2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift Facelift First Drive Review

The most improved bit of the 2021 Swift is its engine. It is still Maruti’s 1.2-litre 4-cylinder K-Series engine but with improved combustion tech. In fact, the engine gets 2 injectors per cylinder and variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust valves. The Swift now makes 90bhp (up from 83bhp) and 113Nm of torque, both handy if not remarkable figures. Maruti Suzuki says they have also improved the fuel efficiency and lowered the emissions of this K-Series motor by adding idle stop/start tech and improving the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system.

Those familiar with the pre-facelift Swift, or even the Baleno or the Ignis for that matter, would identify similarities in the way the new Swift rides over different surfaces. Maruti hasn’t altered the ride and handling set up, meaning the low speed ride still borders on a firmer side although we would like to add that the Swift is in no way uncomfortable over broken roads. Sure, you can hear the suspension working over pot holes and expansion joints but the overall ride quality remains pleasant and flat. The light steering is excellent for driving in traffic but is likely to leave some drivers wanting for more weight and feedback when driven spiritedly. Thankfully the Swift now gets a self-centering rack which makes low speed driving a lot more reassuring. All in all, the light steering combined with a reactive front-end makes the Swift feel quite dart-y. The only downer is the economy-minded Apollo Alnac tires which struggle to remain quiet and lose traction earlier than expected when you are really going for it.

The cabin design and layout is untouched for the next generation model. That said, it remains among the better looking/packaged interiors in its segment. Like before, the Swift gets a seemingly sporty all-black cabin whereas the Dzire is shipped with a more mature looking beige interior and just like before, the dashboard is minimalistic yet smartly styled with the large infotainment display dominating proceedings. Plastic quality remains good for the segment with fit and finish similarly ranked, however, there are still some mediocre bits to be seen out in the open – the door panel and the center stack appear too shiny and a little hard. Overall, the fit and finish is decent but it cannot match the likes of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios or the Volkswagen Polo.

The tech stuff is headlined by Maruti’s Smartplay infotainment system which is now featured across their range. Although not the sleekest system, it is fairly easy to use and comes with smartphone mirroring and now with a host of cloud-based services. The audio quality and output is on par with the segment, however, the lack of physical buttons to control everything is bothersome on the move. The 2021 Swift comes with dual front airbags, ABS, a reversing camera with guidelines and parking sensors but there is more to the safety story. With the update, you also get ESP, bigger brakes on both ends and a recalibrated steering with self-centering to improve things further. In terms of comfort features, cruise control and key synchronized electrically foldable wing mirrors have been added to the top-spec variant, however, the Swift misses out on a few new-age features like rear AC vents and wireless charging, that ideally should be standard on the top-spec variant for this kind of money.