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-   -   Which AMT hatchback? Santro vs WagonR vs Tiago (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/hatchbacks/206160-amt-hatchback-santro-vs-wagonr-vs-tiago.html)

Dear all

This is for my friend who is in the market looking for an AMT hatchback. Why AMT only and not conventional Automatic ? Well, for one, his shortlisted cars (Santro/WR/Tiago) offer only AMT as the automatic transmission. And number 2, he has driven my Tigor AMT lots of time and he doesn't think that AMT performs as bad as the perception. Infact, according to him, AMT's offer more "feel" to the drive unlike a CVT which has some degree of disconnect between throttle input and acceleration (Rubber band effect ?)

Out of his shortlist - the Santro/new WagonR and Tiago, i have recommended him the Santro AMT, for the very reason that Santro's AMT gearbox has been appreciated by many as the smoothest AMT gearbox in the business, with minimum headnods experienced during gearshifts.

What would be your choice of AMT ? Not considering Datsun GO AMT/Kwid AMT and Celerio AMT.

I think manufacturers are tuning the AMT's better now. Recent AMT's I have driven definitely seems to be better than a year or two back.

Santro seems to be the ideal choice considering it is a newly launched car and it is probably the most premium looking of the lot especially with respect to interiors. The Tiago may be a wee bit better to drive.

Looking at the pics of the Wagon R that have come out, don't think it is anywhere close to the Santro or Tiago in terms of look and feel.

Tiago has the low end grunt, nothing much in the top end. Wagon R and Celerio which I drove had pretty jerky gear shifts. Tiago better but still not as smooth as the conventional AMT.

Santro, need to test drive it but withholding it thanks to the harassment the Hyundai sales rep does post the test drive to buy.

I would not recommend the Santro AT simply due to the fact that it does not have a passenger airbag. The WagonR despite coming with a K12 engine now, does not really appeal to me as a package. The Tiago is definitely the best of both worlds and it is the car which I would suggest.

However, the Ignis Delta AMT can be had for the same price as the top end of the Santro and the Tiago and it is the car which I would recommend over the other three.

No contest here IMHO. If you're looking for an AMT in this segment, the Santro it is. With its electric actuators, the Santro's AMT is twice or thrice as smooth as the AMTs of the WagonR & Tiago. Heck, the Santro is even smoother than AMT cars from a segment or two above. Then, there's the segment-best build & quality.

My vote goes to the Santro.

Test drive the new WagonR 1.2 and then the Santro/Tiago. I feel the 1.2 might have an edge over the other two. The engine has very good bottom end for a light car like the WagonR.

I think Santro will be more smoother when even compared to WagonR 1.2. Santro AMT employs electronic actuators which are giving it much smoother shifts.

I'll go with the Wagon R AMT. More space, power and comes with the top end variant. If I were you, I'd buy the orange colour and customize it. It looks great.

All the 3 cars are good. May I also suggest the facelifted Ignis.

You have not mentioned anything about your friend's requirement other than the fact that he is looking at AMTs.

If he is single / first time car buyer / quality conscious / values refinement - then suggest Santro. (As of now, Santro AMT does not come with passenger airbag and rear head restraints, so I would not suggest this to a family guy)

If he needs more space / more power / is value conscious / needs good resale value - then suggest WagonR. (WagonR also does not come with rear head restraints and the interior feels very bland, but it is the cheapest car to offer K12 engine)

If he appreciates build quality / has time to attend to minor niggles / has trust in Indian brand / would be using the car for highway trips - then suggest Tiago. (At the moment, Tiago feels the best on paper but service experience may not be at par with Maruti/Hyundai)

Of course, I would just leave these 3 and opt for a mid variant of Ignis.

Rohan

I would take the Santro only for the AMT. There is no other reason to pick it considering the WagonR now has the 1.2 82 hp engine :D
To summarise,
Gearbox= Santro
Engine= WagonR
Appeals to the heart= Tiago!!

To me, appeal to the heart is the single most important factor and hence I have voted for the Tiago.
Your friend is also comfortable with the Tigor. I feel it’s a no-brainer :D

Hello,

I am looking for suggestions to help buy a new car for my wife. We have an infant and in a few months, she will need mobility and independence. In-laws have a Kwid which my wife loves, and I was happy with it too. However, seeing that in a few months, there will be a baby occupying the car on a baby seat, I need something safe. That rules out the Kwid.

In short:
- Budget near about 5, 5.5 L on-road.
- Monthly drive around 125-200 kms
- Mostly city driving - her office, daycare, groceries
- Some sense of safety, for the baby and wife: 2 airbags, ISOFIX if possible, else the conventional method
- Doesn't need to be sporty, but defintely dependable

I am kinda interested in the Santro AMT since that is the only one that talks about safety in its brochure. Are there any others I should be thinking about?

Thank you.

Santro AMT is a good option, there aren't much options under 5.5L on road for a good safe hatchback. Tiago AMT is another good and safe option. It is better build and has good safety ratings compared to Santro.
If open for pre-owned, look at Ford Figo AT, VW Polo TSI are options.

Do u want an automatic or is it more of a good to have thing?

My sister has a Polo trendline, cost about 5.5L 2 years or so back. She was just learning to drive and I wanted a real safe option but was pressed for budget. VW has huge discounts going on. It is a bit bare-bones but frankly it is still one of the safest and most reassuring hatches out there.

Thank you. I was reminded of the Tiago after posting, that's something I will check out too. Does it have Euro/G -NCAP ratings? Let me google.

I know, I already have a manual Polo HL :) I was thinking of selling that and getting a used GT, but wife kinda wants it to be new and and an AT, so kinda jammed there. If I had the money, I would have gotten the GT the first time around. It was 9.5L in 2016.

Get the Freestyle from the used market. It has 6 airbags in the Titanium variant. Might overshoot the budget a lil bit, but will be worth the money and peace of mind.