We have a petrol Swift VXi since last two years. We had used an Alto for nearly 4 years before this one. We were perfectly happy with Alto except space, so we exchanged it. As I have mentioned in my Karizma review, I am a Formula Maruti racer with experience in rallying too, so I wanted a sporty car and I zeroed in on this little thing over Esteem.
In the looks department, the vehicle is surely stunning, makes many heads turn. The styling is very fresh & unlike any car in India. The power & pickup is perfect; The dynamics and handling very good. The car makes you beg for more if you are driving in a hilly area.
The quality is far better than any Maruti. You can check out the thick sheet metal. The suspension is also very nice as it employs a front sub frame for mounting steering and suspension components which is usually employed in expensive sedans. The rear uses heavy duty springs & dampers. Even large potholes fail to destabilise the car, even in mid corners & high speeds.
There are also some niggles, nothing is perfect in this world. The inside door panels sometimes vibrate with high bass on music system. The interior rear view mirror is small & awkwardly placed. It points downward & you can not see horizon that means it can’t show farther away objects. The A-pillar is not placed perfectly, it cuts short your vision especially while turning to the drivers’ side. If you are new to the car it is also hard to judge distances while reversing due to small rear windscreen & very fat C-pillars.
The security system has failed after two years and it doesn’t give protection for boot or engine bay.
I also feel that rear wash-wipe should be made default on all small cars. The system is rather a necessity than a luxury option.
The fuel efficiency is also adequate as it consistently gives me around 15 kmpl in city and above 16.5 kmpl on highways with a/c on. The car can munch miles very easily on long distance journeys. I should also add that a/c is quite powerful & chills the cabin in no time.
The service of Maruti needs no reviewing as it is the best in the country & many buy Marutis because of their service & nation wide network.
There is one more interesting thing about this car that you can almost infinitely modify it with low budget free flow intake / exhausts to high end turbocharging, etc. It will give you immense pleasure that your car is unique to you only and satisfaction of doing something yourselves.
I will end my review here. I hope this will help you make your decision.