2017 Maruti Swift hybrid gets 32km/l. Launch in India?

The all new Maruti Suzuki Swift, which is due to come to India has just launched the hybrid version in Japan. Well this is the same chassis and doesn’t get any new features. It is the same car with the same body and a new engine with electric motor and batteries. This means that the car’s batteries help to improve the mileage of the car without affecting its performance. There were talks in 2014 that Maruti and Suzuki are looking at locally manufacturing hybrid technology and exporting from India. The idea was to make it affordable because of bulk and for this reason, India was considered as the market. Maruti Swift hybrid has been in the consideration for a few years now.

Maruti Suzuki had even made a few prototypes of the current Swift and some were even given to the Indian government for testing. Well, this has now advanced to this stage now. The difference is that the Swift has changed to the new-generation and the hatchback has just been launched in Japan. The initial reports stated that the company is looking at getting the Swift hybrid with 660cc turbo engine. But this gets a 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine, which is currently offered on the Indian version of the Maruti Swift and will even be offered on the new car.

The Swift has been a big hit in the country, since its launch in 2005. Later on, the 1.3-litre diesel engine changed around the fortunes of the company when it got introduced in 2007. About 10 years later, the company is now planning to get the third-generation next year. This will be bigger, lighter and powerful than the current one.

Also See: Maruti Swift 2017 | Honda Amaze 2018

2017 Maruti Swift hybrid Dimensions

2017 Maruti Swift hybrid Engine

A 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine powers the Swift hybrid. This engine produces about 90bhp of power and 118Nm of maximum torque. This is a Euro VI engine and hence it might even be DualJet technology, which is used by Suzuki to meet the new global emission norms. At the same time, this engine is a tad bigger than that what is offered in India. The 1.2-litre K-Series for India is 1198cc while in Japan it is 1242cc. So, minor changes have been made to the engine to get the duty cut in India. All cars with engines smaller than 1.2-litre for petrol have a comparatively lower tax. There is an AGS option (5-speed) on the Swift and this comes only in 2WD.

Also Read: Upcoming Maruti Cars in India | Upcoming Honda Cars in India | Upcoming Tata Cars

2017 Maruti Swift hybrid Mileage

There are three options on the Swift hybrid. The 5-speed AGS has a claimed mileage of 32km/l. These are the figures shared by Examination value by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in Japan.

2017 Maruti Swift hybrid Design

The Swift hybrid is manufactured on the same platform like the Swift. So, it is also made on the Heartect chassis, which it shares with the DZire and the Baleno. There is no visual differentiator for the hybrid apart from the Hybrid badge and maybe a different set of alloy wheels.

There are some differences, which aren’t visible. But they exist. For instance, the Swift hybrid is heavier by about 100 kilograms when compared to the regular Swift. This weighs somewhat similar to the current Baleno that is sold in India. This is due to the additional weight of the electric motor and the batteries that are offered with it. The ground clearance might also be reduced due to the extra added weight as well. The suspension set-up shall be stiffer for the extra added weight. These changes cannot be seen but shall exist on the Swift hybrid.

2017 Maruti Swift hybrid Features

Exterior

• 15-inch wheels
• Diamond-cut alloys
• Projector headlamps
• Daytime running LEDs
• Integrated spoiler

Interiors

• Touchscreen system
• Reverse camera
• Bluetooth, Aux and USB connectivity
• Steering mounted audio controls
• Electrically folding mirrors
• Push start and stop

Safety Features

• ABS
• Dual airbags
• Immobiliser

2017 Maruti Swift hybrid coming to India?

Well there have been talks that this new Swift will come to India. There will be a high level of localisation etc etc. Let us get down to the facts. The Swift hybrid if offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine will see a major hike in its pricing. So, the new Swift hybrid will be a lot more expensive than the diesel engine. What is more, the new Swift shall have a higher fuel-efficiency than the current one. So, an ARAI claimed figure of 28-29km/l is possible. So a buyer will pick up a Swift hybrid for better efficiency and in all honesty the diesel engine shall be cheaper option and the fuel costs lesser than petrol. So, India won’t be the 1.2-litre Swift hybrid. What’s more, at the moment there is even a 15% extra duty on hybrid cars. This puts a question mark on the existence of such a product for India. The Swift hybrid that will come to India shall have a smaller engine of about 660cc and