The next generation Maruti Swift will use the same underpinnings as the Baleno premium hatchback and the vehicle will be lighter and more fuel efficient than the current model.
We recently drove the all-new Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the most interesting part about the vehicle has been its platform, which is very light-weight as compared to the current platforms that Maruti uses. The Baleno is bigger than the Swift and yet it manages to be 100 kgs lighter which is quite a surprising fact. The Swift is a very popular hatchback in India and the next generation of the vehicle will be hitting our shores by 2017.
The new Swift has been codenamed YSD and it is said that the vehicle will make use of the same platform that underpins the new Baleno, which means that the next generation Swift will be much lighter than the present model (by around 120 kgs). This will result in improved dynamics and also better fuel efficiency. Apart from the new platform, the next generation Maruti Swift will come with a lot of significant changes to the exteriors and interiors.
It is speculated that the new Swift will come with the 1.0-litre BoosterJet petrol engine but nothing has been confirmed. The diesel engine will be the same 1.3-litre DDiS unit sourced from Fiat and it will also come with the new SHVS hybrid technology. The engine will be tweaked for better mileage figures too. The new generation Swift will also adhere to the government’s new crash safety norms that will come into place by 2017.
There is a possibility of Maruti offering a 1.5-litre diesel engine too. Recently the company stated that they are looking to incorporate safety features in all their vehicles much before the 2017 deadline and hence the new Swift will also come with airbags and ABS as standard. The Swift and Swift DZire are the highest selling vehicles in the country, after the Alto and the new generation will only help increase sales. The concept model will be revealed as early as next week.
