The Maruti Suzuki Swift is one of the most popular hatchback cars in India. Launched in 2005, the Swift has emerged as a bestselling model from Maruti Suzuki over the years. But what exactly is the Swift – a hatchback or something else? Let’s find out in detail what type of car is Swift.
What Type of Car is Swift?
The Swift is a B-segment or small hatchback car manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India. Here are some key facts about the Maruti Swift:
- Body Style: Hatchback with 5 doors
- Segment: B hatchback or small hatchback
- Length: 3840 mm
- Width: 1695 mm
- Height: 1530 mm
- Wheelbase: 2430 mm
- Ground Clearance: 170 mm
- Kerb Weight: 860-940 kg
- Engine Options: 1.2L petrol, 1.3L diesel
- Power: 81 bhp petrol, 74 bhp diesel
- Torque: 113 Nm petrol, 190 Nm diesel
- Gearbox: 5-speed manual, 5-speed AMT
- Fuel Efficiency: 20-28 kmpl
- Boot Space: 268 litres
- Seating Capacity: 5
So in terms of size, engine options, features, etc. the Swift clearly falls in the bracket of B-segment or small hatchback cars. The Swift was conceptualized and designed by Suzuki to be a small hatchback right from the beginning.
Why Swift is Considered a Hatchback
Here are the main reasons why the Maruti Suzuki Swift is categorized as a hatchback car:
1. Compact Body and Dimensions
The Swift measures under 4 meters in length – specifically 3840 mm. It is less than 1700 mm wide and has a height of around 1530 mm. The 2430 mm wheelbase allows for a roomy cabin but overall, the Swift’s external dimensions are compact and falls in line with other B-segment hatchbacks like Hyundai Grand i10, Ford Figo, Tata Tiago etc. The sub-4 meter length also makes it more suitable for crowded urban driving conditions.
2. Hatchback Rear Profile and Design
The most distinct visual element that makes any car a hatchback is the rear design. Hatchbacks have a rear door that opens upwards and leads into the boot area directly. The Swift has a typical hatchback rear design with the rear door getting a large glass section and opening upwards to reveal the boot space. This is in contrast to sedans where there is a separate boot lid.
3. Interior Space Utilization
While hatchbacks are compact cars, they tend to utilize the interior cabin space very efficiently. The Swift has dimensions that are apt for urban driving while providing adequate interior space for comfortable seating. The wheelbase of 2430 mm specially helps in liberating generous amounts of legroom for rear passengers. So the Swift has the practicality of a hatchback in terms of interior space utilization.
4. Fuel Efficient Smaller Engines
Hatchbacks are meant to be fuel efficient small cars and so they are powered by smaller capacity engines. The Swift comes with 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engine options only as larger engines would result in higher costs and ruin fuel efficiency. The compact engines deliver just about adequate power for a car this size with focus on optimizing mileage.
5. Easy Maneuverability
The Swift is just 3.8 meters long and weighs under 1 tonne for most variants. This makes it very easy to maneuver on congested streets, park in tight spots and also have a turning radius of 4.8 m. The light steering weight and visibility from driver’s seat also help here. The high ground clearance of 170 mm improves bad road drivability.
6. Affordable Pricing
Hatchbacks are meant to be affordable small family cars. Similarly, the Swift is priced very competitively starting from just Rs. 5.9 lakh* for the base LXi variant. This attractive pricing is possible as hatchbacks require lower investments in design, engineering and material costs compared to larger sedans and SUVs.
So in a nutshell, the Maruti Swift displays all the typical design, dimensions, driving dynamics and value-for-money traits that are expected from a hatchback. This wide appeal as a practical and efficient city car has made the Swift one of India’s highest selling hatchbacks over the past 17 years.
Hatchback vs Sedan – How are They Different?
While the Swift is clearly a hatchback, how exactly does it differ from a sedan? Here’s a quick comparison:
- Body Style – Sedans have a separate boot while hatchbacks have a tailgate
- Length – Sedans are longer than 4 meters while hatchbacks are under 4m
- Ground Clearance – Hatchbacks have higher ground clearance than sedans
- Boot Space – Sedans have bigger boot space compared to hatchbacks
- Cost – Hatchbacks are more affordable to buy than similarly sized sedans
So in a nutshell, sedans are bigger, have a different body style, are more expensive but offer more boot space compared to hatchbacks. The Swift differs from Maruti Suzuki sedans like Dzire by having a smaller footprint, higher ground clearance and a hatchback body style.
Swift – Top Selling Hatchback in India
The Swift has consistently been India’s best-selling hatchback over most years since its launch. Here are some key milestones:
- Over 75,000 units sold in the first year across India
- Crossed 1 million sales by 2008, 2 million mark in 2010
- Over 450,000 units sold in 2016 to be India’s top car by sales
- 3 million cumulative sales crossed by 2014
- Top selling car of 2018 with over 240,000 units sold
- Over 2.7 million Swifts sold in India till date
The Swift has been able to achieve an excellent sales record due to a combination of the Maruti brand name, affordability, contemporary styling, engaging driving dynamics and a wide sales and service network. The launch of the Swift marked a coming of age for Indian car buyers in the mid 2000s with its sporty European styling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different variants of the Maruti Swift?
The Swift is available in a total of four trim levels – LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi+. The LXi is the base variant, VXi is mid-spec while ZXi and ZXi+ are the top-end variants.
What are the engine specifications of the current Swift?
The current Swift is powered by a 1.2-litre K12M petrol engine (83PS/113Nm) with idle start-stop and a 1.3-litre DDiS 190 diesel motor (75PS/190Nm). Both engines come with 5-speed manual and AMT gearbox options.
What fuel economy can be expected from the Swift?
The ARAI certified mileage of the Swift petrol is around 23.2 kmpl while the Swift diesel delivers around 28.4 kmpl. Real world fuel efficiency will be lower depending on driving conditions.
What are some hi-tech features offered on the Maruti Swift?
Top-end Swift variants come loaded with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, LED projector headlamps, push button start, auto climate control, reverse parking camera and keyless entry.
Does the Swift have adequate safety features?
The Swift comes equipped with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, rear parking sensors, seat belt pretensioners and isofix child seat mounts as standard safety features across variants.
Verdict – A True Blue Hot Selling Hatchback
The Maruti Suzuki Swift is unoquivocally a hatchback model designed and developed specifically for that body style. Its immense popularity as a value-for-money hatchback has made it the bestselling car across multiple years in India. The Swift’s success also underlines India’s preference for hatchbacks as the ideal size for urban commutes. And the Swift has stood the test of time as a reliable all-round hatchback delivering on affordability, design, performance and peace-of-mind ownership.
So if you are looking for your first small car or want to upgrade to a contemporary hatchback, the feature-loaded Swift makes for a very appealing choice. With Maruti’s extensive sales and service network, the Swift is sure to tick all the right boxes when it comes to practicality, driving pleasure and ownership experience.