The Swift has already cemented its place in the list of bestsellers, but how good is it? We put it through our exhaustive real-world tests to find out.
Published on Sep 25, 2024 05:27:00 PM
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Like its predecessor, the Swift carries forward an all-black interior colour scheme with silver touches scattered to break the monotone. The design philosophy is similar to the Baleno’s, with a layered dashboard and a free-standing screen taking centre stage. What’s nice is that the fit-finish is pleasing and like the third-gen, it is quite well-built too, so the interior doesn’t feel prone to rattling. That said, the excessive use of hard and scratchy plastics feel rudimentary and reeks of a budget car vibe, and the lack of vibrancy and soft-touch materials don’t help its case either.
It carries forward a flat-bottomed steering, which feels great to hold. The instrument cluster is new – the analogue dials are neat and easy to read, and the needles look premium. However, the outgoing version’s hooded dials with vertical needles and red detailing felt a bit more special. Also new is the coloured MID (multi-information display), which packs useful information, including turn-by-turn navigation while using Google Maps, though it can’t be turned off when using navigation on the center screen.
The front seats feel sporty, with chunky side bolstering and ample support, although those with larger body frames will find these a tad snug. True to a Swift, its driving position is very sporty and ergonomics, in general, are excellent.
An added advantage of the repositioned rear door handle is that the glass area is now larger, and its new quarter glass enhances the sense of space. Its rear bench is comfortable and supportive, and there’s adequate room for two six-footers to sit one behind another. Also, being wider than its direct rival – the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios – makes it easier to accommodate a third rear passenger. However, no head restraint and a protruding rear air-con console will compromise comfort for the passenger seated in the middle.
As far as practicality is concerned, there are ample storage and cubby areas all across. The 265-litre boot is adequately sized for a car in this segment and there’s the option to fold the rear seats 60:40 to accommodate more cargo. But a high boot lip makes it a bit of a challenge to load or unload heavy luggage.
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