Maruti Suzuki launches the new Swift!

Maruti Suzuki has launched the new Swift in India, and, like our earlier stories, even this won’t be a press-release copy-paste but a careful overview, including a few crucial bits of information you won’t get anywhere else.

Exterior
All the body panels are new and so are the bumpers, front grille, and alloy wheels. The headlights are LED projector units; and the boomerang shaped DRLs under the smoked glass are obviously LEDs too. Maruti says the rear gets LED combination lamps. What they mean by “combination” here is anyone’s guess (LED-halogen combination or dual-function lights?). I shall address this when I review the car.
My favourite change on the outside has to be the rear-door handles returning to their “normal” position. Thank you, Maruti. Another thoughtful touch is the provision of a request sensor (for keyless entry) on the front passenger door as well.
There are six colour options: Blue, Orange, Red, White, Grey, and Silver. Plus, you may have your Blue, Red, or White Swift with a black roof.

Interiors
Maruti says the cabin has a fresh layout with ‘centre floating design’ for the dashboard. There’s a lot of piano-black finish (high time manufacturers got rid of it!) as well along with satin matt silver inserts. The instrument-cluster dials are asymmetrical and Maruti claims that the driver-oriented dashboard has an 8-degree tilt. That’s one thing I can take their word for without even seeing the car as the Swift has always been a sporty hatchback.
There’s cruise control; Maruti’s 9-inch Smartplay Pro+ infotainment system with wireless connectivity for both Apple and Android phones, wireless charging, and fast charging ports for rear seat occupants, who now get their AC vents too.

Engine & Suspension
The new Swift now gets a three-pot 1197 cc Z-Series motor with a claimed output of 60 kW (81.58 PS) @5700 rpm and 111.7 Nm @4300 rpm. Maruti says that there’s now an electric water pump for optimal engine cooling and a Lambda air-flow sensor for up to 12% lower CO2 emissions, leading to a fuel efficiency figure of up to 25.75 km/l, which is an improvement of 14% over its predecessor.
Maruti haven’t specified if the gearboxes (manual and AGS) are the same or new, but they have mentioned that the clutch operation is now hydraulic. For those not in the know, while the erstwhile Swift diesel had a hydraulically operated clutch, the Swift petrol was still running on a cable-operated clutch.
The company states that the suspension is all-new but doesn’t mention the changes.

Safety
This is the best part. Now, all Swift variants come with six airbags, Hill Hold, ESP, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, and 3-point seat belts for all seats with reminders. Maruti also claims that the reverse camera now provides a wider view.

Price
The price of the new Swift starts at INR 6,49,000 and goes up to INR 9,64,500 (all prices, ex-showroom). The deliveries have already started.