A thing of beauty. Review on Maruti Suzuki Swift

A thing of beauty is a joy forever!  And, Maruti's Swift is precisely that. There is a ton of info out there on detailed specs and long-term road tests, so I'm not going to "reinvent the wheel" here... just stick to the essentials.

Ask any Swift owner and they'll tell you that the experience after purchase turned out to be even better than expected!  That's not something you can say about many things, these days.

The big pros, first:

• Ride quality : Superb (thanks to a great suspension and handling)

  
  




• Comfort : Great (cabin space is the best in this category)

  
  




• Mileage : Really good (10-11 kmpl in city and 15-17 on highways)

  
  




• Engine : Refined (only Maruti and Honda offer this quality of refinement)

  
  




• Styling : Award Winning (yes, it has won several design awards!)

  
  

Plus, there's a lot of stuff that doesn't make it to the brochure...

• The cabin lights stay on for a bit after you open the doors, and then slowly fade out

  
  




• The automatic climate control is just great... and effective

  
  




• The in-dash 2-din music system with steering controls is unmatched in this category !

  
  

I've driven my Swift for over 17, 000 kms without a fuss... it's still as good as new.  I've also owned a Wagon R, and a Tata Indica.  And, this is the best ride of the lot.

If I were nitpicking, I'd say instead of the (almost redundant) rear fog lamp (which most people don't know how to access anyway!), Maruti should have included a rear cabin lamp or steering adjustment.

One last thing: Limited boot space and rear leg room is the only downside of owning this beauty.  So, if that's an essential requirement, look elsewhere.  Otherwise, close your eyes and go for it...  You won't regret it.