The new WagonR comes within three months of the launch of the new Santro. We pit them against each other, and against their rivals, on paper

Maruti Suzuki has launched the new Wagon R 2019 in India with holistic updates. That means we have a new Santro and a new Wagon R in the market after a long, long time, and that reignites their age-old rivalry. So we find out how it will fare against the new Hyundai Santro as well as rival hatchbacks such as the Datsun GO facelift, Tata Tiago, and the Maruti Suzuki Celerio.

• Longest: Datsun GO
• Widest: Tata Tiago
• Tallest:  Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
• Longest Wheelbase: Datsun GO

The new WagonR is dimensionally bigger than the previous version, but it’s still not the biggest car in the segment. Overall, it’s the Datsun GO that’s the biggest car here, not just in terms of overall length but wheelbase measurement too. But the WagonR retains its tall-boy charm and it’s still the tallest car in this segment. When it comes to boot space, it’s again the WagonR that leaves every other car reeling behind with nearly double the space in comparison to the previous version. The WagonR is longer and taller than the Santro but the Hyundai is wider.

• Hyundai Santro vs Grand i10: Which Hatchback Offers More Space?

Mechanicals

• Most Powerful:  Tata Tiago
• Torquiest:  Tata Tiago
• Most fuel efficient: Tata Tiago

The Hyundai Santro and the new Wagon R are the only 4-cyl offerings in the segment, the rest being 3-cyl ones. 4-cyl engines are generally smoother with relatively lower NVH (Noise, vibration, and harshness) levels. The Tata here with its 1.2-litre engine remains the most powerful hatchback in the segment, closely followed by the new Wagon R. The common thing among all hatchbacks is the option of a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT (automated manual transmission) except the Datsun.

While the new Wagon R isn’t leading in terms of mileage, its very close to the Tiago which returns the maximum certified fuel efficiency in the segment. The outgoing Wagon R, Celerio and the Santro offer CNG options as well but its missing on the new-gen Wagon R, at least for now.

It is important to note that the Tiago is the only car here that also packs a diesel engine. The diesel-powered Tiago is powered by a 1.05-litre 3-cyl engine which puts out 70PS and 140Nm. Like the petrol, the diesel too is available with the optional 5-speed AMT.

• Tata Tiago XZ+ Launched; Prices Start At Rs 5.57 Lakh

Features

The Datsun GO is clearly the most affordable car here and is also among the most loaded ones, especially on the safety front, with segment-first standard dual-front airbags as well as ABS with EBD. The Tiago is also very competitively priced and it has several premium features like projector headlamps and segment-first 15-inch wheels. The Celerio is the least equipped car in the list and appears to be priced at a premium compared to better-equipped rivals. The 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R range is at par with its predecessor despite the updates and the top-spec ZX variant with the 1.2-litre engine and AMT is also priced at par with most of the rivals.

Prices

Source – Cardekho.com