The New Swift: Is the Price Right?

Talk about the Swift and all you would find is a massive number owning or aspiring to own them. Its not only the good looks of the car, it has a lot to do with when "You're the Fuel". Not only has the Swift been a fun car to drive, but, its responsive engine and cheap spares were good enough factors to take the country by a storm which it did. The first version of the Swift back in 2005 took the country by a storm. Not just was it an instant hit, it became the ultimate hot hatchback with a decent feel at a really affordable price tag. With the first generation petrol motor being a naturally aspirated 1.3 liter mill, the kick was good enough. However, with next-gen technologies and manufacturers working on the more powerful while being more fuel efficient engines, the birth of the KB12 series engine took place. With a decent figure of 17.5 kilometers to a liter and 85 PS of power, the new kid on the block sure packed a punch. At Rs.4.09 lakhs, ex-showroom delhi, the LXi version was available with a 1.3 liter motor.

However, despite having the premiumness a hatchback should have, it lacked some significant features which came up in the other models of different makes as the competition grew. With more manufacturers wanting to have the biggest slice in the hatchback segment for themselves, Maruti Suzuki had to do something more. Enter the new Swift. The LXi trim available for Rs.4.22 lakhs, offers the same design style as the old one, however, small details have been taken care of and it surely is way ahead of what the old one ever could be. Also, this time around, the KB12 gets a Variable Valve Timing making it more efficient. We don't have the tested figures yet, however, the ARAI claimed figure is 18.6 kilometers to a liter. Not only that, the new Swift is also lighter, longer and lighter by 20 kilos making it faster off the block. As for the interiors, the plastic quality is way better. But, then again, why are we telling you this? What matters more is the tilt steering and height adjustable driver and passenger seats and the tachometer which runs standard across all models.

Now, lets upgrade a little and look at the VXi versions of both the models. The Driver Information System that was surely being missed in the earlier version of the Swift has got its space. Not to mention the waterfall centre console that gives the car a more upmarket feel to it. With the chrome handles and silver accents running throughout the car, the VXi version surely has what the earlier swift did not have - a welcoming feel. Electrically adjustable ORVMs that were given with an internally adjustable manual mirrors was a pain. Oh yes! Did we mention the new Swift also has indicators on the ORVMs, retractable front cup holders right in front of the vents. At Rs. 4.76 lakhs compared to its older cousin for Rs. 4.63 lakhs ex-showroom delhi, the price margin is not much for the more swift you get.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

However, none other than the top-end variants were the most desirable and the ZXi version which was probably the least sold version in the earlier times may have a better fan following this time. ABS with EBD comes standard in this version just like the old one. However, the new Swift has an upper hand at the feel of the car due to the rally suspension and light weight. Add to this the 15 inch alloys that not only offer a better grip, but, look way better than the earlier 14 inch alloys. At Rs. 5.53 lakhs, the new swift is just a bit more expensive than the old one by a margin of Rs. 15000 ex-showroom Delhi.

Now, what all of us have been waiting for - a diesel mill for the Swift. Conceived in collaboration with Fiat, the 1.3 liter motor in 2007, it is the best engine available in the hatchback market today. Take it over the 2000 rpm mark and let loose the beast within. This never meant compromising on efficiency. A decent overall figure of 14 kilometers to a liter was achieved by the testing team here. Now, the new swift is priced at Rs. 5.17 lakhs which is again Rs. 18000 more than what you would pay for the earlier version. However, with just a margin of the price, what you get is more of the Swift with the Tilt Steering and a tachometer.

As for the VDis' of the two, the new one has electrically adjustable ORVMs which were not there in the earlier version. As for the tacho, it came standard in the old one as the new one. At Rs. 5.61 lakhs for the new VDi compared to Rs. 5.37 lakhs, the new Swift has is just a wee-bit more than the old but with a lot of features that were actually, well, missed.

Now, when the diesel Swift came, people waited for a long time for a ZDi trim to be launched. However, this never happened. What was given in the market was a VDi with and ABS option. The VDi never came with an intergrated stereo which was there in the petrol ZXi. One had to pay extra for that. As for the new ZDi, you not only get ABS with EBD, you also get SRS Airbags up front, steering mounted controls and this surely means an integrated stereo with 15 inch alloys. This is one variant which needs no upgrade in terms of cosmetic appeal. At Rs.6.38 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi while the VDi ABS at Rs.5.56 lakhs, the difference is there, but you cannot compare the two as there was no ZDi in the new Swift's predecessor.

 As for our decision, the new Swift is priced about Rs.15,000 more than its predecessor, however MSIL has ensured that you get maximum bang for your buck even at the variant level. In the larger scheme of things, the new Swift might sound more expensive on paper, but when you take into consideration the amount of changes and the extra level of kit that the new Swift packs, it actually works out to be a better deal than its predecessor!

 Variant                         Price – Old Swift               Price – New Swift
   LXi                                   4.09 lakhs                     4.22 lakhs
   VXi                                   4.63 lakhs                     4.76 lakhs
   ZXi                                   5.38 lakhs                     5.53 lakhs
   LDi                                   4.99 lakhs                     5.17 lakhs
   VDi                                   5.38 lakhs                     5.61 lakhs
 VDi (ABS)                          5.38 lakhs                         -       
   ZDi                                         -                            6.38 lakhs