Maruti Suzuki Swift Long Term Review, March 2025 Report

When I drove the new Swift first – it was at the BIC during our annual track day – I had mixed feelings about it. Sure, I did have a ball of a time with it at the track – it’s so flickable and lively – but in the vastness of a circuit that makes anything with less than 250bhp feel out of depth, it’s fair to the say that the new Swift’s anemic three-pot motor was huffing and puffing for power, which led me to believe that it’s severely underpowered.

It’s been three weeks now living with our long-term Swift (thank you for handing over the keys reluctantly, Aakash!) and, boy, have I changed my mind about it! The Swift is a car that takes you back in time and shows that it’s not always about the size of your car or the turbocharger in your ho-hum daily runabout. Instead, it all boils down to the simplicity of motoring – peppy performance, an agile chassis, and a small footprint to squeeze in and out of tight spaces. The Swift’s mantra is all about dishing out an effortless yet enjoyable driving experience without breaking the bank. If I have to be honest, there’s not a single car this side of 10 lakh that ticks the ‘basics’ of a what a small and fun hatch should be better than the Swift. Yes, the engine runs out of puff above 100km/h. Yes, the cabin is full of hard plastics. And, yes, it’s not as spacious as some rivals. But, for someone, who values reliability and driving pleasure above everything else, the Swift is still the go-to hatchback. I’m so glad I made the decision to nick its keys from Aakash. Suffice to say, he isn’t getting it back anytime soon.