2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift: engines and transmissions

The Maruti Suzuki Swift has become more premium over the past two generations and has focused increasingly on appealing to young enthusiasts. Until now this has reflected primarily in its design and equipment list, at least for the Indian market, but once the new generation Swift is launched at the 2018 Auto Expo, its powertrain options will bear testimony to the same.

The all-new, 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift is expected to up the game for enthusiasts in India with its powertrain options

Maruti will launch the new Swift with the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engines as the current version, but we now know that this time Maruti will also bring in a sportier, more powerful Swift powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Suzuki has had the Swift Sport on sale internationally for quite a while now and the Sport suffix will finally come to India, though the Swift Sport will get launched only later, the way the Baleno came first and the Baleno RS later, powered by the more powerful, 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine.

The four-cylinder, naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine and four-cylinder 1.3-litre diesel engine are expected to remain unchanged while boasting better refinement levels. Both engines are also expected to be more powerful than their current avatars owing to tweaks as also the fact that the new Swift is based on Maruti's new lightweight Heartect platform that underpins the Maruti DZire and Baleno currently. We thus expect peak power and torque outputs to get a slight bump up from the current 84PS and 115Nm for the petrol. We expect the engines to run cleaner and offer better efficiency as well, and ARAI certified fuel efficiency for the petrol is expected to go up from the current 20.40kmpl.

The 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engines in the 2018 Maruti Swift are expected to be slightly more powerful owing the car's weight loss program and minor tweaks to the motors themselves

Similarly, the 1.3-litre diesel will also become slightly more powerful than the 75PS and 190Nm it offers currently. It will also boast better fuel efficiency than the current version's ARAI certified 25.20kmpl. The petrol and diesel engines will come mated to the same five-speed manual transmission as the current car, a gearbox that is among our favourites with its precise feel. For the first time ever, Maruti will also equip the Swift with its AGS (Automated Gear Shift) or AMT, which will be offered with the petrol and diesel engines both to add to the convenience of driving it in traffic without compromising fuel efficiency.

The Maruti Swift Sport powered by the 140PS, 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine (Boosterjet) will be our pick of the lot when launched later

Our pick of the engine options though will be the four-cylinder, 'Boosterjet' 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine that will debut later, probably towards the end of 2018 or early in 2019. The new generation Swift Sport was launched internationally last year powered by this engine and its outputs stand at a juicy 140PS and 230Nm. Couple that to the car's light kerb weight of 970kg and you're looking at a serious quick hatchback, with probably the best in class power to weight ratio. We also wouldn't be surprised if the new generation Swift Sport boasts a genuine top speed in excess of 200kmph. The Swift Sport's engine will come mated to a six speed manual transmission carried over from the previous generation Swift Sport that was powered by a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.

The new Swift thus looks even more promising with its powertrain options. Goes without saying, it is a car we at OVERDRIVE are eagerly waiting to drive, since the last two generations of the car impressed us big time with their performance and dynamics, and also won our Car of the Year awards in 2006 and 2012!

Also see - Comparison: New Maruti Suzuki Swift vs outgoing Maruti Suzuki Swift