2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift review, road test

The Swift has long been India’s most-loved hatchback. Does the bond deepen with the new third-generation model?

Published on Mar 29, 2018 06:00:00 AM

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2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift review, road test

Grip and body control are great but the lifeless steering is a killjoy.

Just like its predecessors, the latest Swift has a youthful air about it.

Despite its light weight, the Swift feels confident at high speeds and stability is good.

Swift is attractive but top-spec versions' jazzier wheels and LED headlights make a big difference.

Until now, buying a Swift implied your acceptance to live with some compromises like a tight cabin and a small boot. The welcome news is that the stylish new Swift addresses these shortcomings rather well. In essence, there’s a newfound practicality to the Swift that was missing earlier. Buyers will also be taken by the lighter Swift’s efficiency, and the fact that it gets all the features they’d want. Other things being the same, the Swift would have been an absolute knock-out. Unfortunately, they aren’t.

The dull steering, for one, has robbed the Swift of its fun-to-drive character that has been integral to the car’s appeal from day one. While this is not a deal breaker for the majority of buyers, there’s less for those who previously opted for the Swift purely for the thrills it offered. There’s also the not-so-small matter of pricing. Sure, the entry point is inviting, but prices swell up quite dramatically for better-equipped versions and put the Swift on par with cars from a class above. And that begs the question: is the Swift the best car for the money? We’re afraid not.