[DCEite]

Dears,

This query has come up for a friend of mine, who already owns a Honda City CVT which is used by himself.

There is a requirement for a second car in the home now, and below are his requirements:

1. Peppy to drive: The car need not be an outright performer. Things like steering feedback, high speed handling can take a backseat. However what he is looking for is peppiness of the engine since the car will be driven 100% in city traffic.

2. Budget between 4.5 to 5.5 lacs ex show room Delhi

3. He prefers a cheap to own Maruti as his second car.

4. Monthly running is very less (around 500 to 1k kms per month)

5. He is not looking at used car market.

6. Fuel efficiency is not a very big concern.

7. Has to be an MT.

8. All four power windows and touchscreen infotainment system are appreciated (though spresso comes with only front 2 power windows he is still ok with it).

Based on his requirements we have shortlisted the following:

1. Maruti S-Presso VXi+ MT: Ticks most of the boxes, but being a 3 cylinder engine, the smoothness of the drive is something he may not appreciate too much. Besides, the car is quite narrow, something he may not appreciate if he needs to occasionally travel with this family.

2. Maruti Wagon R 1.2 ZXi MT: With a power to weight ratio of nearly 100 BHP per ton, the 1.2 Wagon R is a sprightly performer. If only the driving dynamics were as good as the engine. However, as a purely city commuter, the peppiness of the engine is something he will surely appreciate.

Does it make sense to spend around 1 lac more on the Wagon R 1.2 ZXi compared to the S-Presso VXi+ ?

Any first hand experiences with Wagon R 1.2 ZXi on this forum ?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Does it make sense to spend around 1 lac more on the WR 1.2 ZXi compared to the Spresso VXi+ ?

Have driven both for ~250 km and can tell you they are fantastic city commuters. If he's not price sensitive, then the WagonR 1.2 is indeed worth the 1 lakh premium because of the 4-pot engine, superior ride quality and crazy space. I enjoyed the S-Presso too within the city (my review here) and it's a fantastic urban use car for the price.

Frankly, can't go wrong with either. WagonR is of course the superior. Tell him to read my review, the WagonR Official Review, then test-drive both and decide. Also consider the Ignis which is priced not too far away.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Does it make sense to spend around 1 lac more on the WR 1.2 ZXi compared to the Spresso VXi+?

Yes, the WagonR is a better buy over the S-Presso. The 1.2L 4-cylinder engine is much more refined them the 3-cylinder one on the S-Presso.

Maybe a wider set of tyres on the WagonR may help a bit.

[AYP]

The Ignis Delta would be my pick. Priced at 5.4L ex-showroom, it is a whole segment above the Wagon-R and 2 segments above the S-Presso. Yes, it misses out on touchscreen infotainment system but that can always be adder later on, the basics of the car can't be changed.

Between the S-Presso and the Wagon-R, the K12 in the Wagon-R is worth spending extra money for.

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Does it make sense to spend around 1 lac more on the WR 1.2 ZXi compared to the Spresso VXi+ ?

I don't think so.

If it's between the WagonR 1.0 vs 1.2, I'd recommend the latter. But if the S Presso meets your friend's requirements as a second car meant for city drives, there's no point to spend 1 lakh more to get the WagonR for its K12 engine.

None of these cars are good at high speeds. I've test driven the WagonR 1.0 and the engine feels sufficient for the kind of road manners this car has.

If your friend wants to actually enjoy the drive, tell him to increase his budget and get something from the next segment. An entry level Swift can be had for under 5.5 lakhs. Touchscreen HU and power windows can be added later.

[MrBeast]

If I had to buy a car with these requirements and conditions, the MS Ignis will be my pick. There are some good discounts running on the car and it is surely much better than the S-Presso and the wagonr.

[Sk8r]

If I was in your friend's place, I would go with the Ignis Delta similar to what few have already suggested

- It's a better engineered product than Wagon - R / Spresso - A segment above
- Great K12 Engine !
- Between Wagon - R and Spresso my pick would be the Wagon - R

[satyapj]

Incidentally, I too am in similar situation. I own 10 year old Chevrolet Beat 1.2L Petrol and 2 year old Honda City VX CVT. The automatic transmission on Honda City makes it easy to drive even in City traffic but practicality wise I am too looking out to exchange my aging Chevrolet Beat for more practical urban car.

For city drive I think automatic transmission makes like lot easier. I have had my eyes set on Tata Altroz but sadly heard that's not coming with automatic transmission anytime soon. I am yet to list down my priorities, automatic transmission is certainly one however between these two, I would go with original tall-boy i.e. Wagon R, for amazing cabin space, good ride quality for occasional not so long-drive and automatic transmission.

[BloggerMathai]

I would ask him to go ahead with the Wagon R or Ignis just for the smoothness and refinement of the engine.
We own an Ignis and an Alto K10 in our household and the difference is night and day.

[NST440]

Advantage Wagon R (ZXI)- Acres of Space, Superior quality interiors, Better Ergonomics and comfort and better social value , Has all the needful electronics one may need, Refined and frugal Engine and looks better as well.

Advantage S Presso: Cheaper to buy , fuel economy (may be)- Couldn't think of anything else here.

Ignis may be considered as well , although I fail to see any substantial advantage it has over the Wagon R except for a trendier design You would still end up buying a Lower variant which would require after market installation which would not be the case in Wagon R ZXi.

[NiInJa]

For city drives, the S-Presso would fit perfectly IF they have another car for highway runs. Both S-Presso and Wagon R dont have comfortable seats as compared to Ignis so you might want to check that car too.

[ToothyPetrohead]

If I was given a choice between the two Eyes closed I’d go in for the Wagon R 1.2 any day be it whichever version. My reasoning in a nutshell:
1. Easy to drive, maneuver, fits in small paces.
2. Easy on the pocket.(MARUTI AFTER ALL)
3. Comfortable for the family especially elderly. (ingress/egress)
4. Spacious, roomy, visibility all around from the driver’s point of view.
5. Very peppy engine fuel efficient something that I liked. Wagon R was my first car. Still regret having to sell it after 10 years was in excellent condition (I had the 1.1L, 2002 model.)
6. Higher versions preferable as they have all the goodies that include the power windows, Music system etc.
7. Most practical in every way.
8. If asked for another alternative I’d look at the Ignis rather than the S-Presso.

[mbsomanna]

Since you have mentioned that it is strictly for city use and FE is not a major concern, I would suggest that you consider the Automatic versions of these vehicles.
You may feel the pinch in terms of extra cost only at the time of purchase.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by NST440

Ignis may be considered as well , although I fail to see any substantial advantage it has over the Wagon R except for a trendier design You would still end up buying a Lower variant which would require after market installation which would not be the case in Wagon R ZXi.

Just to add, the space inside the WagonR is much much better utilized than that in the Ignis.

The Ignis feels cramped, when compared to its contemporaries.

In the Nexa showroom, when compared to the Baleno, it pales away in every comparison like Looks, Space, Features etc.

[gautam109]

I've had no first-hand experience with either car. But given that it's a second car, mainly for in-city driving, and assuming such trips usually involve 4 adults or less, I'd save the 1 lac. The City is on call whenever a comfy 5 seater is needed.

The only Q would be: Is the S-presso's 3 pot engine tolerable enough or not in terms of refinement and low-end torque? Try 2-3 TDs from different showrooms (You get to try differently aged/used engines). Or maybe rent an S-Presso for a day from one of the self-drive companies if available.

Provided S-presso engine is "good enough", I'd personally spend the extra cash on upgrading to the S-presso AMT. ATs are a such a boon in city traffic.