[Maky]

Thanks for sharing this BlueKatana.

Originally Posted by BlueKatana

Glaring Omissions made on the Indian-Spec Swift

You have pointed out all the cosmetic changes.
How stark the contrast would be If someone were able to point out the changes underneath.

[Rocketscience]

Originally Posted by buzzy_boy

The entry level Swift sells for ~19,000 GBP in the UK. That's approx. 19,00,000 INR. However, adjusted for PPP, it is ~5,75,000 INR.

The base Swift in India has an ex. Showroom cost of ~ 6,75,000. So, basically, Maruti are ripping off the Indian customer because they can!

I feel it is unfair to include purchase power parity in this particular case, the reason Swift has lesser and lesser quality components is at the end of the day the price it sells in India vs the price it sells in countries like UK, plus the heavy taxes on cars in India.
Please note I'am not defending the price of Swift in India and even I feel it is overpriced for what it offers, but then I feel the same for most cars these days, the prices really have gone through the roof in last decade or so.

Coming back to the topic, lets say Samsung 55 inch basic QLED TV is INR 75,000 in India and around INR 68,000 equivalent in USD in USA, ofcourse the PPP of USA is high and it basically means it may not be as difficult for an average person there to buy it as compared to us, but that doesn't mean the components don't cost as much to make, for Samsung it will still cost lets say INR 40,000 to manufacture it irrespective of if it is going to sell it in USA or India, if lets say there are no takers for that TV in India at this price and they had to create a cheaper TV, then ofcourse it won't be that same exact TV but a stripped down or compromised version which would cost them lets say 25,000 to make, they will then sell it for 45,000 here.

Even if 45,000 is more expensive for us here (purchasing power wise) than 68,000 is when compared to an average person in USA, that's just how much it costs to them, they simply cannot sell the same thing for its PPP equivalent in India which might be INR 20,000-25,000 because it costs more to manufacture, this is the same reason Maruti cannot sell the better, safer Swift here at its PPP price compared to UK, if it did, it would definitely cost more.

[JunkyardHunter]

Originally Posted by Maky

Thanks for sharing this BlueKatana.


How stark the contrast would be If someone were able to point out the changes underneath.

Did some digging to answer this question -

On Suzuki's UK website, it mentions heated seats. This is true for the JDM market also.

The global Swift has ADAS, with lane keep assist, blind spot monitor, etc.

I got this all from a quick Google search, from Suziki's UK website (https://cars.suzuki.co.uk/new-cars/swift)

[Tech]

Originally Posted by Rocketscience

this is the same reason Maruti cannot sell the better, safer Swift here at its PPP price compared to UK, if it did, it would definitely cost more.

Very much agree. I once visited a Maruti Nexa showroom, the sales executive said that Maruti is Indian middle class friendly, it knows that many people don't want to over spend on cars and they want fuss free ownership experience with very high fuel efficiency and the trust which only Maruti can give.

But if they can make and sell highly engineered cars like the original Japanese Baleno sedan (which was hugely appreciated on team bhp forums, inspite of parts issues as they used to come directly from Japan, check out those threads), the trustworthy S-Cross and Brezza with 4 star safety then why don't they do the same with hatchbacks and entry level cars ?

They always think of economies of scale and their own ROI, they should have a variant with high quality parts and at least 4 star safety with good door thuds and strong build quality in all hatch backs and basic cars.

They make a mistake by delivering poorly built cars with low quality plastics or with poor safety and omitting basic features and take consumers for granted, then aren't they being against the Indian middle class by exposing them to life threatening situations, putting Maruti in exactly opposite corner unlike what that Maruti Sales executive said ?

I remember very well, they used to sell entry level versions of 800, wagon r, etc without power steering, without ac, without powered windows, without car radio / stereo and even without fan, without proper wide tyres, without painted bumpers, pathetic quality plastics and so many other things in those days. Designs which sucked like a half baked product. They used to take Indian customers for granted by selling a half baked car like they are lesser interested or devoted to their work, focusing on only good engine.

Compare original 2005 Swift weight and see how they went on decreasing the weight and strength of the chassis, decreased the cc of the engine and went on increasing the mileage. Now a 3 cylinder is their new trick.

The only reason people stuck with them was their customer service, the trust and easy to repair car at any local mechanic, high mileage and all other things.

If customer stands strong and refuses such omittances, then Maruti will have to change to remain competitive.

[BlueKatana]

Originally Posted by Maky

How stark the contrast would be If someone were able to point out the changes underneath.

Here is the list of other omitted features:
- Rear Wheel Disc Brakes
- Electronic Parking Brake
- Mild Hybrid System (although I expect Maruti to implement this in the future)
- Front Parking Sensors (if compared to JDM-Spec Swift)
- CVT Gearbox, the Indian-Spec Swift does away with an AMT which means we miss out on Park and Paddle Shifters on the steering wheel.
- Heated Seats
- ADAS Suite: AEB, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, etc.
- Button to disable Passenger-side Airbag (if compared to Euro-Spec Swift)
- CD Player (if compared to JDM-Spec Swift)
- SOS Emergency Switch on Dome Light Unit (if compared to JDM-Spec Swift)

I did not mention these omitted features in my previous post, as I felt they weren't applicable for the Indian Market, however, it could've been a great opportunity for Maruti to add in segment-first features from the above list.

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by BlueKatana

Glaring Omissions made on the Indian-Spec Swift

There are a ton of feature omissions done on the Indian-Spec Swift. What we essentially receive is an extremely watered-down version of the Swift we get overseas. These are the following differences I observed:

[
Other Omitted Features
- 360-degree Camera
- Variable Intermittent Wipers
- Vanity Mirror for Driver-Side Sun Visor
- Height-Adjustable seatbelts


I have not listed the entire list of omitted features as some of them would not be applicable for the Indian market, however, I believe that Maruti could've included some of these items into the Swift, at least on the higher variants.

Apologies for low quality pictures as they were all taken from the internet.

As much as I dislike current Maruti leadership, I would say these things are not all that important.
It's hard to accept but we are a poor nation compared to most parts of Europe. A minor % of Indian millionaires and billionaires having significant amounts of wealth does not translate to our entire population having comparable wealth to say, average citizens of the UK.

It is important to cut costs in mass market products to ensure that the product is affordable to, well, the masses. Add in all the ridiculous taxes by a govt which still believes that we are living in the 50s and having cheap and reliable transport to go to work is some kind of luxury, manufacturers have no option but to cut costs wherever possible to ensure their product is affordable to the average working person whose salaries haven't grown in years.

Cutting down on features or trim or smaller rims is acceptable for an entry level product. What is not acceptable is abusing our lax consumer protection laws to save costs by purposefully creating seriously unsafe cars just for the Indian consumer. Or selling cars that are defective and don't work straight from the factory. Adding features and useless bling and jacking up prices while you cut costs on the important bits is just absurd. Ideally, a country's govt would ensure that citizen's lives are protected and companies cannot provide unsafe products just to save on costs but our govt seems to be sleeping or whoever is supposed to be looking at this is too buried in bribes to care.

[amol4184]

Sorry, but extremely watered down cosmetics?

May be its just me but as far as cosmetic changes go, every single change done on Indian spec Swift looks better than the JDM model except the rear spoiler.

That black front lower and upper grille? hands down better looking than the garish shiny one on the JDM model.

Not just that, the full black interior that Maruti loves so much, also looks better to me. While we are at it, I even like the wheel design except the size - that could have been an inch bigger.

[fhdowntheline]

I had a drive of the Swift 2024 AMT yesterday. Contrary to my expectations, the AMT gearbox performed quite decently. I did not experience any of the typical head-nod movements as I feared. Yes, there was a bit of a lag in the 1st and 2nd gear, but nothing that would deter everyday driving experience. The engine was also very refined for a 3 cylinder design. Driver comfort felt much better than my Tiago. Should be a good choice for a no-nonsense urban beater car.

[RunGaDa]

It’s a very common thing for Indian manufacturers to earn more at the cost of removing value added features.
However I am more interested in knowing what Safety Compromises did Maruti Suzuki do for India version.
What is the thickness of sheet metal?
Whether high quality materials are used in frames?
If anyone has this information please let me know. Comparison with EUR version.

[PrideRed]

I would be keen to see how much did Suzuki India cut down on safety than these cosmetics. Two tone dashboard better than all black? Really?. I know many in Europe who prefer all black dashboard.

[gjnnbagal]

New Suzuki Swift Gets Three-Star Rating In Euro NCAP Crash Tests

[RoadMonkey]

Let me try to spread a little positivity about this fun little car and try to change the tone around here.

A little background, I'm a proud owner of a 2020 VW Polo 1.0 TSI AT.

We had a 2010 Ritz ZXi that, although the engine was in top notch condition, felt like it needed more attention and care than my father was willing or motivated to provide. With that in mind and the frequent highway trips he would have to undertake, we decided that another aspect to safety is reliability of a car on the highways and the confidence it inspires in the driver.

So an upgrade for the Ritz was planned.

The cars considered;
1) Hyundai Venue: Logical upgrade. Upright, pseudo-SUV with hatch like dimensions for convenient city use.
2) Tata Punch: The 2024 equivalent of Ritz.
3) Tata Nexon: Logical option given the segment I'm shopping in.

4) Maruti Brezza: The Maruti level upgrade to the Ritz.
5) Fronx: My father loves its derrière and the general appearance.


1)Hyundai Venue

• Parents loved the interiors, the feel and the dimensions.
• Took the test drive of 1.2 twice and it felt dead.
• The overall feel of the car was good, but the S felt basic after spending so much money, the S(O) would be stretching too far along with budget for alloys.

2) Tata Punch

• Tata needs to figure out the ergonomics, rear seat belts suffocate you.
• The drive felt okay, the gearbox felt like a downgrade from our almost 15 year old Ritz!
• It felt a little cramped.
• My father hated the drive experience and rejected it immediately.
• That coupled with our need for highway reliability, along with reports on this forum with its wonky start stop system causing limp mode and what not, I was put off by Tata.
• They did not offer us good exchange value for our Ritz

3) Tata Nexon

• The posts by fellow forum members raising a number of concerns put of me off of it.
• Multiple listings in the used market at significant cuts.
• The driving experience just felt very unrefined in comparison to the cars I've owned.
• High reliability is an important component of *safety* for me, which Tata cars are praised for their safety, I like to factor in the risk of being stranded on the highway. My VW has betrayed me in this aspect before.

4) Maruti Brezza

• This was never a serious contendor, price considerations among others, the face looks like it was forcefully stretched to look "bigger"
• Given the cities we drive in, the parking arrangements, the size is inconvenient.
• No TD was taken and this was rejected after preliminary consideration.

5) Fronx

• By now it was almost certain that we would be getting the Fronx Delta Plus. We had owned a 2017 Baleno and the car - I thought - would be familiar.
• And it is, but also, the engine is not. The Baleno was ALIVE, this felt dead.
• During the TD, due to mostly driving an AT these days, made small timing errors in the clutch/gear timing and it was not forgiving.
• The driving experience was just very dull, the only appeal was the exterior.

Given the nature of my job (Banker), during one Car Loan campaign we had visited multiple dealerships and I made a contact at Ludhiana Gulzar Motors Maruti Arena. He informed me about the launch of the new Swift and being a car guy - naturally interested in a launch as big as the Swift - I went to check it out. It felt good, spacious - I have posted a picture from that visit before in this thread.

However, up until that point I had not considered the Swift. We had only considered upright cars but it did not feel as "low" as the Polo. I took my father to check out the new Swift back in our town and he liked it, but more than that, he saw that I loved it.

I also had reservations about the new 3 cylinder engine, but..
it surprised me - pleasantly! It had a sporty thrum I no longer mind courtesy of owning a relatively loud 1.0 TSI. I had just taken the TD of the Fronx with its legendary 1.2 K series engine but the engine in its BS6 avatar is no longer peppy - something it is famous for. I've owned 2 cars with the 1.2, Ritz and the Baleno and both felt alive, the BS6 one does not.

Now about the Z series 1.2, yes the figures are down, yes it is one cylinder less, but Maruti has definitely worked some magic under the hood - whatever power it has, it is more accessible. You do no feel lacking AT ALL while driving it and my experience was reaffirmed by many well respected auto journalists. It feels alive, and that's something you *need* after daily driving a TSI. Yes It's no Polo, yes it's not that fun, but it has something I needed - highway reliability.

The Test Drive brought the Swift into the consideration but having been a top model guy most of my life, I was set on either the ZXi or the ZXi Plus but felt both of them were too expensive for what they offered. This put me in a tight spot. However, with time I made up my mind for VXi and it couldn't been a better decision considering everything else going on in my life. I decided to put nice looking alloys, 16 inchers - the same as my Polo and shod with the same rubber - UC6.

Lo and behold, within a few days, I became a very happy and satisfied owner of the new Swift.



Yes the car has a few shortcomings, but which car didn't? Had there been a magical version of Polo with greater reliability, greater boot space at around ~10L, I would have bought it eyes closed. Yes the car is light, especially the boot, Polo's takes an effort to close while this feels paper thin - however, I know that does not have a great impact on the crash safety of the car. I would, perhaps foolishly, like to believe the car is safer than the previous gen as MSIL got a lot of bad marketing for it and it has definitely affected Swift's market leader place. From often having 3-4 months long waiting after the launch to being readily available, the times sure have changed.

Oh and I definitely love the way it looks!



And the derrière!




I'm writing this review after having driven it for around 500Kms, both in the city and on the highway and it is effortless. I've gotten very comfortable driving it in a very cramped city with tiiiight roads, the car feels very sharp and in control, a miild downgrade over Polo in this department at best and I think I feel that only because of the lighter steering. The steering in the Swift is better than the Fronx/Baleno one and has better self centering. The dimensions are perfect for the city and the car does not feel like it's set "low".

On the highway, while I tried my best keeping it >80kmph being the run it, but I caught myself twice cruising at 90-100kmph effortlessly. So, no, the car does not lose its steam at highway speeds as a result of being a cylinder and a few horses down. No Sir! Not at all.

Conclusion:
The new Swift is familiar, yet better. But most importantly, THE NEW SWIFT IS A LOT OF FUN!


The K series 1.2 BS4 was fun, however the BS6 one is not. The Z series engine needs to be experienced and not just looked down upon based on the specs on paper. It will surprise and delight you with a grin.

Cheers!

Oh! And I completely forgot to mention the gearbox/clutch combo. As I mentioned, the Fronx/Baleno one is not forgiving to timing issues, this OTOH has forgiven a lot of my mistakes.

The clutch&gearbox is a hydraulic unit as opposed to cable transmission. The clutch travel is noticeably shorter than the Baleno, easier on the leg, and the gearbox is heavenly smooth. Slotting into the first is no longer an issue on Marutis!

[Haze]

Originally Posted by RoadMonkey

I decided to put nice looking alloys, 16 inchers - the same as my Polo and shod with the same rubber - UC6.

Have these been deliberately been pushed out using spacers?

They shouldn't be extending out of the car by that much.

Congrats on the new car, BTW.

[RoadMonkey]

Originally Posted by Haze

Have these been deliberately been pushed out using spacers?

They shouldn't be extending out of the car by that much.

No, they have not been. I do not like the idea of their pushing out beyond the body, I wanted a flush look.

However, I had to take the delivery on a Sunday due to non-availbility of leave at the office and I got a very limited choice at a couple of shops for alloys. The shop keeper was pushing 7.5Js for 195 section and the choice was further limited in 7Js (I chose a 7J only). It took a lot of time and by the time I saw the final result, after 4 hours in scorching heat of North India, I was just done.

They look more pushed out in the pictures than they actually are, really. From the side view, it's just ever so slightly pushing outside body. I reckon it would have something to do with the alloy design. 185s of the top model do make it feel like 195s would fit well.

[Miel]

Congratulations on your spanking new purchase!
The car looks brilliantly sporty in white, with black grills and design elements.

Originally Posted by RoadMonkey

I decided to put nice looking alloys, 16 inchers - the same as my Polo and shod with the same rubber - UC6.

They do look pretty good! Hope you are not facing any tyre-well clearance issues on full load.

Originally Posted by RoadMonkey

I had just taken the TD of the Fronx with its legendary 1.2 K series engine but the engine in its BS6 avatar is no longer peppy - something it is famous for. I've owned 2 cars with the 1.2, Ritz and the Baleno and both felt alive, the BS6 one does not.

Originally Posted by RoadMonkey

The K series 1.2 BS4 was fun, however the BS6 one is not. The Z series engine needs to be experienced and not just looked down upon based on the specs on paper. It will surprise and delight you with a grin.

An interesting contrarian opinion that is, I must say! The BS6 1.2 K series 89 BHP engine in the Fronx, Baleno, Dzire and Wagon R 1.2 is for me the more peppier car out on the highway. In the previous gen Swift, out on the open road the additional 7 BHP somehow made it manic for me. I have savored it in all those cars, except the Fronx - and every time it gave me a big smile, second only to the Honda 1.5 NA petrol. Maybe the Fronx's additional weight and bigger wheels are to blame for your verdict? Not sure.

But, I will give you this. In my book, the new Z series Swift is more peppier within city limits, lower speeds, and stop-go traffic, while the former K series 89 BHP makes me grin wide on the highways. But, driving styles matter and all opinions are important.

I wish you many happy miles in the new car!! Enjoy!!