2018 Maruti Swift price revealed before launch

Maruti Suzuki is set to launch the all-new Maruti Suzuki Swift on 8th February in the 2018 Auto Expo. The bookings for the Swift have been opened officially and there’s already an expected waiting period of 3-4 months on the upcoming hatchback. According to a report, the new Swift price will be around Rs. 60,000 more than the existing model’s price.

ETAuto‘s sources say that Maruti will price the upcoming Swift at a starting price of Rs. 5.83 lakh, which is higher than the previous starting price of Rs.5.23 lakh. This will make the Swift quite competitive in the market. Earlier, Maruti dealers officially started taking the bookings for the new Swift at a booking amount of Rs. 11,000. The rival Hyundai Grand i10 has a starting price of Rs. 4.6 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi.

But we think this speculated price is too high….

Why? Because the Maruti Dzire has a starting price of Rs. 5.56 lakh while the Baleno’s starting price is Rs. 5.36 lakh, both prices ex-showroom, Delhi. Maruti is not expected to put a higher price tag on the Swift than the Baleno and the Dzire, both of which are from the higher segment.

Secondly, R S Kalsi, Executive Director, Marketing and Sales has said in an interview that prices are expected to be similar to the previous generation of the car. Thirdly, the previous generation Swift was priced at Rs. 4.91 lakh and not Rs. 5.23 lakh. The new Swift is expected to be priced at Rs. 4.99 lakh, ex-showroom.

This is the third generation of Swift which is based on an all-new platform. The car has shed up to 90 kg depending on the variant and has become a lot quicker and fuel efficient than the previous generation car.

Maruti has used the HEARTECT platform to underpin the Swift. It is the same platform that forms the base of new Dzire and the Baleno too. The engine options – 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel remain same as the previous generation but due to the lighter weight of the hatchback, the performance, as well as fuel efficiency, has increased by a good margin.

Maruti has also introduced automatic transmission in the Swift for the first time ever. The automatic gearbox is an AMT unit that is available with both petrol and diesel engine options. Safety equipment like the ABS and dual front airbags are standard across all the variants of the car.

The interiors have been updated too. The all-black themed dashboard now gets Smart Play infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The new Swift is also more spacious due to the increased dimensions of the vehicle. As the previous generation Swift, the all-new Swift is also expected to be the segment leader.

Posted in Featured, Hatchback, Home Posts, News and Views, UpcomingTagged Auto Expo 2018, Auto Expo 2018 Car, Maruti Swift, News
These cars have the best back seats in the business : From Renault Kwid to Ford Endeavour
Posted on February 4, 2018 by Bunny Punia

We Indians love to travel with our loved ones : be it for shopping grinds, a Friday movie or a road trip over an extended weekend. And more than often when we are planning our next car, we overlook this important factor of rear seat comfort. By this, I don’t only mean the space on offer but other parameters like ingress / egress, seat cushioning, visibility and features like an arm-rest, rear air-con vents and so on.

We went down to the basics to do our homework and finally came out with a winner each across ten different segments. Here we go:

Entry level hatchbacks : Renault Kwid

Starting Price: Rs 2.67 lakh
The Kwid not only offers a baby SUV design theme, it is also the only car in the segment which can seat three adults in comfort at the back. Further, the ‘height’ offers good headroom for tall passengers. Icing on the cake is the value tag and ample versions for all kind of buyers – 2 options each for the engine and transmission. Check out the new Avenger Superhero Edition.

Mid-size hatchbacks : Mahindra KUV

Starting Price: Rs 4.51 lakh
Yes, we will not call it a SUV – its still looks like a grow up hatchback. The plus point here is the size of the KUV – the width allows for a lot of shoulder room at the back. The rear bench is flat and so is the floor, lending that extra space for the middle passenger. Want more? The higher versions even offer a centre armrest and adjustable headrest for all three passengers.

Premium hatchbacks : Honda Jazz

Starting Price: Rs 5.9 lakh
Though the Jazz does not sell as much as the Baleno or the Elite i20, it offers the most spacious rear seats along with best in class visibility. Both headroom and shoulder room are excellent and the higher versions also offer ‘magic seats’ : the rear seats can be folded down in various configurations. The Jazz is also the only car in the segment to get reclining rear seats, a feature found on much expensive cars.

Compact sedans: Honda Amaze

Starting Price: Rs 5.6 lakh
It was a close call between the new Maruti Dzire and the Honda offering. Both compact sedans offer excellent legroom but Honda earns more brownie points due to the seat design. Japanese know how to get passenger comfort right and the rear seats of the Amaze are brilliant. Aiding visibility are the large windows. Another practical touch are the handy rear door pockets for big bottles.

C segment sedans: Honda City

Starting Price: Rs 8.7 lakh
Another Honda in the list is the City. Inspite of the headroom being an issue for tall passengers (Ciaz has the same problem), like the Amaze, the seats here are excellent in terms of cushioning and support and show their true strength during long commutes or extended non-stop drives on the highway. Last but not the least, visibility is excellent and the sunroof on top end versions lend an airy feel.

Compact SUVs: Tata Nexon

Starting Price: Rs 5.99 lakh
Tata has upped the ante in various segments including that of compact SUVs. It is the second highest selling car in its segment after the Breeza and customers have appreciated various parameters include the rear seat comfort. Knee room / legroom is best in class and so are the rear bench contours. The seats come with varying hardness in terms of foam density and get bolstered sides too. Rear arm-rest and air-con vents complete the package.

Full sized SUVs: Tata Hexa

Starting Price: Rs 11.85 lakh
Though both the XUV and Hexa offer terrific middle row comfort, the Hexa has an edge in terms of features. There are multiple rear air-con vents (door pillars and lower central console), the manual sun-blind for windows come handy and unlike the XUV, you can opt for two independent captain seats in the middle row – this along with a better ride quality does make a huge difference, and the reason we picked the Hexa over the XUV.

D segment sedans: Skoda Octavia

Starting Price: Rs 15.87 lakh
Although the Toyota Corolla Altis outsells the Octavia in the segment, it is the latter that offers better overall comfort at the back. In true Skoda fashion, you are never short on space. The Octavia also offers rear air-con vents which are shockingly absent on the Altis. So if you are going to be a back-seat driver most of the times, pick the Octavia.

Family MPVs: Toyota Innova Crysta

Starting Price: Rs 13.52 lakh
The Innova has been the most comfortable family MPV from day number one, taking it up from where the Qualis left. The captain seats in the 2nd row offer unparalled comfort and this combined with best in class ride quality makes this a very comfortable place to be. Nice touches include digital display for rear air-con, one touch tumble second row seat and even an option to slide the front seat easily from the back.

Luxury SUVs: Ford Endeavour

Starting Price: Rs 25.65 lakh
The all-new Endeavour, launched in January 2016, improved in every single department, most importantly, in terms of passenger comfort. The Fortuner is a close call but in terms of ingress and egress, the Endeavour scores higher points. The active noise cancellation feature also makes the cabin a quite place to be in and the massive Panoramic Sunroof that covers almost 50% of the roof area makes the cabin feel airier.

Posted in Buyer Guides, Comparison, Featured, Home Posts, News and ViewsTagged Buying Advice, Ford Endeavour, Honda Amaze, Honda City, Honda Jazz, Mahindra KUV100, Renault Kwid, Skoda Octavia, Tata Hexa, Tata Nexon, Toyota Innova Crysta
Fastest accelerating petrol hatchback cars: Maruti Swift to Fiat Punto Abarth
Posted on February 4, 2018 by Shantonil Nag

Petrol is the fuel of enthusiasts. The high revving engine accompanied with the exhaust note of the vehicle gives a different thrill to the motorheads. If you are looking for a super quick hatchback in the affordable segment, we have five quickest accelerating hatchbacks available in the Indian market.

Abarth Punto

0-100 km/h time: 9.32 seconds

This is the most affordable Abarth badged vehicle that you can buy in India. The Abarth Punto was one of the first true hot hatches in the Indian market. The car uses a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces a maximum of 143 Bhp – 215 Nm. The Abarth Punto is the fastest accelerating vehicle in the sub-10 lakh rupees segment with 0-100 km/h time of 9.54 seconds.

Fiat vehicles are always known for their driving capabilities. The Abarth Punto gets stiffer suspension and gets disc brakes on all the four wheels. The car also gets lowered to minimize the body roll.

Volkswagen Polo GT TSI

0-100 km/h time: 9.7 seconds

Volkswagen Polo is quite a popular car among the enthusiasts. Volkswagen launched the more enthusiast biased GT TSI with a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The engine produces a maximum of 103 Bhp – 175 Nm. The power is delivered to the front wheels through the 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission.

Maruti Baleno RS

0-100 km/h time: 10.25 seconds

The Maruti Baleno RS is the first turbocharged petrol car launched by Maruti. Maruti has tweaked the chassis and the suspension of the Baleno RS to add better handling characteristics to the vehicle.

The Baleno RS is powered by a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that churns out a maximum of 101 Bhp and 150 Nm. Maruti has also added a new body kit to make it look more aggressive.

Maruti Swift

0-100 km/h time: 12.6 seconds

The all-new Swift has been officially unveiled in India and it will be launched at the Auto Expo. The Swift gets the same engines as the last generation but because of the lighter body, the performance and the fuel efficiency have gone up.

The all-new Swift also gets features like projector LED headlamps, touch-screen infotainment and larger cabin space. Maruti will also offer AMT automatic transmission for the first time in the Swift. Prices are likely to stay similar to the previous generation model.

Ford Figo AT

0-100 km/h time: 12.7 seconds

Ford Figo automatic is a different ball game altogether. The car is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that churns out a maximum power of 110 Bhp – 136 Nm. The car gets a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Figo is one of the best cars for the enthusiasts in the segment because of its driving characteristics. The car is the quickest among all the Figo variants.

Posted in Featured, Hatchback, Home Posts, News and ViewsTagged Abarth Punto, Buying Advice, Ford Figo, Maruti Baleno RS, Maruti Swift, Volkswagen Polo GT
Mahindra XUV700 teaser video released: Will rival Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour
Posted on February 3, 2018 by Shantonil Nag

Mahindra is readying its new flagship, the XUV700, for the Auto Expo and has officially released a teaser image of the SUV. The new SUV is based on the LIV-2 Concept (Limitless Interface Vehicle) that forms the base of the latest SsangYong Rexton SUV in the global markets and XUV700 in India.

Mahindra will showcase the vehicle at the 2018 Auto Expo and it will challenge vehicles like Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour in the market. The full-size SUV will get three row of seats and a capacity for seven occupants.

Exact details of the dimensions of the upcoming vehicle are not known yet but it is expected to get similar dimensions of the new Rexton which gets a longer wheelbase than the Toyota Fortuner. Longer wheelbase translates into more interior space – usually.

Lookswise, the XUV 700 will get bold creases on the body that will invite a lot of looks. We can expect a similar design to the Rexton but with Mahindra badges.

As always, Mahindra will pack the SUV with a long list of features. The car is expected to get a full-fledged centre console for the rear seat passenger. Seat recline and massage options are also expected for the rear seat. The central console will get a large touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. A lot many features like puddle lamps, take-me-home lights are expected too.

xuv700 concept LIV2
What we expect the teaser is hiding!
The SUV will also get projector headlamps, 360-degree camera, leather seats, electric tailgate and sunroof to add the premium touch. Rear passengers may also get to enjoy personal screens mounted on the headrests.

Like the XUV500, the new flagship may get as many as 6 or more airbags. Other features like ABS, traction control, hill hold and hill descent will be standard.

Engine-wise, the new Mahindra XUV700 will use a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine that generates 189 Bhp and 420 Nm. 2WD and 4WD options are expected. However, we may not see a low ratio gearbox. Both manual and automatic transmissions will be available.

The XUV 700 is expected to carry a sticker price of around Rs. 22 lakh, that makes it around Rs. 4 lakh cheaper than the Toyota Fortuner. It will be a value for money product that Mahindra will launch in late 2018 or early 2019.