All-new 2018 Maruti Swift hatchback reaches showrooms in India

Maruti Suzuki Arena dealers have just begun displaying the 2018 all-new Swift hatchback. The car will be launched in India on the 7th of February, at the 2018 Auto Expo. The price announcement will happen at the time of launch and prices are likely to start from a little under Rs. 5 lakhs for the base-petrol variant.

The 3rd generation Swift will be positioned below the Baleno as Maruti’s affordable yet peppy B-Segment hatchback. It will share the light-weight HEARTECT platform with the Dzire and the Baleno. The new platform, which extensively uses high-strength but light-weight steel – will make the Swift nearly 80 Kgs lighter than the outgoing model.

The lower weight is expected to make the Swift both peppier and fuel efficient. The engines will be unchanged though. The petrol motor will be the 1.2 liter K-Series unit with 82 Bhp and 114 Nm while the diesel will be a 1.3 liter turbocharged unit with 74 Bhp-190 Nm. Both engines will get 5 speed manual transmissions.

A big mechanical change on the new Swift is the addition of an AMT on both the petrol and diesel engines. This is the first time that Maruti is selling automatic variants of the Swift in India. The car also gets more spacious than before, with a 20 mm increase in wheelbase. Boot space has also increased by 50 liters.

The new Swift will share its production facility with the Baleno, at Maruti’s new factory in Hansalpur, Gujarat. The car will not only be sold in India but will also be sold in right-hand drive markets abroad. Maruti is also expected to launch a sportier version of the car dubbed the Swift Sport.

The Swift Sport is expected to be launched sometime by the end of this year. It will use a 1.4 liter BoosterJet turbo petrol engine that produces a peak power of 140 Bhp and a peak torque of 230 Nm. This engine will be paired with a 6 speed manual gearbox. The Swift Sport is also expected to feature suspension changes for crisper handling. It could be priced close to Rs. 10 lakhs.

Images courtesy Team-BHP