[voldemort]

Altroz — did you consider the Tata Altroz? I'm not too sure about the DCT for urban traffic, but it seems to tick all other boxes. And you might as well check out the Nexon while you're at Tata's.

However, if you can get the City please do.

I don't particularly like mine, but the car is so immensely practical. The reliable commuter; the Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none car.

[subie_socal]

Honestly, get a change. Wagon R is no doubt a no non sense car, but the competition has far better to offer these days. The likes of Hyundai EXTER and Tata Punch, which offers more features and is more contemporary.

Sort of a wild thought: why not try out Jimny, with options that fellow bhpians have pointed out. It may not be VFM or fuel efficient as other Marutis, but the visibility should do the job for you. Afterall, you only live once!

[npawan29]

NO - it is not a safe car period, MS is taking Indian consumers for granted - every number counts.

[efgritesh]

Originally Posted by DiptiSrivastava

"Is there any other hatchback that I will not regret buying if not wagon R". ?

Wagon R's are not easy to replace. Period.

I consider myself qualified to comment as we have recently renewed fitness of our 2006 model, and its still the most problem free practical car I have used in bumper to bumper city traffic or on open highway roads, for that price.

If you are the sole decision maker and you love it, Go for it. if you are the one who prefers practicality over anything else, and you dont want to impress anyone but your own self : cool: Go for it.

[aniketi]

Try Ignis once before you take decision. It will surprise you with so many features at a very attractive price. It's very practical, no nonsense car. Build quality is surprisingly well. It will never give you parking issues as it has small footprint. Also it has good grounds clearance as well.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by DiptiSrivastava

My question to readers of the forum is

"Is there any other hatchback that I will not regret buying if not wagon R". ?

Budget 8-15 lakhs. The higher side of the budget will be a tolerable pinch for the spouse.

Thank You for reading.

Honda City CVT is the most suitable choice in your case. Additionally, the 2023 Honda City has secured the highest 5-star safety rating from both the Global and ASEAN NCAP, that they are revealing in the brochure.

In case it's feasible you can consider retaining the good old Wagon R, but I find you're located at Delhi, where it is presumed that private cars start smoking from the 5476th day onwards since they are registered. Till 5475 days since registration (even if it has run on yellow plates for a month or so) every private car is too clean and roadworthy, but from the 5476th day onwards it is declared as fit for nothing but only for either the gallows or the guillotine.

Back to the topic, the new Wagon R needs to be discarded as a choice only because they are still not with the desired 4 or 5 star NCAP safety rating. Because today, if anyone has to buy a new car then apart from the other USP's perused, safety needs to be given prime importance.

[Maverick Avi]

Was in a similar boat 5 years ago when I had to replace my 9.5 year old Dzire due to NGT ban on diesel car. I was fully sold on the new Dzire AMT as I had a great time with the existing gem. The new one was more spacious, refined, automatic and had creature comforts. Unfortunately my family didn't want another Dzire after 10 years. So test drove other options in same segment and settled for Ford Aspire.

Initially was quite happy with the purchase, maybe due to new car excitement but slowly begin to realise that maybe my body and mind were so used to Maruti that little things started to bother me. Low speed ride on Aspire was not very absorbent, I couldn't find a good driving position and my spine used to hurt even after 20 minutes of driving. I tried to overlook these aspects, trying to enjoy a better built car, better audio, better driving dynamics but somewhere my body was not enjoying it. And then started a few niggles like rust spots, petrol smell inside cabin, Ac blower resistor failure, engine tapet leak etc. Though all these got fixed under warranty and Ford customer care was very supportive but I was not used to such occasional service center visits. Eventually I started regretting my decision and wished I had listened to my heart and went for Dzire.

My suggestion to you would be to do a very thorough test drive of any car you are contemplating. Wagon R gives a great frontal view so watch out for these little things, seating postion, pedal height(I feel it's too high in wagon r AMT and might cause ankle pain). The list is endless but check out things that matter to you. Hard suspension on cars is not evident on short TDs and become a pain only when you get to drive these cars longer.

Wagon R is tried and tested and a very safe option where you'll have less chances of heartbreak. On the other hand you have these new age cars that can just blow you away if you really find that sweet one for you. Choice would still be yours. We can only share our experiences. Mine wasn't that good but that was just me.

[grazd]

As a 2nd Gen wagonR owner I totally understand your dilemma. If you need a larger car or don't mind its footprint in the city then the Honda city or amaze are natural choices. They are as reliable as your current car, and are an upgrade in many ways. But they are a different form factor (sedan) as opposed to the hatchback that you maybe used to.

If you are keen on a hatchback then the wagonR is tough to beat. The Altroz is not as reliable, the i20 seems overpriced to me, and ignis/swift have less usable space than the wagon R and have more blind spots while driving (though they all of them are more spirited to drive.) The wagon R wins only on utility/value, not on drivving pleasure.

The current wagon r is an upgrade on the old one (much bigger boot, more comforts on the zxi version, etc). And even now offers a good value proposition on all fronts except safety.

yes, with safety as a criterion then it probably is much better to stick to altroz or exter.
The Exter is a solid option to consider - seems to be a good all round package, though its too early to comment on long term reliability. it seems to be a natural upgrade for your requirements.

[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by DiptiSrivastava

Starting with my driving experince. My dad had a Fiat Padmini, so I always believed I knew how to drive since the third grade.

Hello Dipti

You have already received a lot of suggestions - As they say; when a lady needs help
BTW, what your dad had was either a Premier Padmini or a Fiat 1100 - but there was no "Fiat Padmini"

[Gaur]

Originally Posted by DiptiSrivastava

My question to readers of the forum is

"Is there any other hatchback that I will not regret buying if not wagon R". ?

Budget 8-15 lakhs. The higher side of the budget will be a tolerable pinch for the spouse.

Thank You for reading.

I would recommend you to try out the Ignis.
Reason being last year we replaced our 2013 model WagonR with a Ignis, primarily to be driven by my Dad and sister.

We wanted something which is similar in size to the Wagon R with ease of ingress/egress for senior citizens, good ground clearance, ease of maneuverability in city traffic, decent F.E and reliability.

Ignis is good at all these, plus we felt the A.C is better then Wagon R (1.0 engine), its fun to drive and the bigger than WagonR wheel handle potholes better, it may not be as fuel efficient as a Wagon R though.

Another turnoff for us with the WagonR was the cab image, here in Mumbai most ola/ubers are white WagonR's.

Also please checkout Hyundai Exter as well.

[Senotrius]

@DiptiSrivastava,

Let me tell you the automobiles i have access to wrt being an extended family member. Bmw X1, Jeep compass, hyundai creta, skoda superb, audi Q3 and a 13 year Ritz diesel. Can you take one guess which car everyone is fighting for using in the city? Its the Ritz. Can park easily everywhere, go anywhere in tight roads, no issue even if it gets scratched or dented, spare parts are cheap, plenty of fng or asc available, reliable and durable as hell. Due to the traffic and car density, its close to impossible to get into accidents where a 5 star rating is appreciated in the city. I'm all for 5 star safety ratings and maruti is crap on this aspect. Just being practical here. Once you go on highways the 5 star is super relevant at those speeds with poor traffic manners from others.

The new generation Wagon R is very comfortable as well- don't look at the badge and judge it'll be uncomfortable. I have booked it myself for CITY/Suburb use(being specific here) after having access to all the above cars.

It comes down to what you want now.

Status symbol- please avoid wagon R. As in if you have issue wrt Job profile/social life making it necessary to have a bigger or upper segment car.
Top notch safety and very long distance/highway rides- avoid wagon R.
Everything else, go for the wagon R. The Honda Jazz CVT is car i would recommend (if it was in production,) as well having driven that. Plus i dont know if you have some dream car or aspirational car at your budget.

The hyundai exter is an interesting option to look at as well, plus their diesel models are very refined. Then again, test drive all cars before you make a decision. Stick to hatchbacks/mini suv if possible. Being of a small size matters in the city.

[Reinhard]

What you should get - of course has to be your heart's / head's decision after taking all possible test drives. We have quite a lot of choices now, and you should pick the car that you connect with the most, when at the wheel.

But I'll say this. At least get an Ignis. Not a WagonR again please. You'll get bored too soon otherwise.

[sumeethaldankar]

I would suggest to look at the Baleno/Fronx almost twins since you have a decent budget. These are better made than the Wagon R. Getting a sedan means you will have to be wary of the length and at times as I have seen in congested cities parking/maneuvering a hatchback is much easier than a longish sedan. Our beloved bhpian Paragsacahnia also found the Baleno as a suitable replacement for his long termWagon R.

[DiptiSrivastava]

Thank You, everyone, for sharing your wise suggestions and advice.

After reading all the posts I have decided for upgrading from Wagon R. I will surely post an update when I am done with the test drives and after I book my new car.

Thank You once again.

[DiptiSrivastava]

Originally Posted by KkVaidya

BTW, what your dad had was either a Premier Padmini or a Fiat 1100 - but there was no "Fiat Padmini"

Thanks for pointing it out. I am sure it was a Premier Padmini. I cannot recall when we started calling it a fiat later on in our lives but the word Padmini was there in my memory.