India-spec Maruti Suzuki Swift spied in Thailand

Maruti Suzuki’s most anticipated hatchback, the new generation Swift, is already on sale in the international markets of Europe and Japan. The hatchback will be introduced in India soon, albeit in a different spec. CarWale reader Ketan Thakkar spotted the ASEAN-spec Swift in Thailand. Since the Indian and Thailand markets are very similar, we expect that the same-spec Swift will make its way to our shore.

The test mule spotted in Thailand is a left-hand-drive model. The images suggest that it is not the top-spec variant, as it is missing a touchscreen infotainment system. Instead, there is a standard two-din system with a CD player. It gets a small screen though, with lots of buttons surrounding it. The rest of the cabin layout is similar to the Japanese spec. The prototype is riding on alloy wheels similar in design to the international Swift.

You can see the all-black interior with black fabric upholstery. The steering wheel and the instrument binnacle also remains the same. Being a new generation vehicle, the Swift is expected to adopt better quality material with soft-touch plastic all around the cabin. You can also expect added features and equipment in the next gen Swift. 

Under the heavy cladding, the exterior design elements seem to remain the same as the Euro-spec Swift. The new hatchback will also be based on the newly developed Heartect platform like the Dzire. So, it will be lighter than the outgoing car.

In India, the new Swift will have a choice of the 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.3-litre diesel engine. There is a possibility of a performance oriented RS spec with a 1.0-litre petrol engine being introduced as well, but that will come later. The standard 1.2-litre unit will be producing 83bhp/115Nm while the diesel will have an output of 75bhp/190Nm. A five-speed manual will be standard for all models while normal models will also get the option of an AMT automatic transmission.

When launched in India, the Swift will compete against the likes of the Hyundai Grandi10, Honda Brio, Mahindra KUV100 as well as compact sedans like the Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and the Ford Aspire. It is expected to be priced higher than the current car and it will slot in above the Ignis in Maruti’s line-up.