I am writing this review after a longish ownership. I will try my best to be honest and straigh forward about my review on the car. I have a blue swift zxi. My first long trip was from bangalore to tekkady a good 500 kms. Started at 6.30 morning. Hosur road was kind enough. I parked the at 9.50 for breakfast in salem(saravana bhavan). I was actually faster than safari dicor, a honda crv & a little slowish optra. Since the road was good I could do 140 on the clock. No rattlying or bumping. I was in control all the time. After a good breakfast and hot coffee continued the onward journey. the sun getting into the car the temp set at 18.0 degree was doing the job. I stopped in theni for lunch at 1.0 pm. Relaxed a bit and started onward from there half hour later.This time i was driving comparably slower. Reached tekkady around 3.30 pm. after my camping here I continued my second leg from tekkady to munnar. A distance of 180 kms (100% ghat section). Even though I was geared for this part was especially tiring for me. The first 10 kms of the road (sorry I should say no road) took me 1 hour and I still had a good 170 kms in front of me. Started picking up speed on the winding roads and believe me swift was handling like a dream. NO lack of power and steering very nimble. Reached munnar around 4pm. I was in munnar for three days going round the hills and scenic locations. On the fifth day started from munnar for a visit to coimbatore. No hassels in this leg of the journey. Decent road average speed. After a couple of days stay here started from coimbatore to bangalore. It was a sunday and I expected heavy traffic. So I started early around 12.30 am. This time I decided i would take the mettur route upto darmapuri. 3.30 I was in darmapuri. Good road good constant speed (around 120 - 125). Quick break here and I was in Slik board at 5.45. I was so happy to beat the traffic.
I should definetely like to bring to notice here that all through my highway journey I was hearing a whistling noise at the back of my car. Air creeping in somewhere. I told rns motors the same but they still have not solved this problem. Sorry friends I did not note down totally how much of petrol I filled. If I remember vaguely I should have spend about 5 - 6K on the same. So please translate that to litres of petrol.
Positives: Good handling and braking at high speeds, good stability, A/C is really awesome, maruti replacing the fifth wheel with alloy wheel.
Negatives: Whistling noise at high speeds, Lack of low end torque for a quick pickup in highways, can be more fuel efficient, brighter head lights for highway purpose. Suspension could have been a tad stiffer.
Good to have for me it would put it as must: (tilt steering, All four disc brakes, a digital clock and a bright yellow swift please)
Okies here is my city experience. I still feel that the car has enough pickup for city. Quiet for city. EPS is pretty nimble and I love the steering, definetely I would love if it gave me a couple of kilometers for my litre of petrol.
I feel rns have to go several notches up with regard to servicing the car. I was not satisfied with the way it was serviced the second time. I am not contemplating on getting the wheel allignment checked for my car.
So here are my recomendations if you are looking for a decent car that looks pretty good, that can go fast, can keep you cool when the sun is starring at you really hot and a decent highway car then just dont look beyond Swift ZXI.
I feel its a practical car and I am very happy with my decision. I am proud to own one.