[Maky]

Greetings!
I thought I’d finally write an ownership review of my new Swift VXi : ). Note that the following review is written from the perspective of an owner of the previous generation swift.











Interiors:
The Interiors are a big upgrade from my old swift. The mix of Black, Silver and Chrome compliments the new design very well albeit makes one feel a bit claustrophobic in the rear still. I especially commend Suzuki on how they have made the cabin feel more plush and up-market without the use of beige. Although being very Indian a bit of beige wouldn’t have hurt ; ). Let me put it like this, when I was on the hunt for a new car many years ago the Fabias cabin was the most luxurious of the lot followed closely by the i20, Those cars pale in comparison to the new swift as far as interiors are concerned.
I did find the center AC vents to be a bit off when it comes to directing air. I found it very difficult to find the correct adjustment to blow air to my face. The side air vent is more useful than in the previous model in that it actually gets air to my face rather than freeze my hands which was the case in the older swift.
I’m not sure if I can comment on the A-Pillar, It seems less intrusive than the previous one. Although I may just be imagining this. They have even had a look at little things that make a difference, The side stalks have a nice recessed curve to them which is very nice when one needs to pull with one finger for a high beam flash or a slight shower to clean the windows.



Cup Holder positioned below the air vent is a nice touch, wish another existed on the drivers side as well.



They have added Electric mirror adjustment(the knob) which is really only helpful when one needs to adjust the passenger side mirror, the prongs in the older car worked just fine as long as the driver side mirror needed adjusting but was a real hassle to stretch across to change the passenger side ones. There are no electrically foldable mirrors although I think this is a possibility in a future facelift.



Fog Lamp button. Headlight Height adjustment. I don’t know what the alarm button does, The showroom man told me it’s dealer end and not to worry about that.





A lot more information available than previously. Dials are well laid out and look quite sporty!.
Cycles between Average - Range - Kms/L. It did not show the last one as it was on reserve tank.



This, the mid-variant, comes with no music system. I fit in a Sony HU. Thanks DerAlte and others in the ICE forum.



Mid Variant Swift gets regular knobs whereas the ZXi gets digital controls and climate control.



Average sized Glove box. Why do we insist on calling it a glove box? Can’t remember the last time I put gloves in there : P



Power adapter to the left and provision for another one I believe to the right. Can hold a small bottle in the center and recess for throwing in stuff at the back.



Enough for a 500ml bottle no more I think.



Knee keeps hitting the underneath if I move into the driver position I’m used to. Very obnoxious! Glaring oversight!



Although this isn’t a very good picture the rear is quite gloomy.



No height adjustment either for the middle variant.



The boot space is rubbish as in the previous swift.




Key with Lock and unlock. This is standard with the middle variant now.



Tyres by MRF. Caps by China.



Bag that came with the car. Dashboard cleaner, Coconut! & Sweets. Oh and a Ganpathi Idol as well.




Oooooh shiny!



Ride and Comfort:
I found the ride to be slightly improved over the previous generation but the car still sends all bumps and irregularities from the road to the passengers. The only difference is that the bumps feel slightly more blunt or tamed. Overall the ride is still on the hard side.
The driver and co-passenger seats are nice and snuggly, the front seats feel the same as in the older model which is to say they are still very good in the way they hold the driver in. The rear seats felt a little upright, they feel a bit more comfortable than the older model however. The Headrest doesn’t feel all that restful to my head the cushion is too hard, both on the front and rear seats.
Rear legroom has improved. Appears to be more spacious than before.



Driving & Handling:
One of the joys of the previous generation swift was its wonderful engine. The new swift has the same engine as before but with VVT and slightly more HP as I understand it. I did not feel the engine was more powerful at all. If anything it felt more sluggish than the previous model, There was less immediacy to it. Simply put the fun is gone. As far as the fuel economy is concerned Suzuki gave the engine VVT which stands for Variable Valve Timing, apparently helps with mileage. I have noticed perhaps 0.5-1 more to the liter but I live in a city where bumper to bumper traffic is the scenario everyday and the car is very new so the fuel economy may improve after a few services. I will post an update after the 5000 Kms Service.
The Go-kart like steering response was yet another big plus for the previous model swift. The steering feedback in this car feels more numb and less responsive. Sluggish eve. Over all the driving feedback is a whole level down compared to its predecessor. There is clearly a disconnect between driver and car, that being said it is still better than other competing hatchbacks. This was a big and one of the few things that really disappointment me about this car.
Gears! Shifting is fun again! Much better than in the older car. The gears ‘click’ into position when shifted. A very nice gated feel. A definite upgrade from the previous car.
Suspension. As far as handling goes I can’t say it’s an improvement or a downgrade. The mentioned steering issue makes the handling feels a bit sluggish but I don’t think it has anything to do with incorrect suspension setup.



Final Words:
This is still the best all round hatchback for the money. Suzukis reliability coupled with a wide service network provides a sense of calm that no other manufacturer can provide. The car looses out on its Driving dynamics but more than makes up for in other departments, No longer the drivers car it used to be however. All in all this facelift feels more like a new car than just a facelift with cosmetic changes. If there are any questions anyone has please feel free to ask.

[dass]

Nicely written and very honest opinion. I own the new Dzire VDI and that came with a inbuilt music system, it's a different story that I dont like the music system but was very surprised that the VXI swift doesnt have a music system.

[deetjohn]

Congrats on the car Maky. G Grey is such a lovely colour. I had this colour as my first preference, but couldn't get it.

Originally Posted by Maky

I don’t know what the alarm button does, The showroom man told me it’s dealer end and not to worry about that.

That button is to switch off the siren if the alarm goes off. The alarm will go off if you use the key to unlock the car instead of the remote.

Originally Posted by Maky

Cycles between Average - Range - Kms/L. It did not show the last one as it was on reserve tank.

The instant consumption is shown only when the car is moving.

Originally Posted by Maky

Enough for a 500ml bottle no more I think.

The front pockets take a 1L bottle with ease. Even the fat Bisleri one.

Originally Posted by Maky

Key with Lock and unlock. This is standard with the middle variant now.

Take care of that key. The rubber buttons are not very well made.

Originally Posted by Maky

All in all this facelift feels more like a new car than just a facelift with cosmetic changes.

It is a new generation altogether, not just a facelift.

Originally Posted by Maky

Ride and Comfort:, Driving & Handling:

I feel the suspension of the new Swift is miles ahead of the old one. The car doesn't crash into potholes, is comfortable and rides reasonably flat when pushed. I urge you to upgrade to better rubber, complete the run in and push the car on a twisty road. Both the steering and the suspension will come alive when pushed. Its fun! Trust me.

[jaibir]

Any comments on how the braking is vis a vis the previous generation?

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by Maky

Greetings!
I thought I’d finally write an ownership review of my new Swift VXi : ). Note that the following review is written from the perspective of an owner of the previous generation swift.

...

This, the mid-variant, comes with no music system. I fit in a Sony HU. Thanks DerAlte and others in the ICE forum.

Congrats on your new Swift, and its nice to see new car ownership threads for the Petrol model for a change!

Mine too is a Glistening Grey VXI with that exact same stereo

Fog Lamp button. Headlight Height adjustment. I don’t know what the alarm button does, The showroom man told me it’s dealer end and not to worry about that.

The Alarm button is for programming your security system, you can turn on/off shock sensors adjust their sensitivity etc and do a few more things. Its explained in detail in the first few pages of the owners manual.

Tyres by MRF. Caps by China.

Looks like Maruti now has chosen MRF as their vendor. My colleague who took delivery of a White VXI last week got these same tyres. My car which is March 2012 model was shod with Goodyear Duraplus.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Congrats on the car Maky. G Grey is such a lovely colour. I had this colour as my first preference, but couldn't get it.

I feel the suspension of the new Swift is miles ahead of the old one. The car doesn't crash into potholes, is comfortable and rides reasonably flat when pushed. I urge you to upgrade to better rubber, complete the run in and push the car on a twisty road. Both the steering and the suspension will come alive when pushed. Its fun! Trust me.

Thanks & for the info as well. Are there any recommendations you have? I was not comfortable with the brand of the tyres to begin with, Which do you have?

Originally Posted by Sankar

Congrats on your new Swift, and its nice to see new car ownership threads for the Petrol model for a change!

Mine too is a Glistening Grey VXI with that exact same stereo


Looks like Maruti now has chosen MRF as their vendor. My colleague who took delivery of a White VXI last week got these same tyres. My car which is March 2012 model was shod with Goodyear Duraplus.

Previous Swift came with Pirellis If I remember correctly. Cost cutting perhaps.

Originally Posted by jaibir

Any comments on how the braking is vis a vis the previous generation?

Breaking seems to be on the same level personally. Hmmm..
Now that I think about it, The breaking does seem to be a bit more smoother. The brakes on the older one had more on or off feel to them. Again I am comparing a brand new cars mechanicals to that of one which was 2 years old so perhaps I can more accurately answer this as the car wears in.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by Maky

Thanks & for the info as well. Are there any recommendations you have? I was not comfortable with the brand of the tyres to begin with, Which do you have?

I have MRF ZVTV 185/65 R15 on stock alloys. The size is just about right but the quality of rubber is nothing great. The buyback is much better if you trade in without putting too many miles on a tyre.

If you're keen on alloys, do put 15". The new Swift can easily take them. 185/65 R15 is available in Michelin XM2 and 195/60 R15 is available in a wide variety - Pirelli, Yoko, Michelin, Z.L.O. etc.

Staying with 14", the best size would be 185/70 R14. Again, there are a variety of tyres to chose from in this spec.

http://www.changemytyre.com is a good site to know the options.

[CARDEEP]

Congrats @Maky, how are the brakes as compared to previous gen. There were complaints initially that the brakes are not adequate on L & V variants, & despite the company working on problem related to ECU, the braking was not considered good on initial lot of Swifts/ Dzires.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

I have MRF ZVTV 185/65 R15 on stock alloys. The size is just about right but the quality of rubber is nothing great. The buyback is much better if you trade in without putting too many miles on a tyre.

If you're keen on alloys, do put 15". The new Swift can easily take them. 185/65 R15 is available in Michelin XM2 and 195/60 R15 is available in a wide variety - Pirelli, Yoko, Michelin, Z.L.O. etc.

Staying with 14", the best size would be 185/70 R14. Again, there are a variety of tyres to chose from in this spec.

http://www.changemytyre.com is a good site to know the options.

Ah I see...
I guess I'd prefer 14" for the better ride when I do get around to changing it. Thank you very much for the feedback deet.

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Congrats @Maky, how are the brakes as compared to previous gen. There were complaints initially that the brakes are not adequate on L & V variants, & despite the company working on problem related to ECU, the braking was not considered good on initial lot of Swifts/ Dzires.

Thanks Cardeep. I mentioned just above that the braking felt "smoother" but after having read your post I think my impression of smooth could very well be construed as weaker breaks. When I bought the previous gen swift the braking felt very sudden and immediate, It felt like it was either ON or OFF but now I'm beginning to think that the breaks were just stronger on the older swift.
I hope that helped.

[stringbh]

Hi Maky, Congratulations! If not for my Sedan craving, I would have gone for Swift, which is probably the best out there with the fun factor. With petrol priced down, here'z wishing you many extra-happy miles on your new Swift!

[dZired]

Congratulations on the purchase maky. Glistening gray is my favourite shade on the swift and DZire and even I wanted this colour while going for my DZire, but my dad didnt quite like my suggestion as he was afraid about its maintenance and hence we bought the silky silver.

Anyways congratulations on buying one of the most fun-to-drive hatchbacks available in India. I hope you spend many happy miles of motoring with it.
Take Care and Drive Safe.

[agambhandari]

Great choice and great color I must add!

As you have recently bought a Swift Petrol, you might be a good person to answer this question. Does the Swift have a VXi ABS Variant?(not on the VDi)

A recent price list from a dealer mentions one and I was pretty surprised, since some people on T-bhp even complained about the lack of it.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

Great choice and great color I must add!

As you have recently bought a Swift Petrol, you might be a good person to answer this question. Does the Swift have a VXi ABS Variant?(not on the VDi)

A recent price list from a dealer mentions one and I was pretty surprised, since some people on T-bhp even complained about the lack of it.

Thanks agambhandari.
This vehicle was booked 2 months ago with delivery set a month'ish later. The ABS option was not offered on the Swift Petrol for the VXi variant at the time. If I remember correctly the salesman told me that the ABS(w/EBD) option was exclusive to the ZXi variant for the new Swift. Things could have changed in recent weeks perhaps.

[ZMG]

Congrats for the new swift! It's definitely more fun to drive then it's close rivals. I wanted to know, how many kms have you put on the car ? Any long trips?

[Maky]

Originally Posted by ZMG

Congrats for the new swift! It's definitely more fun to drive then it's close rivals. I wanted to know, how many kms have you put on the car ? Any long trips?

Thanks ZMG.
I've put in 1000kms as of this post. The Vehicle has been driven to Vashi and back from Bombay a couple of times which is why it racked up 1000 running in less than a month. Our usual running is 700-750kms a month.

First Service:-
-3M Underbody coating for the upcoming rainy season.
-License plate number imprinted on the door mirrors, Why my father felt that was worth getting I do not understand o.O
-Air filter in AC which also my father requested. I was surprised it didn't already have one by default. The service man said filters for outside air coming in, only Kizashi and the likes have it.
-Free labour for the first routine service. Above had labour costs attached to them.

4,500 Total Cost.