Indiacar.com -Maruti Ritz vs Maruti Swift

Until now, the Swift ruled the big hatch roost unchallenged. Now, it faces competition from within. Can the Ritz with its killer price and user – friendly nature dethrone the king? Auto Car (July09) testers find out…

If you’re buying a car and have a budget of anywhere between 2-6 lakh, chances are you’ll be looking at a Maruti. With a small car or seven for every budget, there’s bound to be confusion over which one to buy. It’s the same with the new Ritz. Priced very close to the slightly more expensive Swift (Rs 40,000 separates them) and with similar levels of equipment and big-hatch appeal, it’s anything but crystal clear on which hatch you should spend your money on. What truly separates them are their personalities. The Ritz is designed to reach out to those who want practically and comfort, the Swift to the younger and sportier at heart.

The two cars on test here are the highest – spec petrols that Maruti offers-ZXiM trim. They’ve both got integrated audio systems, two air bags, ABS alloy wheels and power windows, almost everything you would want in a small car. The aim of this test says AutoCar (July ’09) is simple - clear up the confusion.

Design and Engineering
They share the same platform but their design philosophies are as similar as chalk and cheese. Form follows function in the Ritz, the opposite for the Swift. The Ritz is taller (by exactly 90mm) and has a wheelbase 30mm shorter than the Swift, but utilizes the limited space for more efficiency. It’s steeply raked windscreen, sloping roof, prominent wheel arches and boomerang tail-lights prevent this tall-boy from looking like a brick. It is only f

ront –end styling that’s more generic, the main stand-out feature being the Audi-like split grille. It’s the Swift’s blend of muscular and cute that makes it a lot more appealing that the Ritz. Move your gaze around to the front and you’ll notice the one aspect that really marks the Swift-out its width. At 1690mm, it’s wider than the Ritz not that it makes any difference to the space inside. The underpinnings are similar. Both use monocoque construction, the front and rear track are identical both use space saving and cost-effective torsion beam suspension at the rear and MacPherson struts up front with the only difference being their suspension settings. Both use disc brakes ahead and drums at the rear and similarities carry over to the wheel and tyre sizes as well.

Interiors
The Ritz’s good looks carry on in the cabin too. The seats are set high, and the generous glass area makes this cabin feel bright and cheerful. The controls are well laid out and the gear level, sprouting from the dashboard, is easy to reach. Forward visibility is good and the A-pillar doesn’t get in your line of vision too much either. It’s a practical cabin with quiet a few storage spaces, especially the deep slot above the glovebox which can hold quite a bit. Though two adults will fit into the rear easily, you’ll find it hard to get their luggage in because the boot is ridiculously small says Auto Car (July ’09)

Given the Swift’s broad footprint and relative height, you’d expect interior space to be plentiful. Front passengers have ample head and shoulder room, but move rearwards and packaging is less effective.

The driving position is still one of the best around though – the seats are snug and feel sporty. Forward visibility is not as good as the Ritz (that thick A-pillar gets in the way) and with such a deeply sloping bonnet, judging parking distances takes some practice.

Engine, Gearbox, & Performance

The Ritz’s K12M engine is unique for India. It’s and all-aluminum, twin-cam motor which breathes through 16valves and uses drive-by-wire technology. The Swift on the other hand uses the ageing G-series motor, which is basically an Esteem engine with a few tweaks.

Buzzy and not entirely smooth the Swift engine feels older than the Ritz’s K-series engine. Still, there’s no doubting the muscle it commands. It’s got just three horsepower more than the Ritz’s 84bhp, and matches the newer car’s torque. At the 100kph mark, the Swift is ahead by two seconds, despite the slightly taller gearing on the Swift. Also helping the Swift along are the extra 101cc, 20kg weight advantage and a free-revving engine.

For all other purposes, it’s the Ritz’s engine that noses ahead. Quiet at idle and smooth when revving, the responsive motor feels at least as quick as the Swift in part-throttle applications. It cruises well, the engine drowned out by wind and excessive tyre noise from the JK Vectras. Both send power to the wheels via five speed gearboxes but the Ritz’s box requires slightly less effort to slot through the gate.

Ride and Handling
Attack a corner in the Ritz and you’ll find a steering that is direct and grip levels that are good. But the tall body leans over quite a bit and the softer rear suspension set-up means it’s not as surefooted as its older brother. The Swift’s handling, on the other hand, is tight. Save for the steering, which has some slack in the straight ahead, it feels eager to divide into the corners and planted and flat as well. At slower speeds, the Ritz catches up on the handling front and betters the Swift’s ride.

Fuel Economy

There’s not much difference between the two. The Ritz with its smaller engine and slightly shorter gearing gave us 11.8kpl in the city versus the Swift’s 11.5kpl. On the highway, despite the Ritz’s more modern engine, the gap was small.

Choosing between this pair boils down to what you need from your car. The Swift with its strong performance, fun handling and cheeky looks is the one to buy if you love to drive. It’s priced reasonably, has good equipment levels and the best front seats in this class. However, its firmer ride and black interiors won’t appeal to someone who needs practically over cornering speeds.

This is exactly where the Ritz scores. If, for a moment, you can ignore the small boot, you’ll find a car that has generous levels of passenger space, a smooth, responsive engine and a pliant ride. The fact that it’s well equipped, brilliantly priced, better built and has a new generation engine makes it the sensible and natural choice.