Unbiased Review of Maruti Swift VXI VDI K Series

After writing a lot about which Swift car to buy and comparing VXi or VDi in my previous hub, I thought to share my unbiased review of this Maruti car with Swift lovers. Though both VXI and VDI share the same chassis and body and it sound like there is only difference of engine but this is not true as there are a lot of differences between both variants and it is not an easy decision to decide one. After reading a lot and analyzing requirement, one of my cousins decided to buy Swift VDI and he is very happy with the decision (completed 10,000 kilometers and three free services). Up until now most of the discussion in car communities, car forums like carwale.com and Team BHP and other sites on the net is more based on economy but one should also consider the power, torque, driving, comfort etc. I will do this one by one.

VXI or VDI - Economy Wise

First of all if you are thinking about economy, Delhi ex-showroom price is:

Maruti Swift VXI Bharat Stage IV = 4,53,632 INR

Maruti Swift VDI Bharat Stage IV = 5,28,877 INR

This above price for both Maruti Swift variants was last updated on April 23, 2010. The difference amount is around 75,000 INR. If you drive at least 40 km per day, then it will take around four years to cover the difference of the price you pay. If you drive more in a single day, then you can cover the extra amount early. So if you just think about economy, then if you drive more than 40 go for VDI otherwise VXI.

Now let’s move onto other import factors. Read on..

Driving Comfort

It is a difficult one and depends on how you drive a car.

VXI’s Steering and Clutch

Is smoother than VDI and VXI is easier to maneuver compared to VDI.

Braking

Is instant in VXI compared to VDI as VDI has higher torque and even though both use the same brake, braking distance will be a little more in VDI.

In Bumper to Bumper Traffic

(Common in Delhi and other metros), it is much easier to drive VDi as because of its higher torque, you only need to use clutch and brake and the car easily moves in second gear without accelerator but in VXI car, you have to use a little bit of accelerator. Also because of high torque in VDI, you can drive in 40 to 50 kilometers per hour in fifth gear, so there is lesser gear changes in VDI compared to VXI saving more fuel adding up more mileage to your car, saving more money in your pocket.

Engine Noise

Will be a little higher in VDI but compared to other diesel vehicles in its class, it is very silent and from inside it is difficult to say that you are sitting in a diesel car so it is negligible.

Engine Torque

VDI is a clear winner in this category. Torque ( Nm@rpm) : VXI VDI 113@4500 190@2000. VDI torque is amazing and if you test drive both, you will feel the difference. As soon as you hit the accelerator in VDI, you will feel the kick and the other kick you will feel as you cross 2000 RPM. VDI has got a linear Turbo charger and it starts after 2000 RPM and once it starts, you get sudden acceleration and if you maintain this RPM range, you will never have to change the gear. Suppose if you are in fifth gear and going in good speed and if you have you overtake, you don’t need to shift down the gear, you will get the same acceleration in fifth gear what you get in third or fourth gear in VXi. Unfortunately, there is a small amount of turbo lag below 2000 RPM in VDI that means you will not get the same acceleration what you get when you cross 2000 RPM but once you get used to using lower gears, then it is not a concern.

Race between VXI and VDI

If there is a race between VXI and VDI, then VXI will only win in racetrack or a drift because it has higher RPM ranges but it takes time to reach there. In city roads, VDI will be a clear winner. If you need power, by a Swift VDI.

Mileage

If driven properly, you will get around 17 km per liter in city and 20+ km per liter on highways with Swift VDI. In VXI, it should be 13 km per liter in city and 17 km per liter on highways.

Other Aspects

There is no waiting period for VDI or VXI. For VDI with ABS, some waiting period might be there. You cannot fit it outside and I will say any day go for VDI with ABS if budget is not a concern. The amount of torque it has got, you definitely buy it.

Swift’s New K-Series Engine

VXi has got a good engine and the good news is that Maruti has phased out the previous engines and have put more advanced and powerful 1.2 liter 16 valve K series engine which was used in Ritz and other cars. It was first launched in Swift petrol and now it is available in all variants. The bonus of K-series engines is that they provide better pollution control and fuel efficiency. I think this was the reason why Maruti launched Swift Glam to clear the old engine stock. VDI has got one of the best diesel DDIS engine. The DDiS engine has won the “International Engine of the Year Award” in Europe . It is an engine which was developed by a joint venture of Fiat and GM.

Maintenance

I don’t know about VXI but VDI has totally changed the way people used to think about diesel cars. My cousin completed 10k kilometers and three services and following is the cost:

1. First Service: 600 rupees

2. Second Service: 5 rupees for a small screw

3. Third Service: 2000 rupees

Conclusion

So in 10k kilometers, he has paid just 2605 INR. Now the decision is up to you which Swift variant you would like to buy, Swift VXI or VDI. It all depends on you. My work was to just provide an unbiased review of both variants and I have done that. If you have any types of questions regarding this, please let me know via the comment section below. Best of luck for your purchase of Maruti Swift.