[raptor_diwan]

I am looking to buy a second car for city rides, mainly with an automatic transmission. My budget is 5 Lakhs, and I have checked the used car market, but I am not satisfied with the way they have been maintained. Now, I am slightly extending my budget to 6 Lakhs and planning to buy any one of these cars new with an automatic transmission.

I am confused between these three options. Personally, I am not happy with the way the Celerio and Alto look. They don't suit my body shape, and I feel they might appear too small when I sit in them. The Kwid looks light and good, while the WagonR is not aesthetically pleasing, but I believe it offers more interior space.

Is the Kwid more spacious than the WagonR? Can the Kwid provide better mileage than the WagonR? The WagonR AGS claims to have a mileage of 25, but even if it's 18, it's acceptable to me.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

Is the Kwid more spacious than the WagonR? Can the Kwid provide better mileage than the WagonR? The WagonR AGS claims to have a mileage of 25, but even if it's 18, it's acceptable to me.

Let me help in terms of the WagonR query only. I have no idea about the Kwid , nor the new Celerio or Alto.

The new WagonR is a spacious car, I am sure it is bigger than the Kwid on the inside. It is the perfect car for city use because of the easy ingress/egress and being a small footprint car, it easy to drive.
We have one at home since early last year which was bought as a replacement for an old Swift, for my father who is in his mid-70's and drives to work everyday. So I opted for the AMT 1.0 version knowing that is sufficient for his use.
Fast forward around 6000 kms and 18 months, except for some dents and scratches due to parking, the sheet metal is as good as a cola can, the car is perfect for him and as well as me to use it for short distances. More than enough space on the side, including a decent sized boot.

On the fuel efficiency front, the car has been giving a consistent 12 kmpl with AC in city use. So you can confidently ignore the advertised figures.
There is no wheel cladding or noise deadening in the car, it feels like I am driving a 800 in the 90's. Same with the shocks and add to that the hard MRF tyres, a pothole if not avoided, hits with an impact in the cabin and on passengers.

The AMT needs to get used to. Now I am used to letting go of the accelerator to shift gears and I don't let the ECU do that. It works out more comfortable and predictable this way. But I heard the AMT is better on the updated version of the car launched last year.

End of the day, I would recommend it as a family city car or for ageing parents.

[AYP]

Before I state my opinion, I'd like to let you know that none of these cars shall fit in your budget of 6L. The cheapest automatic in India is the Alto K10 VXI which costs 5.61L ex-showroom and should cost around a lakh more on road in Chennai. This is the car which shall allow you to stick the closest to your budget.

If budget is no bar, the WagonR is the best choice in the 1.2 guise though. The WagonR 1.2 ZXi AMT costs only about 30k more than the 1.0 VXi and is actually more fuel efficient. The extra features and the peppier engine shall be an added bonus. Kwid is a good car(and it offers a tachometer as standard) but the Kwid AMT does not have a manual mode unlike the other cars. A manual mode may come in handy during some tricky situations. Due to this omission in the Kwid, I'd personally avoid it.

Between the WagonR 1.0 and the Celerio 1.0, while you have stated the Celerio is not to your liking, it does come with a tachometer(if it matters to you) and a better instrument cluster with a mode modern design while costing you 15k less. The power window placement is an issue though.

[bijims]

Having driven or owned all these cars for quite some time, I can say that first thing as pointed out by @AYP none of these cars fall below 6 lakhs on-road Chennai, the Alto K10 VXI AGS at 6.5 lakhs and S-Presso VXI(O) AMT at 6.65 lakhs are the cheapest of the lot. If you are planning on extending your budget to at least 7.9 lakhs, the Wagon-R ZXI 1.2 AGS would be the best buy of the lot as regards space, practicality, and better engine.

If you are looking to stay within the 6 lahks to 7 lakhs range. then the S-Presso would be a better buy than the Alto for your use case considering the hardly 18k difference in price between them.

Else if you are going over the 7 lakhs boundary, the Wagon-R would be the best choice.

[raptor_diwan]

Originally Posted by tharian

More than enough space on the side, including a decent sized boot.

On the fuel efficiency front, the car has been giving a consistent 12 kmpl with AC in city use. So you can confidently ignore the advertised figures.
There is no wheel cladding or noise deadening in the car, it feels like I am driving a 800 in the 90's. Same with the shocks and add to that the hard MRF tyres, a pothole if not avoided, hits with an impact in the cabin and on passengers.

Thank you so much for your input! I'm also planning to opt for the 1.0L engine. I am surprised to see the mileage on your vehicle; I was expecting at least 15, but that's not a problem. The only thing stopping me from choosing the WagonR is its appearance. Other than that, I have no issues. Have you ever tried driving it in a hill station? I'm considering the WagonR because of its hill assist feature since I might take the vehicle to hill stations twice a month.

Originally Posted by AYP

I'd like to let you know that none of these cars shall fit in your budget of 6L. The cheapest automatic in India is the Alto K10 VXI which costs 5.61L ex-showroom and should cost around a lakh more on road in Chennai. This is the car which shall allow you to stick the closest to your budget.

True, I got quotation today, and for alto AMT its, 703054 /- and there might be 30k discount on this price, and waganor is 736304 /- on road price.

Originally Posted by AYP

The WagonR 1.2 ZXi AMT costs only about 30k more than the 1.0 VXi and is actually more fuel efficient.

Are you sure? I was choosing the 1L engine because I thought it would give better mileage than the 1.2L engine.

Originally Posted by AYP

Between the WagonR 1.0 and the Celerio 1.0, while you have stated the Celerio is not to your liking, it does come with a tachometer(if it matters to you) and a better instrument cluster with a mode modern design while costing you 15k less. The power window placement is an issue though.

Thank you for your input. Is the Celerio more spacious than the WagonR? The WagonR is the most spacious hatchback in its class, isn't it?

[tharian]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

Thank you so much for your input! I'm also planning to opt for the 1.0L engine. I am surprised to see the mileage on your vehicle; I was expecting at least 15, but that's not a problem. The only thing stopping me from choosing the WagonR is its appearance. Other than that, I have no issues. Have you ever tried driving it in a hill station? I'm considering the WagonR because of its hill assist feature since I might take the vehicle to hill stations twice a month.

The car we got was from the last batch of the previous version. The new updated model comes with a VVT on the 1.0 engine, with hill hold and I think a EGR for emission purpose. So I cannot comment on the hill hold, but it should work like the other cars.
The 1.0 engine is perfect for city, but once you load the car and out on the highway, it will be underpowered. The 1.2 will work for that, But IMO, this car with the 1.2 and the highway is not a good thing knowing how light and flimsy the car is. The 1.0 has decent performance otherwise.

Fuel efficiency will probably increase as the engine runs more and now the car is driven in traffic everyday which probably is why it is not increasing. But in peak traffic, I think it will be around 12-13 kmpl and on empty roads, it will probably be 14-15 kmpl.

[raptor_diwan]

Originally Posted by bijims

Having driven or owned all these cars for quite some time, I can say that first thing as pointed out by @AYP none of these cars fall below 6 lakhs on-road Chennai, the Alto K10 VXI AGS at 6.5 lakhs and S-Presso VXI(O) AMT at 6.65 lakhs are the cheapest of the lot. If you are planning on extending your budget to at least 7.9 lakhs, the Wagon-R ZXI 1.2 AGS would be the best buy of the lot as regards space, practicality, and better engine.

Thank you. I don't think I can stretch my budget to 8 lakhs for the Wagon-R ZXI. I've found that a 1L engine is sufficient for my needs within a 7 lakh budget. I'm also looking in the used market, but I'm not confident about buying a used car because I feel like it's mostly luck whether I get a good one or a lemon.

The S-Presso looks good compared to the others, but I'm not sure about the interior space. I'll definitely look into that. Thank you for your suggestion.

[mgastor2022grey]

Hi @raptor diwan, hope you are doing well..

I will recommend to you the Kwid Climber AMT. There is one in my near family, and I got to drove it a couple times. My observations are:

1) Good and spacious car, when compared to my friend's WagonR.
2) A great looker, better than the WagonR.
3) Though Mediocre interiors, they definitely feel upmarket and is safe by Renault standards.
4) You might want a Renault badge over a Maruti Badge IMHO.
5) Beautiful looking car, compared to the WagonR (I hate the tallboy design).
6) Better high speed stability than the WagonR due to better aerodynamical phase.

If you are looking for other cars, will suggest you the Tata Tiago/Tigor. Amazing safety and best looking designs, both inside-out.

[bijims]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

Thank you. I don't think I can stretch my budget to 8 lakhs for the Wagon-R ZXI. I've found that a 1L engine is sufficient for my needs within a 7 lakh budget. I'm also looking in the used market, but I'm not confident about buying a used car because I feel like it's mostly luck whether I get a good one or a lemon.

The S-Presso looks good compared to the others, but I'm not sure about the interior space. I'll definitely look into that. Thank you for your suggestion.

Here is an old review from Zigwheels comparing the two cars, do check out the interior space, the S-Presso is definitely well packaged

https://www.zigwheels.com/news-featu...5510/#leadform

Considering you are willing to spend up to 7.5 lakhs for a Wagon-R, The Renault Kwid is also worth checking out, it is a direct competitor to the S-Presso and is a cute-looking car too.

I have attached the offers available on these cars for your reference below:

Wagon R AMT - Rs 15K Cash + 20K Exchange Bonus (if Old Car < 7 yr Old), else Rs 15K Exchange + Rs 4000 Corporate Discount

S Presso AMT - Rs 30K Cash + Rs 15K Exchange Bonus + Rs 4000 Corporate Discount

Alto K10 AMT - Rs 20K Cash + Rs 15K Exchange Bonus + Rs 4000 Corporate Discount

Celerio AMT - Rs 10K Cash + Rs 15K Exchange Bonus + Rs 4000 Corporate Discount

Renault Kwid BS6 Ph 2- Rs 57,000 Benefits (15K Cash + 20K Exchange + 12K Corporate + 10K Loyalty)

Hope it helps and do keep us posted on your findings and test drive experiences!

[IshaanIan]

Go for the WagonR only if you need the extra space or the 4 cylinder 1.2 motor for smoothness. Otherwise why not get an S-Presso?

[raptor_diwan]

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

Hi @raptor diwan, hope you are doing well..

I will recommend to you the Kwid Climber AMT. There is one in my near family, and I got to drove it a couple times.

The Kwid is definitely on my radar. I haven't had a chance to test drive it or sit inside it yet, but I'm planning to do so tomorrow. I'm particularly drawn to its sleek design, which I think is a step up from the other cars in its class.

I also agree with you about the WagonR Look. I think the Kwid has a bit more presence on the road, which I like. And it doesn't have a manual mode in AMT, it might be a deal-breaker for me, since I'm a frequent hill station visitor.

I'll take it for a test drive and see how it feels. Then I'll make a decision. Thank you for your suggestion.

Originally Posted by bijims

Here is an old review from Zigwheels comparing the two cars, do check out the interior space, the S-Presso is definitely well packaged

https://www.zigwheels.com/news-featu...5510/#leadform

Considering you are willing to spend up to 7.5 lakhs for a Wagon-R, The Renault Kwid is also worth checking out, it is a direct competitor to the S-Presso and is a cute-looking car too.

Thank you for the link. It was very useful.

Sure, I will share my final verdict. I am planning to take a test drive of the Kwid, and I will update you on my impressions.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Go for the WagonR only if you need the extra space or the 4 cylinder 1.2 motor for smoothness. Otherwise why not get an S-Presso?

Yes, I am now also considering the S-Presso. The WagonR is spacious inside and out, but I don't find it very attractive. The S-Presso, on the other hand, is more stylish, but it doesn't have as much interior space.

[bijims]

Of all the five suggested, the KWID is the most handsome and offers a decent feature list as well. I owned one myself from 2017 to 2022, it gets the job done and won't give you many issues, especially in the first 4 years, but once the fifth year began, a multitude of issues started to crop up, engine issues, excessive rattles and what not, so I decided the best thing to do would be to part with it. Now the current-gen KWID is a whole lot different and has quite a few upgrades over the earlier generations, so I am not sure about the reliability in them.

However, what I am sure of is that Maruti's generally are much more reliable and have far fewer issues, the Altos and Wagon-Rs in our family are still running strong even after half a decade with no issues at all. Moreover, sales, service, spare parts availability, and resale are much better in Marutis than in any other car, so do keep these in mind before finalizing your decision.

Considering you have almost decided that you would be considering either the KWID or S-Presso, an extensive test drive on each will definitely help to choose the better one for your needs.

[raptor_diwan]

Originally Posted by bijims

Of all the five suggested, the KWID is the most handsome and offers a decent feature list as well. I owned one myself from 2017 to 2022, it gets the job done and won't give you many issues, especially in the first 4 years, but once the fifth year began, a multitude of issues started to crop up, engine issues, excessive rattles and what not, so I decided the best thing to do would be to part with it. Now the current-gen KWID is a whole lot different and has quite a few upgrades over the earlier generations, so I am not sure about the reliability in them.

However, what I am sure of is that Maruti's generally are much more reliable and have far fewer issues, the Altos and Wagon-Rs in our family are still running strong even after half a decade with no issues at all. Moreover, sales, service, spare parts availability, and resale are much better in Marutis than in any other car, so do keep these in mind before finalizing your decision.

Considering you have almost decided that you would be considering either the KWID or S-Presso, an extensive test drive on each will definitely help to choose the better one for your needs.

Even in the entire thread, the Kwid does not seem to have a good reputation. There have been reports of AMT issues and reliability problems on Team-bhp, but I'm not sure about the recent models. On the other hand, the Wagon R seems to be a complete car.

I'm very confused between the Kwid, Spresso, and Wagon R.

[bijims]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

Even in the entire thread, the Kwid does not seem to have a good reputation. There have been reports of AMT issues and reliability problems on Team-bhp, but I'm not sure about the recent models. On the other hand, the Wagon R seems to be a complete car.

I'm very confused between the Kwid, Spresso, and Wagon R.

I will give my honest opinion over these three:

1 Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R VXI 1.0 AGS
Considering the fact that you are only considering the 1.0 AGS and not the 1.2 AGS, The major value additions you get for spending 7.5 lakhs for the Wagon-R over the others are a wider cabin, loads of headroom, and a longer wheelbase. which should ideally equate to more legroom (but that may not always be the case), the boot space is vastly superior at 341 liters (against 240 liters in the S-Presso and 279 liters in the Kwid) as is the fuel tank capacity at 32 liters (the Kwid gets a 28-liter tank and the S-Presso gets a 27-liter tank).

Now to the cons, it doesn't get a tachometer, a rear defogger, android auto, Apple car play, steering mounted controls, fog lamps, alloy wheels, turn indicators on the ORVMs, electrically retractable ORVMs, rear wiper, and washer, But if these omissions are alright with you then the Wagon-R is definitely a good pick.

2. Maruti Suzuki S-Presso VXI Plus (O) AMT
The S-Presso gets some of the features missing on the Wagon-R for 50k less like Android Auto and Apple car play, steering-mounted controls etc but is smaller in dimension as compared to the Wagon-R.

3. Renault Kwid Climber AMT
It is easily the most feature-loaded of the lot costing similar to the Wagon-R 1.0 AGS but gets TPMS, ORVMs with turn indicators, an 8-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, steering-mounted audio controls, a traction control system, reverse camera, a rear armrest, LED taillight, LED DRLs and halogen fog lights, a tachometer and GPS navigation.

The major omission is a manual mode on the AMT.

Now the only thing you have to do is take a comprehensive test drive of each and finalize.

Hope it helps!

[The VAG32]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

Even in the entire thread, the Kwid does not seem to have a good reputation. There have been reports of AMT issues and reliability problems on Team-bhp, but I'm not sure about the recent models. On the other hand, the Wagon R seems to be a complete car.

I'm very confused between the Kwid, Spresso, and Wagon R.

I'm also in the same situation like you looking for a small compact city car
1.I'm slightly inclined towards the wagonr as it has the 1.2 k series 4 cyl engine which is very smooth and has a good top end easy to potter around the city.I too liked the tall boy design with a good amount of features.The only issue is that the 1.2 Wagonr costs close to 7.5 to 8 lakhs on road.So I'm in a state of dilemma whether to go ahead and book it or look for other competitors
2.Currently using the facelifted 2019 celerio AMT which is pathetic considering the 3 cyl engine gives a lot of vibrations at idle and getting a fuel economy of 11 to 12 in the city , even my Endeavour gives 10 in the city.So I will advice you to stay away from celerio
3.Kwid is a great car with lot of features and good engine.I personally like the funky design of the kwid but again the aftersales and service of Renault is not great in my place as I have experienced with my Duster AWD.
I would suggest you to take a test drive of all the 3 and then decide