Swift VDi gives me everything I expect out of a small car, and then some more!

I'm a 56 yr old car lover who has owned a Maruti 800, a Premier 118NE and a Maruti Esteem prior to buying a Swift VDi. In the last one and a half years, I have driven the Swift 18,000 km -- mostly on long drives (being a retired person settled in Jamshedpur, my driving in Jamshedpur is negligible). Let me share my wonderful experience with the Swift VDi in the subsequent paragraphs.

The best thing in the car is undoubtedly the engine. It is a gem -- a product of state-of-the-art technology. Max torque of 190Nm comes at a low 2000 RPM -- this gives amazing acceleration, overtaking ability and hill climbing ability. Furthermore, peak power of 75 BHP comes at only 4000 RPM -- which means that even a 'common' driver can enjoy the peak power once in a while unlike the petrol Swift where peak power comes at 6000 RPM -- how many people other than rally drivers have you come across who rev their engine to 6000 RPM?

And the icing on the cake is that this superb engine generates all that torque and power by consuming very little fuel! On long drives I easily get 23-25 kmpl with AC and 24-27 kmpl without AC depending on road conditions. And I normally don't try to set mileage records by driving slowly at a constant speed. I usually drive between 80-120 kmph. Of course, my driving style is good -- not too much braking and fast accelerations. Getting 25 kmpl, that too with cheaper diesel, feels great. I always use non-premium diesel, as advised by a Maruti engineer.

The handling of the car is good -- I have driven it upto 160 kmph and the car felt rock steady. The electronic power steering is just right. Brakes are very effective. The hydraulic clutch is smooth and does not require much force.

The suspension feels nice, strong and reliable -- I have driven extensively over broken and potholed roads (Jharkhand is notorious for them!). But there are two things I don't like -- during 'bottomings' the front suspensions give out a metallic clang -- I find that sound very jarring. Secondly, the ground clearance is too low -- especially below the front bumper. The bottom of my front bumper has been scraped many times and the rubber lining under the bumper keeps getting yanked off on bad roads. I must clarify that this happens despite the fact that I drive extremely slowly and cautiously on broken / potholed roads -- after all it is my personal car bought with my hard earned money and I want it to last long.

The interiors of the car should have been much better. They look plasticky and cheap. Not even dual-coloured! The interiors of my Esteem were far superior.

Coming now to maintenance -- this car hardly needs any. In the last 18,000 km, the main scheduled routines were two oil changes. The way this engine has been designed and put together, I don't forsee any major maintenance before it clocks at least 1,50,000 km.

All in all, I think this car has been an excellent purchase decision. Runs economically on diesel, negligible maintenance, great pick-up and power, great handling, comfortable ride quality, good looks -- what more can a small car enthusiast ask for?

Great pick-up, high torque at low RPM, great mileage, gem of an engine, modern styling.Plasticky interiors, low ground clearance, suspension noise.