[TusharK]

Maruti Suzuki has updated the Swift for the 2023 model year. While no major changes have been made to the car, Maruti is now offering ESP as standard across all variants.



The Maruti Swift is offered in four variants: LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi Plus. Earlier, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) was only available in the top-spec ZXi Plus trim.

The Maruti Suzuki Swift is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that makes 89 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm @ 4,400 rpm. The engine is paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT. The Swift also gets a factory-fitted CNG option.

Earlier this week, Maruti also updated the Baleno, Ertiga and XL6 with new connectivity features.

Link to Team-BHP News

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by TusharK

Maruti Suzuki has updated the Swift for the 2023 model year. While no major changes have been made to the car, Maruti is now offering ESP as standard across all variants.

The Maruti Swift is offered in four variants: LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi Plus. Earlier, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) was only available in the top-spec ZXi Plus trim.

ESP was available with VXi AMT too earlier but now looks like is available in manual variants too. May be a move to counter updated Nios, I believe efforts from Suzuki is not good enough. Nios is cheaper and gets more safety kit.

[shankar.balan]

I love the Swift and its looks and everything else. However, I don’t appreciate Maruti’s step motherly treatment of the Indian market. The International Swift has had all these safety features and better engines and everything else for atleast 15 years. I just don’t like the fact that these weren’t even offered to us Indians as an option.
Imagine if we had got the Swift Sport 2 door with all safety kit and the 1.6 litre engine. Even if it had been priced at 15 lacs or so, it would have offered us a highly viable alternative to the very highly priced Mini Cooper S!
What to do?
I guess we must be the most under privileged market in the world. Neither the government nor the manufacturers want to look after us in any way.

[gitartha]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Imagine if we had got the Swift Sport 2 door with all safety kit and the 1.6 litre engine. Even if it had been priced at 15 lacs or so, it would have offered us a highly viable alternative to the very highly priced Mini Cooper S!
What to do?
I guess we must be the most under privileged market in the world. Neither the government nor the manufacturers want to look after us in any way.

If this logic was valid, then Kizashi would have sold in thousands every month. No point in blaming the government or manufacturers when not even a single Indian will substitute a Swift with any kind of bells and whistles over a Mini Cooper.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

ESP was available with VXi AMT too earlier but now looks like is available in manual variants too. May be a move to counter updated Nios,.

More so because globally the supply chain is more inclined towards ESP units these days and not ABS-only modules and MSIL being a volume player, they would be forced to move to ESP units across the range to get better availability and pricing. Just like how they ended up ditching that ancient 4 speed AT since it became extinct to the point that it would no longer be economically viable. Otherwise its unbelievable that they would make something standard across the range that isnt mandated by law

[trippytragopan]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

However, I don’t appreciate Maruti’s step motherly treatment of the Indian market. The International Swift has had all these safety features and better engines and everything else for atleast 15 years. I just don’t like the fact that these weren’t even offered to us Indians as an option.

In most Europe (and may be in US/UK too) the ESP feature is mandatory (by law) for the car manufacturers. The is no such law for Indian car manufacturers.

[fiat_tarun]

Good to see Maruti offering ESP as a standard fitment now. I think they are updating their entire range to have ESP as a standard fitment now (The Baleno 2023 has also been updated similarly).

Since ESP is not yet mandatory, this coming from Maruti is huge deal and has to be appreciated.

The next step should be to move toward safer structures and offering 6 airbags on their entire range rather than waiting for legislation.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by audioholic

More so because globally the supply chain is more inclined towards ESP units these days and not ABS-only modules and MSIL being a volume player, they would be forced to move to ESP units across the range to get better availability and pricing. Just like how they ended up ditching that ancient 4 speed AT since it became extinct to the point that it would no longer be economically viable. Otherwise its unbelievable that they would make something standard across the range that isnt mandated by law

Yes this is very much the case. Earlier it was only ABS, then EBD, then some cars came with Corner Braking something and now full on ESP. I also wonder if a vehicle like Swift really needs it but anyways good to have on the brochure.

[ron178]

Looks like the 2023 Dzire, Baleno and Toyota Glanza also get standard ESC (meaning Toyota now has the system standard across their vehicle fleet like Renault and VW). Very pleasant surprise.

Today a handful of cars on the market don't offer ESC and most of them are either end-of-life models (eg. Bolero, City (4th-gen)) or at least ESC-ready (eg. new Celerio & C3 and hopefully the ALFA Tatas). Only the XUV400 is a baffling exception.

[fiat_tarun]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Yes this is very much the case. Earlier it was only ABS, then EBD, then some cars came with Corner Braking something and now full on ESP. I also wonder if a vehicle like Swift really needs it but anyways good to have on the brochure.

ABS, EBD and corner braking are basically all part of ABS and hence does not call for any additional hardware.

ESP can be a life saver even on a 80kmph double lane change (avoiding obstacles) and can make a difference even at 50kmph on a wet road ! With the number of accidents we see where a vehicle oversteers and crashes, ESP needs to be made mandatory.

I'm so glad to see industry voluntarily make this change (thanks in part to the SC crisis !).

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by trippytragopan

In most Europe (and may be in US/UK too) the ESP feature is mandatory (by law) for the car manufacturers. The is no such law for Indian car manufacturers.

OT:
Isn’t it sad that the govt or law has to mandate a feature for these manufacturers to offer it?
Remember the Tucker Automobile? Tucker was the first to take safety seriously in the 1950’s.
And if popular urban legend is to be believed, the big bad three of Detroit systematically ruined that company.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

OT:
Isn’t it sad that the govt or law has to mandate a feature for these manufacturers to offer it?
Remember the Tucker Automobile? Tucker was the first to take safety seriously in the 1950’s.

While it's OT, there is a simple explanation to this. There are some manufacturers who aggressively compete to offer something new in their vehicles and keep ahead of the race to safety, performance, luxury and so. These are the ones who don't necessarily build vehicles at a cost but rather have the power to command their own pricing irrespective of what the state of the competition is. They are the ones whose customers consider price tags to be their last aspect to consider before buying that car.

On the other hand, you have manufacturers who offer value and compete at price sensitive segments and markets. They build their portfolio based on market need and price it based on market trends and demographics. No guesses to where Maruti Suzuki belongs. They offer what the market wants firstly, and are forced to adapt to what the regulations mandate and lastly, they do anything and everything to stay competitive and yet profitable. Hence they are always late to the party when going above and beyond the average market needs and do not necessarily cater to customers who don't consider pricing as a key factor in buying a car.

Now the case of ESP or even a 6 speed AT fits right in this criteria of staying competitive and on the other hand making better economic sense due to volumes and hence you see it coming on the vehicles.

Compare that to still offering five speed manual transmissions and not six speed even in the top of the line cars in the stable. Thats because they anyway develop and build their transmissions. So they can still keep the show running there unless there is a major crunch somewhere or if the market really demands a sixth cog which isn't the case.

[TheHelix0202]

Possibly because of all the Swift drivers pulling stupid shenanigans, swerving all over the place!

[jaaz]

So, still Swift doesn't confirm to the RDE norms? Other Manufacturers have already launched or are launching from 1st March onwards. Hyundai has already updated all it's Models.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

OT:
Isn’t it sad that the govt or law has to mandate a feature for these manufacturers to offer it?

We consumers are also to blame. I have interacted with well heeled folks at showrooms who are interested only in the base model with a good sound system because" who wants to go through the hassle of airbag replacement over minor accidents".
If you stop buying cars with just two airbags , manufacturers will sniff the danger within a few weeks and introduce changes. They dont care because it doesnt impact them from their customer.
Any mandate is just an irritant under the circumstances.