Maruti Swift Hybrid: The Maruti Swift Hybrid is yet another step forward towards clean and better fuel-efficient personal mobility in India.
Despite the fact the regular Swift has been established as sporty charactered, sharp driving, economic model, the hybrid version takes this basic formula and adds even better economy and cleaner driving.
Tailored for the city, the all-new Swift Hybrid was created to offer saving in space while packing a punch with their Suzuki global hybrid technology — a combination of zippy performance and efficient energy saving technology all in one small car package suitable for the future.
While it’s not currently available across many dealerships in India, the Swift Hybrid has received a lot of buzz and curious anticipation.
It’s a potential great news for buyers who are looking for the familiar characteristics of the Swift plus the hybrid mileage advantage.
Familiar Yet Refined Design
The new Swift hybrid makes good on its looks – sporty, small and young. The main character largely carries over in terms of design with its swept-back headlights, commanding grille, and sculpted bumpers.
There are some small hybrid-signifying cues though, with blue badging, aero wheel covers, and special color accents that set it apart from the standard version.
They are in the perfect ratio for the city — small enough to squish into a tight parking space but brutish enough to get out onto the highway.
College kids, young professionals and family buyers, whether you, at first, mustered a yawn, there’s something stylish and confident about the Swift Hybrid.
Comfortable and Modern Cabin
On the inside, the Swift Hybrid gets the typical smart and sensible layout Purported that the Maruti is understood for. The dashboard is tidy, the materials are solid, and everything is easily within reach.
When it comes to the hybrid though, there’s extra readouts such as battery meter, power flow display and fuel efficiency tracker -all easily able to be seen on the digital MID.
The cabin is comfortable for four adults and tight but acceptable for a fifth on short trips. Legroom in the back is a bit tight, though those in the rear seat never feel squished, and the boot isn’t compromised even with the battery pack in place.
All that’s good enough for the top-spec, and standard, touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, keyless entry and push-button start for a premium edge.
Smart Hybrid Powertrain
The shining star of the Swift Hybrid is its petrol-electric powertrain. It is powered by a 1.2-litre K-series petrol engine mated to an integrated starter generator (ISG) and a small lithium-ion battery.
This mild-hybrid system isn’t capable of pure electric driving, but it can assist the engine during acceleration and during restarts, improving overall efficiency and helping reduce emissions.
This system offers two primary advantages: improved mileage and enhanced smoothness.
The hybrid make itself known at low-speed driving and also aids in other things like auto stop-start, regenerative braking and torque assist.
The result is an engine that feels smoother in the city and offers better fuel economy— up to 32 km/l under test conditions in international markets.
Driving Dynamics
Despite the newfound hybrid bits, the Swift Hybrid is still an enjoyable drive. It’s agile in corners, easy to toss around traffic and responsive when you need to make up a few positions in a hurry.
The steering is light for city cuts and has enough feedback for highway cruising.
You cannot fault ride comfort, the suspension takes up almost anything the road can throw at you.
The CVT (or AMT, depending on market) is good for the hybrid system, providing smooth, linear performance.
A compact, light and fun powertrain that totally makes sense for Indian roads is what we’re dealing with here.
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Features and Safety
Among the modern additions to the Swift Hybrid:
Touchscreen infotainment
Automatic climate control
Electrically foldable ORVMs
Engine stop-start system
Hybrid energy flow display
Safety comes in the form of dual airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, and a sturdy body structure.
Even the global-spec Kona gets advanced driver aids like the lane departure warning and autonomous braking, though these could possibly be missing out from the India spec initially.
Pros of Maruti Swift Hybrid
Superb fuel savings, much better than conventional petrol vehicles
Easy to drive, particularly in city traffic
Attractive, space-saving design Simple to live with
high tech hybrid, dependable and easy to maintain
Great for everyday going to and from commutes and city performance
Cons of Maruti Swift Hybrid
Cramped boot space (thanks to the battery pack)
Price wannik: More expensive than non-hybrid Swift
Mild-hybrid system, there isn’t a full-electric drive mode
Hybrid tech does remain a new proposition for some buyers, who may have questions how easy they are to service
Not yet out in the open, will be released in India as and when available
Maruti Swift Hybrid:Final Verdict
The Maruti Swift Hybrid is an intelligent extension to one of India’s favourite hatchbacks. It has preserved all the characteristics that made the Swift a family name design that is: compact, sporty looks and superior driving experience and then some and layered in the future; Hybrid technology.
It’s the type of car that resonates with the contemporary urban driver: efficient, sexy and smart.
It might be more expensive to obtain to begin with, but the eventual fuel savings and the environmentally friendly dividends make it a wise investment for a more environment-friendly future.