My experience with the Swift ZDI has mostly been good and as per my expectations. I have driven it 20,000 kms in 15 months with a 50-50 mix of Urban and Highway driving.
The Good Things: 1. Balanced ride and good dynamics
Absolutely love the way it handles uneven roads, without being unsettled. Steering feedback is fantastic is the monocoque obeys the steering inputs accurately. I absolutely love to throw it around the corners. Upgrading to better 195 section tyres is recommended but not absolutely necessary.
2. Reliable and durable suspension.
I have driven it around on some very bad roads with lot of potholes, but the suspension is still going strong. The car doesn't easily bottoms out even with 4 passengers on board. Have scraped the underbody only 2-3 times that too with some very badly designed humps (or a drainage cover slab)
3. Power and Performance
This has already been discussed till death. Our 1.3 MJD National Engine is a brilliant performer however massive turbo-lag can be an issue for beginners. This car can easily cruise at 130 kmph all day, but feels a bit strained above 140 and the progress is slow above it.
4. Fuel efficiency
Excellent fuel efficiency on highways. I regularly do Nagpur - Raipur which is an odd 300 kms journey with around 90% of the highway being 4 laned. Keep it at steady 90-100 kmph (RPM at around ~2200 on 5th Gear) and it easily returns 23 kmpl with 100% ACC.
On the flip side my urban runs are not very long but many frequent 4-5 kms runs with lot of traffic signals and the car returns around 17 kmpl with 100% ACC.
5. Comfort levels
Driver's seat is an absolute delight. As many forum members have complained about the shin portion hitting against the lower part of the dashboard, yes it is an issue if the seat is moved too close to the steering, however if you move the seat a bit backwards, the problem may be avoided. In short it should not be a dealbreaker for sub 6ft tall people as finding a comfortable seating position is easy. Thigh support could have been better.
6. In Car Entertainment
The factory fitted ICE is above average and should suit most of the people. However the USB doesn't read all of the folders/songs in some of the brands of Pen drives. I'm not sure if other users are facing this problem too.
NOT so good things: 1.Fit and Finish
Fit and finish is below par for the price point. Few rattles started early well within 2 weeks of ownership but were fixed promptly. Some more minor rattles have cropped up from somewhere near or behind the Dashboard but as of now it doesn't bother too much. Shall get it fixed when the increase and the source could easily be identified. However the rattles are not as bad as previous generation Swift.
Finish of the Power window switches, OVRM switch, headlight, wiper stalks is poor and feels cheap. The space below and behind the handbrake lever could have been better utilized.
The panels (doors, fenders etc) easily gets dented. Your regular car washer guy can manage to make few dents if he is not careful.
2. Rear Space and Boot
Rear bench is at best suited for 2 average sized persons. Leg room is just about adequate.
Cabin is well insulated from engine bay, however one can easily hear outside traffic and road noise- thanks to the ultra thin window glasses.
Boot can accommodate 4 laptop backpacks.
Overall the space packaging in the cabin is poor.
3. Paint Quality
Paint quality is worst in the segment and below. The clear coat wears out in a matter of few weeks. It is absolutely essential to get a 3M job done.
4. Weak Head lamps and fogs
Both the stock pairs are useless to say the least. Upgrade is essential for any kind of driving situation. To begin with I have already upgraded to Philips Xtreme Vision 60/55 Watts. The visibility has improved significantly. Upgrading fog lamp is also on the cards.
5. Maintenance and Servicing Costs
I never came across any unplanned maintenance. But the parts and labour costs at MASS have increased a lot. 1st Paid servicing at 20k kms with regular stuff (scheduled maintenance + fully synthetic oil) would set you back by at least 9.5k
Overall its a great car. Those looking at outright performance, styling and reliability Swift is the car. Those looking at some more rear and boot space Figo, Vista is the more practical option.