels. NVH package has many holes
Rear headroom is tight. Also, a rare Tata hatchback that cannot seat 5 (best for 4)
Concerns over long-term reliability, more so of the freshly developed engines
Tata's after-sales experience remains a gamble. Service quality is far from that of Maruti & Hyundai

Hyundai i20

Review Link

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Review Link

Toyota Glanza

Baleno Vs Glanza

Tata Altroz

What you'll like:

Looks absolutely stunning! Solid build too
Nice interior with good quality parts & adequate space
Accommodating 345-litre boot is among the biggest of the segment
Competent turbo-diesel engine. Good driveability, punchy & fuel-efficient
Mature on-road behaviour, including at highway speeds
5-star NCAP safety rating! Safety package includes dual airbags, CSC, break reminder etc.
Enjoyable Harman 6-speaker ICE. One of the better systems in this segment
Impressive kit (auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control, ambient lighting, adjustable armrest...)
Factory-fitted customisation packs available

What you won't:

Under-powered, lame & noisy 3-cylinder 1.2L petrol engine
Suspension has a firm edge at low speeds (16" rim variants). Bad roads will bother you
Diesel variant carries an insane premium! Works out to almost Rs. 2 lakhs on the road
Service visit every 6 months / 7,500 km (1 year / 10,000 km is the norm today)
Some missing features (auto-dimming IRVM, thinner spare tyre on top trims, split-folding rear seat...)
No automatic variant in a market that loves its ATs
Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
Concerns over niggles in a freshly-baked Tata product

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

What you'll like:

Unique, funky design - exterior & interior stand out in a crowd. Customisation options available
Smart packaging! Good legroom & headroom in such a small car. Useable 260-liter boot too
Peppy petrol & efficient diesel. What’s more, the AMT automatic is available with both engines
Dual airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchors are standard across all variants
Maruti's widespread service network, excellent after-sales support & fuss-free ownership experiences
Features such as LED projector headlamps + DRLs, reversing camera, Apple & Android ICE, navigation, electrically-foldable ORVMs etc.

What you won't:

Simply overpriced, not a VFM Maruti. Top trim is especially pricey
You can buy more accomplished cars for the same (Grand i10) or a little more (Baleno) money
Weird rear end styling. Overall, the unconventional looks will polarize opinions
AMT, although improved, still can’t match conventional ATs on smoothness or speed
Narrow cabin width. Rear seat is better for 2 adults than 3
32-liter fuel tank is too small for this segment. Even the humble Alto gets a larger tank

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