Maruti Suzuki Swift vs Mercedes-Benz B-Class

Here’s a drill down on all that’s good and not so good about our long-term fleet's Maruti Suzuki Swift petrol manual.

Every time I praise the entry-level MPVish hatchback from Mercedes around a few enthusiasts, I am greeted by looks that are partly gauging if I am drunk and partly trying to establish if I am even an auto journalist. So before we go down the same road, let us start by establishing certain facts – I live in a crowded city with traffic density equivalent or more than that in an anthill; the average speeds during daily commute are at times even lower than public transport, efficiency is important, comfort and convenience is a prerequisite and performance is a word that barely even crosses my mind.

Over the next few months, we will run the new Swift as part of the CarWale fleet. We will spend commuting in it daily and we will subject it to the worst that the Mumbai peak-hour traffic can offer.