Maruti Swift Completes 20 Years In India, Here’s A Look Back At Its Journey Since 2005

The Maruti Swift was launched back in 2005 and is currently in its fourth generation

The popular Maruti Swift hatchback celebrates its 20th anniversary on the Indian roads. It was launched back in 2005, and since then it has traversed four generations and noticeable updates. As Maruti celebrates this milestone, we take a look back at how the Swift has evolved through these years and what makes it a strong contender in the hatchback segment even today.

More About The Swift Nameplate

The first-generation Swift entered Indian garages two decades ago, and it instantly grabbed attention. Back in the day, its youthful design, plenty of features, peppy performance and fun handling characteristics made it an enthusiast’s car. The Swift originally came with just a 1.3-litre petrol engine, which it shared with the Esteem. However, when diesel cars were starting to become more popular, Maruti plonked the Swift with the Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre DDIS engine, and the hatch started selling like hot cakes! It wasn’t perfect, though. The ride was on the stiffer side, and rear legroom was tight, but still, that didn’t stop the hatchback’s success. 

Maruti fixed this with the second-generation Swift, which arrived in 2011. The Swift grew up in size and had a roomier rear seat. The suspension was also dialled down to offer a better ride without the expense of handling. And while the hatch was larger, it still looked very familiar. Under the bonnet, it got the 1.2-litre K-series petrol and the torquey 1.3-litre diesel engine. 

In 2018, the third-generation Swift brought a more modern design, added features, and was underpinned by a more lightweight HEARTECT platform. The convenience factor was dialled up in this version as AMTs were introduced with both engines. But the sad part with this generation of the Swift was bidding adieu to the 1.3-litre DDIS engine, nicknamed as the ’National Engine of India’ due to stricter emission norms.

The Swift on sale now is in its fourth generation and was launched in 2024. This marked an evolutionary update to the nameplate with a much sleeker and modern design. But the major shake-up was under the bonnet as Maruti replaced the older 4-cylinder K-series engine with the new Z-series 3-cylinder unit. Notably, it did sacrifice on the performance front, but meanwhile offers an improved fuel efficiency of up to 25.75 kmpl.

Also Read: Maruti Swift vs Maruti Dzire Review

Current Maruti Swift Overview

The latest Maruti Swift now sports a sleek design that looks eye-catching. While the iconic silhouette has been retained, it now looks a whole lot modern. The large honeycomb grille and the swept-back LED headlights give the fascia a Mini Cooper-like look. The 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels give it some bling, while the rear-end gets LED tail lamps.

It comes with six monotone colour options: Novel Orange, Magma Grey, Splendid Silver, Sizzling Red, Luster Blue, and Arctic White. The final three colours can also be paired with a black roof for a dual-tone look. 

Inside, the Swift welcomes you with an all black cabin with black upholstery. The dashboard features a layered design with a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel and a 9-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with thick bezels.  

Additionally, it comes with features such as auto AC with rear vents, a 6-speaker ARKAMYS tuned sound system, wireless phone charger, connected car tech, cruise control, and keyless entry with push button start/stop.

In terms of safety, it has 6 airbags (as standard), ABS with EBD, electronic stability control (ESC), hill hold assist, a rear-view parking camera and ISOFIX child seat anchorages.

Powertrain Options

The new-gen Swift gets a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine, replacing the 4-cylinder unit offered earlier. It also gets an optional CNG kit. The detailed specifications are given below:

*MT - manual transmission, AMT - automated manual transmission

Price & Rivals

The new-gen Maruti Swift is priced from Rs 6.49 lakh to Rs 9.65 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India). It rivals the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and the Tata Tiago.

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