The new Maruti Swift mild hybrid is being compared to the MG3 Hybrid in this video by a prominent British media house. The thought behind this comparison is to see if a fully hybrid mill of the MG3 is able to offer a better fuel economy, and is cheaper to own than the new Swift. Note that the new Swift comes with a brand new mild hybrid engine which promises to pretty healthy mileage figures. In fact, the claimed fuel economy numbers are so impressive that a comparison with a full hybrid powertrain is warranted. Let us get into the details here.
New Maruti Swift vs MG3 Hybrid – Specs and Price
The new Maruti Swift comes with a new 1.2-litre 3-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine with a 12 V mild hybrid setup. It generates a decent 81 hp and 112 Nm of peak power and torque. This engine pairs with either a 5-speed manual or an AMT gearbox. Its combined fuel economy is 64.2 mpg. It has a boot capacity of a decent 265 litres. The Swift starts at £18,699 in the UK and goes up to £19,799.
On the other hand, the MG3 Hybrid comes with a much more powerful 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor for a full hybrid setup. The combined power and torque outputs stand at a significantly higher 192 hp and 424 Nm. There is a 3-speed automatic transmission with this engine which propels the vehicle from 0 to 100 kmph in just 8 seconds. The fuel economy is an identical 64.2 mpg. Hence, the MG3 Hybrid is definitely much more powerful than the Swift. The MG3 Hybrid starts at £18,495 and tops at £20,495. Hence, the Swift has an advantage in this regard.
| Specs | 2024 Maruti Swift | MG3 Hybrid |
| Engine | 1.2-litre 3-cyl Z Series | 1.5-litre 4-Cyl Full Hybrid |
| Power | 81 hp | 192 hp |
| Torque | 112 Nm | 424 Nm |
| Transmission | 5MT / AMT | 3AT |
| Mileage | 64.2 mpg | 64.2 mpg |
| Boot Capacity | 265 L | 295 L |
Driving Impressions and Real-World Mileage
The most exciting part about this comparison is the real-world driving mannerisms and fuel economy. While on paper, the MG3 Hybrid is drastically more powerful than the Swift, the difference is not felt proportionately on the road. Sure, the MG3 is quick off the line but the power delivery is much more linear. In fact, one of the hosts described it as clunky because the switch between the electric powertrain and the internal combustion engine is distinctly noticeable. That makes the overall ride quite noisy and unsettling.
On the other hand, the Swift is a lightweight city car which handles really well. It is nimble and feels much more engaging to drive in the city, as well as on the highway. What is particularly impressive about the Swift is the fact that the road noise slipping in through the windows is much less compared to the MG3. Also, the visibility outside is much better. Overall, the hosts calculate the exact fuel consumed by the car over the long distance using the tank-to-tank method. The Swift was able to offer 58.2 mpg over this entire trip in comparison to 52.7 mpg for the MG3. It is simply impressive that the mild hybrid car was able to deliver higher fuel economy numbers than a full hybrid.
New Maruti Swift vs MG3 Hybrid – Interior and Features
There is a substantial difference between the interior layout and cabin materials on both cars. On one hand, the host starts with the interior of the MG3 Hybrid. It looks sporty with a black and dark overall theme. The dashboard gets plastics which is understandable since this is a budget hatchback. The other prominent amenities include a small digital instrument cluster for the driver and a large touchscreen infotainment display, a tilt steering wheel with a heating function, multimedia controls on the steering, minimum physical buttons, plenty of storage space, a rotary dial for transmission, 360-degree camera, and more.
On the other hand, the new Swift comes with a textured dashboard layout with use of different colours. That makes things more cheerful inside the cabin. It gets tilt and telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel, a floating touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, comfortable seats, physical toggle switches for HVAC, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and more. When the host sat inside both cars in the rear row, he felt that the Swift is the roomier of the two in terms of legroom. All in all, both cars have their strengths and weaknesses.
Our View
I must agree we are thoroughly impressed by the performance of the new Maruti Swift in actual driving conditions. Even though it doesn’t come with a hardcore hybrid car title, the new engine is certainly so efficient, that it was able to beat the proper hybrid powertrain of the MG3 Hybrid by a significant margin. On top of that, the financing options in the UK result in Swift being the more affordable of the two. The fuel economy and affordability are two of the biggest concerns for people buying a car at this price point. That’s why they declared the Swift the winner of this comparison.
Disclaimer- The embedded videos/ external content is/are being used as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or approval by Car Blog India of any of the products, services, and /or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Car Blog India bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, and/or content of the external site or for that of subsequent external videos/ external content. Contact the external publisher for answers to questions regarding its content.
You may also like: Maruti Swift Zxi vs Baleno Zeta – What to Buy Under Rs 8.5 Lakh?
