Second report: The Swift remains the fuel-efficiency king of our long-term fleet, so it’s hard to keep hold of it.
The Maruti Swift has been a part of our fleet for a couple of months now, during which it’s been a ‘fill it and forget it’ type of car. While its fuel efficiency may be its biggest draw for most in the office, I’ve discovered a few more virtues of the Swift in the time I’ve spent with it.
The seat comfort and the driving position are absolutely spot on.
First, it’s just so easy to drive and live with. The compact dimensions and light controls mean it’s effortless to operate, and its relatively affordable price tag (compared to the BMWs, Mercs and Audis in our fleet currently) means I don’t have to be stressed out about where I take it and where I park it. Then, of course, there’s the fuel efficiency. It’s actually down from Jay’s 14.2kpl to 13kpl – pardon my enthusiastic driving for that. But that’s still very good, given the traffic on my route to the office.
Presence of a centre armrest would’ve added to the comfort.
The reason for the enthusiastic driving is the gearbox and the steering. Sure, the engine lacks punch, but the smooth shifts and light clutch mean you don’t mind rowing through the gears. The steering is precise and feelsome. Living in Mumbai, I prefer the automatic version of a car, but it’s the complete opposite with the Swift.
Smooth shifts, light clutch mean you don’t mind driving in traffic.
What adds to the driving experience is the driver’s seat – there’s the right amount of support and plenty of adjustability, which makes it easy to find your ideal driving position. I also like that the driver’s seat goes really low, as that’s how I prefer to sit.
Speaking of some things I’ve missed in the Swift, the presence of a centre armrest would’ve really added to the comfort factor. I’m sure there are some aftermarket solutions for that, but it would’ve been nice to see it from the factory. There’s also no tyre pressure monitor, and I recently found out why it’s an important bit of kit. On a shoot, one of my colleagues noticed that the rear right tyre was looking under inflated unbeknownst to me. A screw turned out to be the culprit and, thankfully, there was a repair shop close by to fix it.
No TPMS means it takes time to realise that there’s a puncture.
Other than that, the Swift is a hard car to fault – it’s no wonder, then, that it’s as successful as it is. Being the master of efficiency, it has been tough keeping a hold of the Swift’s keys for long, and it now has a new custodian. Hopefully, I can get it back soon to see what it’s like on a long road trip and tell you more about its highway efficiency, boot space, and rear-seat comfort.
Also see:
Maruti Swift long term review, 1,200km report
Maruti Swift discounts increase to up to Rs 70,000 on MY2024 stock
Renault Kwid, Maruti Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 were most popular used cars in 2024: Spinny
