A facelift for the Maruti Suzuki Swift has long been coming and now we have learnt that its finally going to launch in February 2021. The facelift on one of India's most popular hatchback will bring it up to date with certain cosmetic enhancements but the most notable change will lie under the hood. The Maruti Suzuki Swift is set to receive an all-new engine with more oomph and we are really excited about it. Let's tell you in a little more detail about what's in store.

The 2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift facelift will ditch its existing 1.2-litre four-cylinder K12M engine and adopt the new K12N Dualjet engine. This engine produces more power with 90hp on tap compared to the 83 hp on the current version of the Swift. Torque output however remains unchanged at 113 Nm. This new 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine also comes with idle start-stop tech and that should greatly help increase efficiency.

Like before, the engine will continue to come mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT gearbox. In fact, this updated K12N petrol engine has been doing duty on the Dzire facelift since it was introduced in early 2020. From our experience with the Dzire, we can tell you that this new engine feels more responsive both off the line and in in-gear acceleration as well. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire is also currently the most fuel-efficient petrol car in the country right now, as rated by ARAI, thanks to the K12N motor.

In terms of design however, we do not expect many significant changes. The facelifted Swift was unveiled in Japan last year and it only came with a tweaked grille along with some new colors. While the India-spec model is yet to be unveiled, we expect similar changes and not anything more. We also do not expect any significant changes to the interiors of the Swift. Maruti Suzuki could however be offering new fabrics for the upholstery.

When Maruti updated the Dzire with the new engine and cosmetic tweaks, prices rose by about INR 6,000- INR 22,000, depending on the variant. We expect a similar premium for the updated Swift as well. Currently, the Swift is priced between INR 5.19 lakh to INR 8.02 lakh, ex-showroom. The Maruti Suzuki Swift competes against the likes of the Ford Figo and Hyundai Grand i10 Nios.