Good only as a package !!

Exterior

I have swift VDI, VW polo and Santro. So my review will be comparitive.

Build quality far succeds many Maruti's lot. Sturdy build (except for 2 back doors, which also succeds Swift). Appealing design even though it is 3 years old now. Nice chrome grill which gives it a road presence. Poor visibility in A piller, you have to sometimes drive on assumption. Night luminance not good, recommend Philips headlamps with fog lamps. 200 mm ground clearance to tackle road conditions.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

 Dashboard is okay but certainly not cheap plastic as some said. A/C is powerful for Indian conditions, more than swift and polo. Audio system is proprietary, so you cannot change with sony or JBL. Sound is poor, not great as some have put here. Recommend replacing OEM door speakers with Sony etc and use of woofer with Amp (Warning: Most car shops cannot do this job seamlessly)

Space is bit more than hatchback, only with higher sitting position but enough for a family with luggage. Comfort wise not great (diesel as pertrol has different suspension setting since its engine is lighter). Sometimes you can get thrown around in cabin on low speed bumps like you are in tata sumo (Recommend using alloy wheels (either aftermarket or stock) to mitigate this). But if road is good, thats not an issue. Feels planted on high speeds like polo.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

 Engine is sluggish at first 5K-7K run. Then it opens a bit. Recommend using 25 percent speed diesel with normal diesel to mitigate this issue. Engine can feel out of breath after 200 km straight streach. Clutch padel is heavy and gearbox is sluggish as compared to swift. Fuel economy is 16-18 kmpl but i like that at low rpm engine produces enough troque to scale elevation. This is main issue with swift. It cannot scale mountainous terrain from standstill, power surges only after turbo kicks in.

Not as smooth as swift but good for both highway and city travel. For quick acceleration, shift to top gears instead of revving high on lower gears. Top speed is around 150 kmph plus/minus 10 kmph.

Ride Quality & Handling

 Ride quality is okay. Driving will take a toll on your body travelling in traffic jam in this vehichle. Steering movement is precise and light for car of this size. It has huge turning radius. Also its not available in 4x4 variant, so front tires can loose traction only in muddy or mountaineous terrains.

Final Words

 Good vechile for city and highways, recommended only for people with 20-50 years bracket. 

All in all, Only good as a package as it has both pros and cons.

Areas of improvement  

 Suspension, Infotainment needs nav, Clutch padel.

 

A/C, Ground Clearance, Driving position, Exterior build qualitySuspension, turning radius, clutch and gear