Performance Enthusiast’s Guide to the Best Maruti Suzuki Swift and Baleno Variants: In-depth Analysis

What a Petrolhead looks for in a car

Petrolheads appreciate cars that deliver exhilarating performance, high-speed stability, and a good sense of control. They value a car’s agility, its engine’s power, and the responsiveness, especially the acceleration capabilities, as well as braking performance. In addition, they consider the quality of the engine sound or the exhaust note.

Features that enhance the driving experience, such as advanced audio systems and power steering, also attract petrolheads. For them, it’s not just about getting from point A to B, but the thrill of the journey itself. Given these attributes, Maruti Suzuki Swift and Maruti Baleno emerge as some of the best performance cars in India.

Why Maruti Suzuki Swift and Baleno are popular among Petrolheads

As high performance car models in India, the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Baleno have both garnered popularity among petrolheads due to their impressive performance characteristics and all-around features.

The Swift is renowned for its peppy engine, high agility, and solid body control, delivering an engaging driving experience. Its variants offer different transmissions, with manual and basic automatic options, allowing petrolheads to choose based on their preferences.

Also read: Man arrested for driving self-drive rental Swift on the shores of Morjim Beach in Goa

Baleno, on the other hand, combines agility with superior ride quality. Its ground clearance and high-speed stability are notable, contributing to a confident driving experience. Moreover, Baleno’s variants also offer a range of transmissions to suit different driving styles.

Both Swift and Baleno are equipped with decent audio systems, further enhancing the driving experience for petrolheads.

Our variants shortlist for Maruti Suzuki Swift and Baleno

Variant	Price (INR)
Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI	690,000
Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI AGS	745,000
Maruti Suzuki Swift ZXI	758,000
Maruti Suzuki Baleno Sigma	661,000
Maruti Suzuki Baleno Delta	745,000

Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI, priced at INR 690,000, is an excellent choice for petrolheads due to its agile handling and strong engine power. The variant’s quick engine responsiveness and stable high-speed stability offer an engaging and confidence-inspiring drive. If you’re a family-focused buyer, you can read our comparison of the Swift with Hyundai Grand i10 Nios.

The Swift VXI AGS variant, priced at INR 745,000, has an automatic transmission. It retains the agility and stability of the VXI but offers a smoother drive. The engine responsiveness in this variant is moderate, making it a good choice for those who prefer an automatic transmission.

The Swift ZXI, priced at INR 758,000, offers quick engine responsiveness and agile handling. It comes with an LCD touchscreen adding to the convenience factor.

The Baleno Sigma variant, priced at INR 661,000, stands out for its agility and stable high-speed stability, similar to the Swift variants. However, it offers a higher ground clearance, which can be beneficial for Indian road conditions. We also have our comparison of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno with Hyundai i20 for family-focused buyers.

Lastly, the Baleno Delta variant, priced at INR 745,000, maintains the performance characteristics of the Sigma variant, but includes an LCD touchscreen, enhancing the overall convenience. If you’re a tech-savvy gadget lover, you can check out how the Maruti Suzuki Baleno compares with Toyota Glanza and Hyundai i20.

Best variant among Maruti Suzuki Swift and Baleno for Petrolheads

The Maruti Suzuki Swift ZXI emerges as the best fast car choice for a petrolhead. The Swift ZXI, with its agile handling, quick engine responsiveness, and high-speed stability, ticks all the boxes for a petrolhead.

The variant’s engine delivers an impressive power of 88.5 BHP and an engine torque of 113 Nm. It also offers manual transmission, which petrolheads generally prefer for the control it provides.

The LCD touchscreen is an added convenience feature in this variant, which although not a primary concern for petrolheads, is a welcome addition. The Swift ZXI is truly the embodiment of performance, control, and convenience, making it the top choice.

The Top 3 choices

Variant	# of cylinders	Acceleration (0-60 km/h)	Agility	Engine – power (BHP)	Engine – Transmission	High-speed stability
Maruti Suzuki Swift ZXI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maruti Suzuki Baleno Delta	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

The top three variants are the Maruti Suzuki Swift ZXI, Swift VXI, and Baleno Delta. The Swift ZXI offers agile handling, quick engine responsiveness, and high-speed stability, making it the top choice. The Swift VXI follows closely, offering similar performance characteristics, but with moderate engine responsiveness. Lastly, the Baleno Delta provides an excellent balance between agility, engine performance, and additional features, such as an LCD touchscreen.

All three variants offer a great blend of performance, handling, and features, making them top choices for petrolheads.

Also read: 10 DC Design cars & how they look in the REAL world: Maruti Swift to Mahindra XUV500