[diesel_head]

Avoid Kwid like the plague. It’s riddled with quality issues and the OEM has been slow in resolving these despite the platform being 7 years old. Like others have said, go for a Tiago. It’s far better VFM.

[DeadCenter]

From someone who owns a 2 year old Kwid AMT, it does its job fairly well for a city car. Never had the need for a manual mode be it mall ramps or the hills in Chikmagalur. It holds gear in inclines and declines. Is it a driver's car? No, but my bonkers Tdci Manual Figo fixes that for me.

As a city car it is a preferred choice with Android Auto working seamlessly and creep mode (which the previous versions didn't have) helping in traffic. I picked this cause I valued the 1 star safety (how pointless it may seem) which the Marutis didn't have and couldn't stretch till a top end Tiago.

While I do prefer manuals, I believe the purpose of buying an automatic is to be 100% free of gear shifting and the Kwid does that job well and returns excellent fuel mileage at the same time. Haven't faced any reliability issues either. It is not a driver's car and I don't expect it to be one.

Only issue I have with it is I feel the AC doesn't cool well enough but I'm probably spoilt by the class leading AC in my Figo.

[dhruvky94]

Originally Posted by prasanna_indaje

Its better to have an AMT car with manual override.
Manual override will immensely help in real life scenarios such as climbing the ramp at a mall next door.

I test drove KWID again yesterday on inclined surfaces. I found the AMT to be fine for normal inclines. But yeah it could be a problem for sharp ones.

Originally Posted by tovisu

Suggest to go for TIAGO. Well built car with decent engine combination - good suspension. My brother is having amt variant. he is super happy and serves Bangalore traffic and long drives.

IMO, Manual mode is must in AMT (automatic) cars. We have 3 AMT in our house. Nexon, Tiago and a Nano in my family and we are happy. Only in Nano, the DC motor failed and it set back 6,800 Rs. No other major issue.

Originally Posted by yedukrishnan199

Having owned the First Iteration of the Renault KWID RXT AMT OPTIONAL FROM 2017, I can tell you that it just gets the job done, that's all. But at the time it was the only car which offered a touchscreen, and the looks were enticing, however considering the current price of above 7 lakhs on road, I would surely spend the extra 2 lakhs (if I had the money) to go for a Tata Tiago XZA Plus AMT.

You may also consider the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Sportz AMT 1.2 Kappa VTVT too but its not as safe as a Tiago (2 Srar NCAP vs 4 Star NCAP). But its engine is a 4 cylinder and You do get a cash discount of Rs.35000 on the Hyundai i10 Nios too

Do take a test drive and finalize

Originally Posted by AGupta

I would also suggest to go for Tiago . It have better suspension, headlight through is really good, seating is high comparative to Grand i10 and respectable fuel efficiency. It's also effortless to drive with ultra smooth stareering and light clutch.
Other options to consider if safety is compromised:
1. Grand i10 Nios
2. Swift
3. Celerio
4. Wagon R

Originally Posted by superbad

My father in law got a pre-facelift Kwid RXZ AMT in 2019, it left him stranded on the highway twice due to brake jamming. Got it replaced under warranty. He wanted to sell it off & get a Santro AMT but being a retiree, he had to watch his finances. The car has not given any trouble for the past 2 years but his confidence in it is destroyed & he no longer does long trips without a driver. Plus having driven it, the engine, NVH, AMT is just very average/below average.
As others have suggested, better to go with Tiago, i10 or Wagon R/Ignis/S presso.

Originally Posted by colcol

Based on the requirements you have listed, I would suggest the Ignis, i10 or Tiago. If you are budget constrained, look at the Santro or Celerio.

Originally Posted by diesel_head

Avoid Kwid like the plague. It’s riddled with quality issues and the OEM has been slow in resolving these despite the platform being 7 years old. Like others have said, go for a Tiago. It’s far better VFM.

I test drove both Tiago and KWID yesterday again. I was shocked to see the AMT transmission of Tiago. It was very laggy and gave a lot of jerks for low gears. Comparatively, KWID was smoother (although still a bit jerky from AMT nature). This was in direct contrast to what I have heard from forums like Reddit and TeamBHP. The test drive Tiago was quite damaged and had done 33k kms. Aside from the bad transmission, Tiago was a better car in every way. Be it the build, handling etc. How is the transmission of you car, if you don't mind me asking.

I have test driven i10 NIOS AMT too earlier. In my opinion, i10 has the best AMT I have ever used but the low safety rating really hold me back from booking it.

Originally Posted by nmn_22

If you end up going for the Ignis, then suggest you to stretch from Delta AMT to Zeta AMT. The price difference is around 48k and you get a lot of essential and feel good features to enhance the overall ownership of the car.

Some of the features are -
- Fog lamps
- Alloys
- Rear wipers and defogger
- Engine start stop button
- Electrically folding ORVM
- 7 inch touchscreen

Just get an aftermarket camera (Blaupunkt quality is good) installed and you are good to go.

Cheers!

Originally Posted by CarWorld

My advice will be go for Wagon R AMT either 1L or 1.2L . It has below advantages.
Maruti's reliability for 7-8 or even 10 years.
Maruti's excellent after sales service everywhere.
Maruti's excellent resale value.
Big accomodating 342L boot.
Manual mode available.
Highest selling car in India month after month.
Wagon R itself has become a brand name, love it or hate it.
I have driven most of the AMT cars till Dzire, nothing beats smoothness of Hyundai AMTs. In fact, last year we bought Santro sportz AMT for my brother in law and it works beautifully till now, odo reading is 15k km. But the car is discontinued now. Manual mode helps in increasing clutch life, slot the AMT in manual mode, let the RPM climb past 2k RPM, lift right foot from accelerator, push the gear lever to engage next gear and once gear change happens then start accelerating again. No jerk at all. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by CarWorld

Little correction here. Please remember to switch back to Neutral whenever you are waiting either on signal or on incline. Manual mode will help on inclines and reducing jerkiness but switching back to Neutral will help in increasing clutch life.

Thanks for the info ! I am definitely considering Tiago/Ignis now.

Originally Posted by MADisMynAMe

Could I ask you the price range you can afford? I can try to help you brother

Thanks for the help! My budget is around 7 lakhs as I don't want to spend too much for first car. It is flexible though if the car is worth it. Don't want to go for bigger cars as I don't have much driving experience.

Originally Posted by RijuC

Cancel the Kwid. Pick up the IGNIS AGS/ AMT. Or stretch a little more and buy base Baleno AMT. Though Baleno would be very wide car for the first time car buyer and IGNIS footprint is tight.

Didn't you ever see 1-2 years old Kwid on road? How the engine sounds? It cries for mercy!

Meanwhile IGNIS has good ground clearance. I have driven IGNIS AGS/ AMT in the hills of Nainital and Pangot. Good enough for average city dwellers and going for occasional fun drives. I guess you are not regular on highways/ expressways. Remain cautious and drive safe on highways with Maruti Suzuki cars.

Originally Posted by Ottomatic

I own a 2021 Kwid AMT RXT (O) white color for my 70 + father. He absolutely enjoys every bit of it. Even I have driven on highways with 5 on board cruising on 120 kmph. In one year ZERO issues whatsoever. As far as safety is concerned city traffic never allows us to go beyond 50 to 60 kmph. Just go for it.

Originally Posted by Maverick Avi

Yes, avoid Kwid AMT. You can opt for manual version if you really like its feature sets and looks though. The engine and AMT combo just doesn't click. I own Wagon R 1.2 AMT and was very satisfied with its drive mode until I drove to Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand. Manual mode is must have in AMTs to navigate tricky driving situations. This is a big enough reason to skip the AMT version. Moreover lot of people have reported issues with its AMT. If you prefer peace of mind and good drive experience then AMTs fron Maruti and Hyundai are good picks. Avoid AMTs from other manufacturers.

Originally Posted by RGCST

Hyundai has discontinued the Santro. You might get a good deal there. Maintenance shouldn't be a problem plus you'll get a much better built car. Also Wagon-R is a decent option.
If you are spending 7L, Kwid is really not worth it.

Good to see a balanced feedback for KWID. Although I am considering cancelling the KWID due to high cost and lower safety.

Originally Posted by stringbh

We got one for my close family member for various reasons, and I get to drive it some times for city errands. Still new, okay so far, but I sense it is going to give issues. AC blower fan is already making loud noises, though the fan setting has never been higher.

Doing 120 on even well built vehicles on our roads has considerable risk. No way on a Kwid with that AMT gear box. I wouldn’t recommend above 80 on this car, it is not confidence inspiring.

Yeah after test driving both KWID and Tiago, I can definitely understand what you are saying. I was not confident in pushing KWID at all.

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

In the same budget of 7 lakhs, you can find a fairly new, 2nd hand, low km run Honda Jazz AT. It is a safe car with a refined, reliable engine. It is also a lot more spacious and comes with a better AT gearbox.

If you want only a new car & budget is a big constraint, go ahead with the kwid AMT. It is not a bad car at all. I own a 1.0 MT Kwid, which is now 5.5 years old with 55,000 km on odo. No issues whatsoever.

Well budget isn't a very big constraint. I didn't want to spend too much on my first car and end up denting it. Also needed something small for the city.

Originally Posted by DeadCenter

From someone who owns a 2 year old Kwid AMT, it does its job fairly well for a city car. Never had the need for a manual mode be it mall ramps or the hills in Chikmagalur. It holds gear in inclines and declines. Is it a driver's car? No, but my bonkers Tdci Manual Figo fixes that for me.

As a city car it is a preferred choice with Android Auto working seamlessly and creep mode (which the previous versions didn't have) helping in traffic. I picked this cause I valued the 1 star safety (how pointless it may seem) which the Marutis didn't have and couldn't stretch till a top end Tiago.

While I do prefer manuals, I believe the purpose of buying an automatic is to be 100% free of gear shifting and the Kwid does that job well and returns excellent fuel mileage at the same time. Haven't faced any reliability issues either. It is not a driver's car and I don't expect it to be one.

Only issue I have with it is I feel the AC doesn't cool well enough but I'm probably spoilt by the class leading AC in my Figo.

Good to see another positive review for KWID A lot of people have mentioned AMT being unreliable after a while. Have you faced any issues like that?

[dhruvky94]

Ok so a thready update after testing few more vehicles:

I test drove both Tiago and KWID yesterday again. I was shocked to see the AMT transmission of Tiago. It was very laggy and gave a lot of jerks for low gears. Comparatively, KWID was smoother (although still a bit jerky from AMT nature). This was in direct contrast to what I have heard from forums like Reddit and TeamBHP. The test drive Tiago was quite damaged and had done 33k kms. Aside from the bad transmission, Tiago was a better car in every way. Be it the build, handling etc.

I am trying to get the dealership to arrange a better car for test drive. However, after sitting in Tiago, I am not able to justify the 7.3 lakh I am spending on KWID after the Tiago is just 1 lakh more. Just waiting for a better test drive vehicle for Tiago. I have also started looking at the used car market (Spinny, Cars24). Will update my findings here.

[MADisMynAMe]

In the price band you are searching for, there are 7 options available...
1. MS S-Presso VXI+ AMT = Rs 6.2 lakh
2. Renault Kwid Climber AMT = Rs 7.3 Lakh
3. MS Celerio VXI AMT = Rs 7.6 Lakh
4. MS WagonR VXI AMT = Rs 7.8 Lakh
5. MS Ignis Delta AMT = Rs 7.9 Lakh
6. Tata Tiago XTA = Rs 8.1 Lakh
7. Hyundai Grand I-10 Nios Magna AMT = Rs 8.4 Lakh

If you have a very tight budget, then go for the S-Presso as it is better than the Kwid for driving experience, service quality and reliability.

If you can stretch your budget, then go for the Ignis/Tiago/WagonR (Ignis>Tiago>WagonR) since the Ignis is very VFM for what you get, the Tiago is safe and the WagonR is having needed stuff at a good price.

If FE is your concern, then get the Celerio.

If you need a premium car, then go for the Nios

Lastly, if you want butch SUV looks, take the Kwid.

Happy Miles Ahead Brother

[karavadi143]

We were in the same boat an year ago, and booked a Kwid climber AMT for my wife. At that point, the closest competition for us were the Celerio and Tiago. We wanted to stay away from the Maruti stable, as all the earlier cars we had owned, came with the same tag. Unfortunately, the color we were looking for, was no longer available in the Tiago, and the niggles with TATA service was not giving us any confidence either.

Given the fact that this is your first car, and we love to keep our cars for long, I would suggest to stretch a little and consider the Kiger AMT. With the focus around safety, a 4 star rating and spacious interiors would definitely be worth the additional spend.

[condor]

I liked Prasanna's suggestion for a Jazz CVT. That's a lovely car, lots of space. And a Honda.

I had not thought much about this model over the years, more because I wasnt in the market and my usage was far better served by my Safari. However, a good friend has had a Jazz MT for about 10 years now. I had helped him with the PDI, and recently had a ride in it. Helped me see the car in better light.

With proper checks, a used Jazz CVT should be a much better bet than the Kwid.

[kvsneela]

If you are going to use the car only in city maximum( with occasional highway drive) and not a big family( max 4) , then I can vouch for Spresso ( forget about the tall stance ) as I have driven for long distances in all type of terrains( except snow). Also in 6 L who gives Smart Audio with AA and CP. AMT in long run will definitely will give problems as it is only a compromise between cost and comfort. Other than safety ( which may not be priority in your case as your requirement is in city roads only), Tiago doesnot make sense. Maruti / Hyundai cars have better power trains. I have 2 Nios AMT in my close circle and both cars have satisfied the owners. In case of CVT minimum you have to spend 10L for decent car like Magnite. ( Since Baleno is available only in AMT version now).

[hydraulicsteer]

I recently bought a Nios MT as a second car. So far it is turning out to be a great city commuter.
1.Nice all around visibility
2. Smooth engine, super light clutch
3. Require lesser gear shifts, pulls easily in higher gears at low speeds
4. Looks decent
5. Paint quality way above other cars in this segment.
6. Decent ride quality with stifffer suspension compared to previous gen.

If not Nios, you can go for a Ignis. It is a great package for a city car.

I failed to convince family on the looks of the Ignis hence went for a Nios.

[DhinaStark94]

=dhruvky94;5343694 I had checked out Ignis but found that the waiting period was 2 months. Whereas KWID is available in 1 week. It would help me avoid getting drenched in Bangalore rains sooner

Also, 7 lakh is on road with all the bells and whistle. Ignis is coming around to 9 lakh for the same feature set.

A car is something that we will plan to keep for atleast 5 years minimum and most of us will develop an level of attachment to it that almost comes close to that of an living being!. So my way of looking at this is "isn't that worth waiting for an extra 1 month".

Is't It better to wait 1 more month and get a better product than buy something that is readily available? The fact that it commands a 2month waiting period is bcz its sells better than kwid.
Good luck & Happy miles!! Regardless of your choice.

[RijuC]

Somewhere I read OP mentioned budget is not that major consideration. Then why not the new Brezza? It's after all a compact SUV, actually a raised Swift. It will get a better 6 speed TC automatic. Foot print is tight, marginally bigger than Tiago/ Kwid/ Ignis. Earlier Brezza was one of best build in Maruti Suzuki make cars. 6speed TC AT will be definitely better than AMT of Kwid/ Tiago/ Ignis.

New Brezza top end will have 360 degree camera. So your worries for the first time new car, it should not touch anything gets resolved majorly. However it will be almost 2x of your present allocated/ approved budget.

Or, if you are smart and want to save some money, negotiate with Maruti Suzuki very hard for maximum possible discount and get the outgoing Brezza with 4 speed TC AT of minimum variant in which AT is available. It should be sufficient for your city usage and occasional highway/ hills trip. Maruti Suzuki cars usually command very good resell value. Sell it off after 5-6 years and buy the latest technology car or keep as a regular services (beater car??), Till this semiconductor circus settle down.

The same logic goes for IGNIS either. At present it is tremendous VFM. The AMT may have little less resell value. Compare Kwid or Tiago resell value after 5-6 years when you will be looking for an upgrade. And a Maruti Suzuki car of this 5-6 years age would definitely be better than Renault or Tata cars of same age.

Think about it.

[prasi55]

I've owned the Kwid Rxt (O) AMT version for almost 2.5 years now. This is the same version as the Climber but without some dual-tone touches and roof-rails.

In my mostly city usage, I found it to be okay. The engine is a bit noisy and rough, and the AMT is jerky, but it's got the job done without issues so far -- touch wood. Inlines haven't been a problem, the 1.0 liter engine has enough power to overcome any AMT jerkiness. (My basement has a steep incline and I have been able to take the car out without issues.) You might have to get used to using the handbrake to assist with steeper inclines.

Having said that, as a long-term car, I would avoid it. Automatics, especially AMTs, should come with a manual mode for occasions when you'd need the manual control. The KWID doesn't come with one.
Secondly, we paid around 5.75 for it. For that price, I feel it provided decent value and offered many features not found in other cars.
For 7.3 lakh on road, KWID Climber AMT just does not seem value for money to me. As many have said, it's built to a cost and doesn't seem like a car that will age very well.

My top recommendation would be the Ignis AMT. The engine is super refined and the interiors are good too. It's an underrated car. Having sat in the Kiger during a friend's test drive, it's a decent car too and if the Kiger CVT is way out of budget, then you could consider the Kiger AMT too. I've heard good things about the Nios AMT too.

Do let us know what you went with!

[ranjitnair77]

The Kwid AMT is the worst automatic I've driven. Rough engine coupled with a bone-headed transmission that just revs and jerks rather than shifts. My friend who got it sold it off within 18 months.

It's a no-brainer to skip this one. I would urge you to get a proper AT and not an AMT if finances permit. Try going used if you have a strict budget.

[KPR]

From several posts by various members, your requirement I can say you must try out i10 Nios or Aura in auto gearbox. This will satisfy your needs. If not then try out Triber as it has got good safety rating. An after market music system +audio upgrade can always be added for mid variants of Triber/i10/Aura.

[Strider24]

As a previous owner of a KWID AMT, like everyone else here I too would say avoid it at all cost. Just because it is available in 2 days doesn't mean you put your hard earned 7 lakh and the safety of your family at risk.

If you don't want to wait months then I say look aggressively in used car market for 1-2 year old Tata Tiago top end model. it is the best and most safe car in hatchback segment at the moment. even new one has a waiting period of under 70 days now.