Sun 17 Apr 2005
Hyundai Santro Vs. Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R
Posted by Prakash under Cars
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When I bought my car, I did a comparison of the available choices. Many friends have been asking me my views on the Hyundai Santro Vs. Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R since these are the most sought after. Both are very popular hatchbacks sold in India. Here are some of my thoughts.
Hyundai being the underdogs is always the first to offer better features such as MPFI engine and ABS. They also tend to be more aggressive and Maruti dealers have the take it or leave it attitude.
Maruti has a bigger service network and the cost of spares it cheaper.
Both cars are tall boy model and have high seating. This add to driving/seating comfort and makes it easy for people to get in and get out.
Here is the comparison.
Santro Pros:
- Better Looks (as compared to Wagon-R).
- More comfortable to Drive.
- Better Service.
- Better Pickup.
- Provision for 4 speakers, Wagon-R has provision for only 2.
- Perceived to be more expensive.
- Air conditioning more effective hence cooling is better.
- Ability to adjust the side view mirrors from inside.
- Seat belts for 5 passengers, Wagon-R has only 4. Santro is also approved for 5 people and Wagon-R has got approval for only 4 passengers. Not that anyone ever checks but still.
Wagon-R Pros:
- Better resale value.
- Cheaper cost of spares.
- Bigger service network than Hyundai.
- Slightly more fuel efficient. Although now Santro has new eRLX engine which is suppose to have improved mileage.
- Better Engine and electronic power steering.
- Cheaper.
- Option for Airbags (only available in the top of the line model).
- Slightly more leg space and better comfort for tall people.
- The seats can be dropped completed to create a bed or even a double bed. Useful while traveling and someone can sleep.
I also suggest that irrespective of which car you decide to buy, don’t compromise on safety. Pay that extra for ABS and Airbags (only in Wagon-R).
Related articles:
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Maruti Suzuki Swift Vs. Hyundai Getz
May 3rd, 2005 at 5:49 am
I see that the shock absorbers used in santro and wagon-R are the same and equally good (gas filled).
I found the wagon-R exposing more shock/vibrations than the santro (both were brand new vechilcles, far better than test drive vehicles)
What is this due to ?
Can the slightly wider tyres in santro cause this advantage, I presume that just gives more road grip and and better balance on topling (which wagon-R might lose out on )
Do let me know any inputs on the shock absorbing.
(also both vehciles weigh more-or-less the same [gross))
May 7th, 2005 at 12:43 pm
I haven’t driven Wagon R much but I do find the Santro extremely comfortable in bad road conditions.
May 11th, 2005 at 6:26 am
I own a Wagon R and the Santro was the first car i drove.Beleive me guys,the wagon r has much better pick up and top speed.The santro’s transmission,ride,handling and rear seat comfort are better though.As far sales and service is concerned,Maruti is doing a job that is pretty good.But at the time of sale,Hyundai offers much better explanation of features and is generally very aggressive.As far as safety is concerned,the wagon r’s top model now features both abs and airbags thus offering a much safer package.
May 11th, 2005 at 12:40 pm
Yes the new Wagon-R has some nice additional features such as Airbags and ABS. Santro already has ABS, they don’t have Airbags. But Santro has an option for ABS in any model where as Wagon-R offers it only in the top of the line model. Also if you add the Airbags, Wagon-R becomes as expensive as a mid size car!
My experience with Maruti’s Service hasn’t been bad but in my experience Hyundai’s service was more professional.
May 16th, 2005 at 2:33 am
Wagon r sales have grown 60% compared to last year (santro is ony 19%). Wagon r is the fastest selling model in its category. Wagon R has better techonology, after sales service, better resale value, more space, safety features (ABS, airbags). Competition, what’s that?
May 28th, 2005 at 10:38 am
Santro has been approved for seating 5 people where as Wagon-R has only been approved for 4. This could be a consideration for some.
July 6th, 2005 at 12:39 am
Wagon R design is BAD. It was used originally as Milk Van in Japan :(. I own a Santro and it is superior car both in ride and comfort.
July 7th, 2005 at 1:46 am
I am planning to buy a car and couldnot decide whether to go for Santro(xing) or WagonR.
let me know the better one of these two
July 8th, 2005 at 5:01 am
Where Santro’s looks are better or not but the technology is Korean and in the other hand Wagon R is a Japanese Car. That says it all.
July 9th, 2005 at 7:11 am
I want to buy a car but I’m in a dilemma regarding which one to go for: Hyundai Santro or Zen LXi?
July 10th, 2005 at 9:10 am
Zen is an old design, Both Santro and Wagon R have better design in terms of comfort. This is because of high seating. Its also easier to get in and get out of the car and the internal space is more.
July 22nd, 2005 at 7:24 am
from last few months i was confused whether to go for the santro xing or the wagonR Lxi when i test rided the both then i came to know that the santro is best car in india.
July 23rd, 2005 at 1:01 pm
santro is good luking but wagon r ha a superior engine and better stability at high speeds whaile santro has more egronomic interiors. ask me all ur car related troubles at ishan_cc@yahoo.com………..i promise to answer u free of cost!!!!!!!!!
July 27th, 2005 at 1:41 pm
Wagon R is the best bet and value for money which has a sturdy engine, better mileage (12-13 in City and 18-19 in long drives) and its Power Steering is the best in its category (WagonR/Zen/Santro).
July 27th, 2005 at 11:51 pm
I am planning to buy a car, but in dilemma whether to go for Santro xing XG or WagonR Vxi.
Let me know.
July 28th, 2005 at 12:05 am
East or West…..
SANTRO is the Best…..Wonderful service.. Wonderful Performance and Pleasureful driving experience
August 1st, 2005 at 6:23 am
I taken the test ride of Santro and WagonR. Both of the cars are equally powerful but wagonR takes the advantage in it’s engine quality. WagonR is having gud cutting and the engine is really cool n powerful.
August 5th, 2005 at 2:12 am
I am in a dilemma between Santro and Zen. I have heard that Santro is shaky at speeds above 90kmph. How true is that?
August 24th, 2005 at 10:09 am
wagonr is best reaches about 150 kmp
September 1st, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Dear All,
Can any body comment on Santro XG (giong to be Stop XG model) is better then OX export model lunching .
I like Santro for its look, but I donot know the other part of it like fuel consumption ,Mainteneace and the Engine condition on High speed.
I am thinking of purchasing a car of this segment so which will be better car among Wagon R, Zen, Santro?
regards,
Ram
September 3rd, 2005 at 4:31 am
WagonR is very very very superior to all cars of its category in the matter of pickup and flexibility.Easy U-turns can be taken effortlessly.
The MilkVan in Japan is just a derivative of wagonR and not exactly WagonR.
It is very true that Santro shakes after 90kmph.
I think people that Santro is best have not gone above90kph or have not driven a wagonr.
I always go smoothly through highways at 140-150kmph with easy and flexible overtakings in a WagonR.
What else do you want?The superior japanese technology says it all.
People in confusion for whether a santro or a WagonR may straight away
contact your nearest Maruti dealer and grab a WagonR.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:30 am
hi ,
i am in a great dilemma which one to go for santro XG or wagonr lxi.
advice me
September 8th, 2005 at 4:54 am
wht does ovrm and abs mean
September 9th, 2005 at 12:01 am
I need a brief comparison of Santro, Zen and Wagon-R, very quickly. There is a very good offer from Maruti till 15th. In fact Wagon-R have the best offer, then Zen. Santro is a bit expensive including their offer, though the on-road cost is less.
If I can afford, then Santro is the choice. otherwise what are the pros and cons of Zen & W-R over this? Pls study the engines, pick-up, milage, sitting arrangement, rear passengers comfort, luggege space, spare-parts & maintenance cost. If any possibility of phasing out of these models are there and what is the risk associated in that case.
Look and style-wise my choice Santro-zing>Zen>W-R, is it correct. Pl comment.
Are car loans insured?
September 12th, 2005 at 4:22 am
Hi,
Recently after much R&D between Santro Xing and Wagon R. I finally went for Wagon R. Here are a few reasons.
1) Pricewise whatever features Wagon R Lxi provides is much more than what you get with a Santro at the same price.
2) Wagon R is much more aerodynamically designed which supports the fact that most users over here are happy with its high speed performance. It also has a tremendous pickup.
3) Wagon R is a 16 bit MPFI engine where as Santro is 12 bit. So the fuel efficiency is better in Wagon R.
4) I really liked the power steering. Wagon R has a electronic power steering where as Santro has hydraulic PS. Negotiating curves in the city is much better.
Though I would say I was not much impressed with the shocks after driving through the numerable number of potholes in Pune. Santro I guess has wider tyres. And definitely Santro looks much much better.
But in the end I wanted a car that I can drive for at least 5 yrs (till my car loan gets over :-)) and then get a good resale value which the Santro can never beat.
Thanks
September 13th, 2005 at 5:22 pm
Hi all
I own a WagonR Vxi, its really better compared to Santo xing, the pickup, milege, AC effect………….
Pls. buy WagonR don’t go for Santro….. the engine is not peppy………
September 14th, 2005 at 2:11 am
I am planning to buy a car with AUTOMATIC transmission. If any one have good experience with cars having automatic gears please respond.
September 14th, 2005 at 2:40 am
i have recently purchased wagon r lxi pearl silver…………its a wonderful car …a value for money compared to santro
September 16th, 2005 at 5:39 am
Can any one know what is the mileage of new santro xing xl both city and highway with and without ac. Please let me know, I am planning to buy it.
September 23rd, 2005 at 4:15 am
Hi,
I have just booked my first car - Santro Xing XL (eRLX). I compared this with WagonR but in WagonR, I didn’t like rear seat. It can accommodate only 2. Also, the look was not good. I thought, if I touch 110-120 in highway and try to overtake, it might fall down.
I want to know about the mileage the new eRLX technology offers - with A/C & without A/C in City (Bangalore) and on highways. Please give me more tips about maintaining. I tend to take it out of Bangalore occassionally to places.
September 23rd, 2005 at 12:03 pm
Just look at these differences and then decide,
WGNR Max Speed: 155 kmph as against Xing: 142.2
WGNR Valves/cylinder:4 as against Xing 3
WGNR Mileage: 14.5 kmpl as against Xing 13.2 kmpl
Breaking 80-0 : 35 m as against Xing 38.4 m
apart from 16 bit processor (as against Xing 12 bit), the leg space and height are known positives. Dash board is pretty wide too with a lot of features, More space for lugguage etc. Performance of AC is also better in WGNR.
I agree Santro Xing is better in looks and looks more palatable, but comparing the other features, it is better to sacrifice style and looks and enjoy driving a WagonR.
September 29th, 2005 at 9:55 am
I am in confusion which car is the best SANTRO or ZEN.I have to buy new car and am already using ZEN Lxi for the last two years.
Please advise at the earliest as i Have to buy in next two days.
Thanks in advance.
October 5th, 2005 at 5:42 am
HI all,
I am bit confussed while opting Wagon-R LXi or Santro XL,
My concern is that how much difference comes in comfort if there sits 3 at back???
No doubt as santro hav bit more space at back but Can one sacrifice this for other benifits with Wagon-R, like maintanace cost, leg-room & head-room (as all in my family r of 6′) and a lot many more.
So if the difference in comfort is not so sognificant , I would better go for wagon-R.
& Last but not least - What is the average of both in city??????
thanks & regards
Harish Masand
October 7th, 2005 at 2:46 am
Hi !!
I have recently booked a santro xing eRLX xo model i was previously using a santro xing xg model, the reason for me to buy another santro was because santro has always been improving on its quality eversince day 1, i took the new santro xing eRLX for the test ride, this new model has a better pick up and more power and i belive that this ones gonna give better mileage aswell, so i thought lets pick it up, since my driving is almost 70 km/day i need a more fuel effecient car, as far as comfort is concerned its a perfect 5 seater car, with ample leg soon in the front & sufficient legs room in the rear.
Cheers !
October 7th, 2005 at 7:37 am
Hi,
I have been a Wagon R LXi owner for over 4 years now and have done 60K kms on my car. It’s an extremely practical car for everyday use. And I think the new Wagon R with integrated indicators and all defiitely looks quite smart though may not be as curvy as the Santro.
I am now upgrading to a new car but I am really in two minds of giving up the Wagon R considering that it is extremely practical for everyday use in all respects.
October 8th, 2005 at 12:12 am
I own both the Wagon R vxi bs3 and Santro Zing XS Erlx.
My commnets
My wagon R has run 26000 kms.
Wagon R +ves
Smoother, powerfull and fuel efficient.
Interiors go with the exterior of the car. A sensible dashboard.
Does not look like stable but is better than santros stability on highways.
Braking efficiency is defeniely better than santro.
Cost of maintenance is really whopping lower than santro.
-Ves
Only comfortable for 4.
Airconditioning is not as good as santro
Gear shift is a little notchy when compared to santro’s crispy gear shift.
Does not look as good as the santro.
Service is good if we are a little knowleageable about our own cars problems else problems are negleted by the service dealers.
On an average i have spent only 30% of the money i spent on my santro for maintenance. One more sure shot point is that santro’s fuel efficiency drops to 9 Kmpl in peak traffic with Aircon. I can bet on that. Wagon R is better on that with an average of 11.5 Kmpl with aircon in worst traffic conditions.
Though the Hyndai is more appealing and customer care is very good the car does not seem to do justice for its cost. Most often the cost of regular maintenance is also unjustifyable. It almost is equalent to my Opel Corsa’s billing. Quite annoying for this small a car!
October 10th, 2005 at 1:34 am
I am going to buy santro xing , i in delimma whether i go for alto ofr xing , which car has good milage.
October 13th, 2005 at 3:56 am
Hi Saj,
I have recenlty bought Santro Xing Automatic car. It’s been very good so far. Driving is prettly cool. Mileage is somewhere around 9 to 9.5 km/litre so far. Will probably improve after first service.
What else do you want to know ?
Thanks,
Niraj
October 16th, 2005 at 8:44 am
Hello,
Of course, santro Xing with eRLX technology can beat any cars in its segment. It gives me 15kms in hyderabad city conditions and 22kms in highways without Airconditioners.
October 18th, 2005 at 12:55 am
I own a santro automatic since 6 months. The car is very very cool
to drive on congested roads. One wonders why such cars are not
popular in India. The only drawback is the milage. I get around 10-12
in the city ! On long drives..its gives about 14-16. My observation is
that if you don’t accelerate/deaccelerate too rapidly..you get better
milage. Also, one can put a CNG kit, this may help out.
October 18th, 2005 at 6:24 am
i am a proud owner of wagon r lxi since last 2 years.its a very peppy car and with new looks no other car in category comes closer.
October 19th, 2005 at 5:56 am
hi all
I want to buy a used Santro, model wud be 1998/1999. Is it possible to have the car with just Rs 1 Lac.
plz advice
October 20th, 2005 at 1:43 am
Can any one tell me when was Santro Xing Xo model launched in Mumbai. Actually there was a lot of flooding in Mumbai on July 26. A lot of new cars in showroom were submerged under water. I am going to buy a santro Xing XO soon. Please revert fast. Its very urgent.
November 1st, 2005 at 7:28 am
Can you plz tell me what is the length,width comparison of Wagan R and Santro Xing. Thanks
November 2nd, 2005 at 10:12 am
Hi
I am peter from coimbatore. I own a Zen Euro 1 which i purchased just a year back. The car is pretty good. Now i have a good offer for the car, besides i wanna give it off because it is a euro 1 car. I am keen to know abt the santro ERLX….can u suggest on the pros and cons, especially on the fuel efficiency…do reply..
November 7th, 2005 at 7:46 am
Just now I brought new santro xo with erlx. Its impresive. The pick is very good. Suitable for city conditions. I am a new for car driving, still in a city link bangalore I am getting average of 13 kmpl.
Thanks & Regards,
Mahesh
November 8th, 2005 at 7:36 am
Hi,
I purchased Santro XL 1 month back from Advaith, Bangalore. The car lacks good A/C. No leg room in rear seat. The engine seems to get heated too quickly. Pickup is good. Mileage is bad.
Also, I didn’t find Advaith friendly. They haven’t still delivered spoiler for me. Just before 1 day of delivery, they called and told they dont have the stock in the colour I preferred and I have to wait for 1 more week. I quaralled and got it. I dont know from where they got that time.
Please bargain well if someone is purchasing there.
Prahlad
November 11th, 2005 at 1:35 am
Hi proud owners of Wagon R.
Thanks for your inputs.Now I will go ahead with my plans of booking WagonR primea today itself.
November 11th, 2005 at 10:02 am
which car have more higher seat, wagon R or Santro
November 16th, 2005 at 7:24 am
Hi ,
I learnt driving on a Santro and purchased a WagonR Lxi. Our family has both types of car. I prefer using WagonR as it has a better luggage space than a Santro. I am 6 feet hieghted person hence i find WagonR more comfortable as compared to Santro.
While driving both cars give me almost the same feel except the during driving on rough roads Santro is much better to handle..
Pickup and fuel economy is slightly better for WagonR as compared Santro.
Overall both are good cars..
Guys buy any one you want and enjoy… after all car is for you needs which car you want is a personal opinion…
regards and best wishes to all new car purchasers
November 23rd, 2005 at 10:44 am
Hi,
I am confused whether to buy Wagon-R or Santro. I dont bother about paying more. But I want safety and comfort and also better mileage .
Please help me.
Thanks in Advance.
November 24th, 2005 at 10:22 am
I find the Santro more comfortable. The new Santro has also improved mileage significantly.
Also consider the ABS option which is available on both Santro and Wagon R and are good safety features to have.
The Wagon-R has also an option for Air Bags which is good to have if you are concern about Safety.
November 27th, 2005 at 4:37 am
santro has a special scheme from 24th to 28th nov. discount is about rs 34k.
just booked a santro xl for 3.69 lakhs.
November 30th, 2005 at 3:41 am
hi
i was looking for a comparison between a santro, swift , wagonR n getz.can anyone provide me with it?
regds
November 30th, 2005 at 11:35 am
Hi Neha,
Santro and Wagon R are both hatchbacks and fall under the same category. You can read the comparison on this page.
While Swift and Getz fall under the premium hatchbacks which offer more space, comfort and features then both Santro and Wagon R. They also cost more.
Read my first impressions about the swift.
http://cityblogger.com/archives/2005/08/06/maruti-suzuki-swift-first-impressions
December 2nd, 2005 at 1:17 am
hi,
after going through all the discussion above, it seems wagon r beats santro in most conditions… however, i have driven wagon r quite a bit and i feel it a bit sluggish in pickup with ac in full flow. also due to its thick side bars (i think thats what they are called), there is a troublesome blind spot on the right hand side… at some angles you don’t see anything… in fact i scratched the car (the only time in my driving of 4 years) on a parked motor bike at a speed of less than 1 kms per hour… didn’t see till i touched the bike. also, reversing on wagon r is a bit difficult as compared to other cars like zen, 800 (haven’t driven santro that much)… gears are also a problem area, though could be overcome
prakash, would appreciate your views on the above… is the blind spot and reversing an issue only with me or others too find it problematic?
rgds,
nitin
December 3rd, 2005 at 10:43 pm
Hi Nitin,
Blind Spots are a problem with some cars. How much of a problem people face in the Wagon-R, I would let them express their opinion. I drive a Santro.
I find that a problem with the Santro too, but I use the side view mirrors to manage them. LIke tilting the side view mirrors downwards during reverse parking helps.
Similarly you can put a small mirror (you would see a similar mirror in the SUVs for reversing) behind if you find thid that a problem often. This mirror can be put at the rear end of the car pointing downwards.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Prakash
December 7th, 2005 at 6:21 am
Is there difrence between Santro xing erlx xo v/s XG/XS model. which one is better.Showroom guy told me that earlier xo model was known as XS.
Plz revert back as i need your help……
December 9th, 2005 at 10:01 am
Both the XG and XS Model have been replaced by XO as per Hyundai.
December 13th, 2005 at 4:14 am
Guys,
I bought santro xing last week of November. They cliams its eRlx. They have not given stiker of eRlx and saying that santro has stopped giving eRlx stickers. I have a doubt that, whether I bought old version or new version. The make of the car is 10/2005.
Can you guys help me in this regard.
Thanks,
Ram
December 13th, 2005 at 5:56 am
Hi Prakash! Is there any difference between electronic power steering offered in Wagon R & hydraulic power steering offered in Santro Xing eRLX? How will it affect the fuel efficiency? Is it better to go for a non-power steering version for better fuel efficiency?
Pl help…..
Regards,
Manish
December 13th, 2005 at 10:01 am
Hi Manish,
Yes the electronic power steering provides better mileage than the hydraulic power steering since the hydraulic power steering relies on the engine where as the electronic power steering uses a separate electric motor.
However in reality this shouldn’t make that much of a difference. Also the
Santro Xing eRLX has improved mileage so the difference would be even minimal.
Avoid a car without power steering, the pleasure and the comfort that a power steering provides is definitely worth the little mileage that you may lose.
Also while calculating mileage, you must also calculate how much you are going to spend over 3-4 years that you will own the car.
For example:
If a car A provides mileage of 10 Kms/litre and another car B provides 11 Kms/litre. Today fuel cost is Rs. 50/litre.
Cost of Car A: Rs. 5 Per Km.
Cost of Car B: Rs. 4.5 per Km.
Difference Rs. 0.5 per Kms.
If you live in a large city and drive to work everyday and drive 50 Kms per day and assue you drive to work 200 days in a year, thats still 10,000 Kms a year.
So if you buy Car A you are spending Rs. 5000 extra per year.
If you own the car for 5 Years, it would be spending Rs. 25000 extra per year.
I did a similar calculation when I was deciding to buy a Petrol car or a Diesel and realised to just to recover the extra cost of the Diesel car, I would need to drive 15,000 Km/year. So I decided to go for a petrol car.
Hope this helps.
December 13th, 2005 at 10:58 am
Hi,
I am planning to buy a Wagon R.
I have just learned to a drive a car & not fully comfortable so should I worry much about Blind spots & reversing as nitin has mentioned??
Also is it a good choice over Santro Xing XL???
Thanks in advance!!
December 13th, 2005 at 11:05 am
I rcentaly book Wagon R. Now i cancel my booking for Wagon-R and purchased SANTRO Xing.Santro do’t stop giving eRLX stickers.My city is Amritsar and our city’s maruti dealer ” SWANI MOTORS” cheats on my booking money. They said its non refundable.Maruti have ony one car that have resale value and that is ZEN.In second hand car market their are very few santro’s because very few people wants to sale santro. And beleive me their are no takers for second hand Wagon-R.
December 15th, 2005 at 9:37 am
I would suggest for a person who has just learned to drive, buy a second hand car so that you get comfortable with driving and managing a car before you buy a new car. Also if an old car get damaged, you don’t feel so bad.
You should test drive both the cars before buying. In general Santro is an easlier to drive.
December 15th, 2005 at 11:52 am
Hi Prakash,
I am 6″ tall.
I am confusing between SantroXL and Wagon R Lxi. Use of car is 25Km/day and weekends outings max of 150kms.
I need good comfort with fuel economy.
Can you suggest which one I will have to choose.
Please reply ASAP because WagonR scheme is ending by 20th Dec.
December 15th, 2005 at 5:27 pm
Raja,
The Wagon R is suppose to be better for tall people where as the Santro is easy to ride. The fuel efficiently of both the cars is similar. With your usage, fuel economy shoudn’t be your top priority.
Regards
Prakash
December 16th, 2005 at 2:52 am
Hi Gang,
First of all kudos to Prakash for maintaining this Blog!!!This gives a common platform for people to discuss concerns which wouldnt hav been otherwise.
I had set my mind for a Wagon R over the Santro after a lot of consulting.
But once I had look at both the cars I completely surrendered to the looks,styling,comfort of the Santro Xing!!!
You should get that *feeling* & excitement that you are in car!But this didnt happen in WagonR…I found myself to be in a van rather than a car.
Still I feel performance(control,mileage) & technology(16 valves as compared to 12 in santro,16 - Bit Electronic Control Module (ECM),Electronic Power Steering vs Santro’s Hydralic,japan/korea,) in Wagon R is better but still I am totally mesmerised by Santo’s comfort & styling.
Also I am sure that for 4-5 years these pros I hav mentioned for Wagon R does not play a major roll….as I plan to sell it off after 5 yrs
So I decided on Santro Xing XL eLRX finally!!!
So Guys how many are on my side???
December 16th, 2005 at 9:14 am
I just purchased Santro Xing Eralx.. Now I am thinking i had to purchase the moder with power steering..
can anybody tell me that is it possible to add power steering now.
December 17th, 2005 at 12:58 am
Thanks, Prakash, for your valuable inputs! I had almost made up my mind on buying a Santro Xing eRLX after getting mostly positive feedback from my colleagues who are having Santro. Also, Hyundai is currently offering huge discounts on Santro. So, after going thru your comments, I went ahead & sealed the deal. Cheers!
December 18th, 2005 at 10:44 am
I just buy Santro Xing xk eRLX. It is really a good car and good value for money. Only big vehicles needs power steering.These cars[ santro, wagon r] are small cars and very easy to handle.Secondly Power steering cost cars are bit expensive [ rs21000- rs26000]. As far as i know Power steering can’t be added to non power steering santro.Hyndai giving 35000 cash discounts on santro and wagon r too giving rs 35000 discount[insurance12000+acc 23000],4000/ more if ur govt. employee and 3000/ if ur from corporate sector. Wagon-R is only a 4 seater and mostly people called it a van, dabba[box].
December 19th, 2005 at 1:00 pm
I am a proud Santro Owner thanks to the attitude of Maruti (both the company and the dealers). Planned to go for a WagonR till I came face to face with the Maruti breaucracy. Well then went in for a test drive of the Santro and to make the long story short, am now a Santro owner. Read the coments on this page and thought I should make my experience known to try and right some misconceptions.
Had to recently drive my Santro from Ahmedabad to Pune and touched speed of 130-140 and felt no vibrations whatsoever that some have claimed on this site.
As far as the mileage goes the vehicle is giving me 19+ on highways on power petrol and my running-in is not yet over.
I am very particular about the dealer response which till now has been fantastic ( I felt I was the buyer contrary to the Maruti were it felt that I was selling the vehicle and the dealer Kiran Motors of Ahmedabad bahaved as if they were customer–the take it or lump it, I care two hoots attitude).
Can expect more of my postings in due course. At the end of the day each Santro and WagonR has got it’s own individual pluses and minuses. But one thing is certain Maruti with thier attitude and dealer arrogance is bound to see an erosion of thier market leadership the way Bajaj experienced the past decade in the two wheeler segment. Good for us in the long run……….
December 19th, 2005 at 1:33 pm
Hi Prakash, it is gr8 to see so many mesages here. I am planning to buy a car confused b/n santro and zen .Not interested in Wagon R. I just dont like the look. From your comments above i see ur a bit biased towards santro. Try to take a neutral view on SANTRO vs ZEN.
Thanks
Cyril
December 20th, 2005 at 9:59 am
Hi Cyril,
First Santro and Zen are not exactly the same type of cars. Its like comparing apples and oranges.
Santro like Wagon-R is tall boy where as the the Zen seating is much lower.
Santro Advantage over Zen:
Better comfort due to tall boy.
More space.
New design hence better.
Zen Advantage:
Better Mileage
Cheaper to maintain.
Maruti’s wide service network.
December 23rd, 2005 at 12:59 am
Hi San! I have just purchased a Santro Xing eRLX - XL variant (with A/c, power steering, front power windows & central locking). Could you please inform which variant you were driving & whether the mileage of 19+ was with AC on/off.
December 27th, 2005 at 2:13 am
Hi All,
If you can post the cost of ownership and other things with Data then it can be great for people to make decision
like:
km/lt
service and maintenence
spare etc…
What I could conclude after reading…
both cars are good
WagonR is better in milage ( difference is lesser in newer version)
Cost of spare or maintenece is better for WagonR
There is no comparision in looks. Santro is winner.specially Xing and above
Probably no much difference in stability at higher speeds
Gearing is bad and steering is better in WagonR
Resale is better for wagonR ( may be because of Maruti and may not because of WagonR)
Hey if resale is higher than is a WagonR better option for Used car buyer ?
Also newer WagonRs (After 2004) have more customer satisfaction than Santro
What I think that …
If you prefer looks and comfort > Santro
If you eyes on Cost of ownership > WagonR
December 27th, 2005 at 2:14 am
and Also Space is more in Santro as it is 5 seater
December 27th, 2005 at 9:37 am
Santro has no stability issues at high speeds. I drove the Santro Xing at 140 Km/hr and it was quite stable.
December 28th, 2005 at 8:06 am
Hi Manish purchased an XO. Drove without the AC (used it barely for 15 minutes)
December 29th, 2005 at 8:40 am
Hey…if anyone bought a the Santro at Advaith,Bangalore recently,can you tell me what all accessories you got free from the dealer & what are a must hav accessories.I am going for the XL model.
December 30th, 2005 at 5:58 am
Free Accessories with Santro- Body cover, Mud flap, Number Plate and Mat.
January 1st, 2006 at 3:58 am
Hi Prakash
thanks for this blog! The freewheeling advice, personal comments from owners and potential buyers [and of course ur expert commets] is really informative.
A request - can buyers on this blog please publish their on road price for Santro Xing eRLX with info on accessories that were given free by their respective dealers?
January 2nd, 2006 at 12:33 am
I recently purchased a WagonR LX from Noida. Here In Noida SANTRO dealer is not good, and Maruti has two big dealers. I just wanted to know fuel average with / with out AC ,I should expect from my CAR. Also, Is there any problem with WagonR, If I decide to fit my car with CNG
January 3rd, 2006 at 10:27 am
Base model Santro with AC is around 3.40 lakh outside mumbai.
January 3rd, 2006 at 1:32 pm
hi all..
nice blog !
after much much research on this topic people.. i suggest from my part that though both cars have their own pros & cons.. but for a long-termer and practically thinking.. the Wagon R is definitely a better pick than the Santro Xing Erlx.. and specially the Lxi version of the Wagon R is the temptiest pick.. Japanese technology is renowned for reliability.. forget Korean !
close your eyes & trust the good old Maruti people..
go for the Wagon R !!!
Thanks.
January 5th, 2006 at 9:04 am
Santro non ac 2.88 lakh and ac model starts at 3.46, with power steering 3.78 lakh and goes on.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:35 am
Hello All, I have decided to purchase Santro eRLX XO model after a months research. I have heard that Hyundai is offering some good discounts at their recent Roadshows in various cities, does anybody have a clue what are they offering. If their deal is good then I can wait until the roadshow comes to our city (Baroda).
January 6th, 2006 at 12:06 am
Thanks Ajay.
Hi Sanjay -the deals as I understand were for the Dec sale of old santro stock-a dealer in Hyd was offering MP3 player, seat covers, mud flaps mats as free accessories. The dealer now says that Santro prices have been hiked by Rs8000/- across all models but the Hydundai corporate has not announced any new year scheme so far- expect to hear after Jan 10th only.
January 6th, 2006 at 6:44 am
All,
With all this discussion, i have decided to go n purchase WagonR Lxi in Delhi/Noida Region.
Let me know what accesories i should get as default. Also any discount going on these days?
Will i be benifited from Cash Down payment. Any Idea??
January 7th, 2006 at 2:01 am
Hi Guys
Am purchasing a car for the first time. have booked a santro xing XL (erlx) and am expecting delivery with 10 days. I got a very heavy discount from the dealer and hence he is not giving me any free accessories. Would request your opinion as to which basic accessories shoud I be buying and do I need to buy them from a dealer or from outside ?
Thanks a lot and regards.. kayo
January 7th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
Buy acc. from outside because acc. in showrooms are higly priced in the name of genuine.I got discount of 35000on buying santro xk and also get free acc. like mud flap, mats, number plate and car cover.Now the price of xk model is 3.46 lakh.I buy this cat paying 3.05 lakh only.
January 9th, 2006 at 1:31 am
Hi kayo, Let us know the price that you have bought and the city, so its easier to explain.
January 9th, 2006 at 7:45 am
I am also planning to buy Santro eRLX. Can you mention, how much discount you have got from the dealer, please
January 10th, 2006 at 3:55 am
Hi Ajay/Sathya/Rohit.
Will try and answer all your questions.
The car is being purchased from Mumbai. The on road cost of the car was 410500 (cost+ins+registration). I got a dealer discount of Rs 50,000 and a futher discount of Rs 17,000 on a 2.75 lacs loan taken (was able to get a higher discount sice it is a Dec 2005 model, though I will be registering it this week).
Rohit, I doubt you will get a very high discount, since yours will be a Jan 2006 model + the prices of the santro cars have been hiked by Rs 9000 in the past fortnight. However do let me know, what is the final on road cost you will need to pay.
Could any of you also let me know if the car warranty would be getting affected by having music systems/central locking fitted from outside rather than the dealer ?
Sorry for asking some basic questions but this is the first car I am buying, hence need all the help I can get.
Thanks a lot and regards
kayo
January 10th, 2006 at 10:28 am
I can understand your point. I am getting only 30,000 Discount. Can You please further elaborate how you have got 17,000 discount on loan taken and from where you have taken the loan. I am planning for a loan from ICICI. Does he provide such discounts.
January 14th, 2006 at 10:15 am
Hi Kayo,
Can you please tell me from where you have got the discount on Loan. Does ICICI or HDFC provide such facilily. Can you give me the name and phone number of the dealer from whom you have purchsed
Thanks in advance
January 14th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Hi Kayo,
I would like to know the name of finance company providing discount on loans. Also let me know the dealer name from whom u hv bought the santro with phone.
Thanks in advance
January 15th, 2006 at 3:39 am
I am planning to buy Santro xing for my father(Rajahmundry) and currently i am staying out of India. Can any body help me to decide the model and the current market price. I am thinking of XG model.
January 15th, 2006 at 9:45 am
Hi Kayo,
Warranty of car have nothing to do with music system or central locking.
January 16th, 2006 at 8:41 am
Looks like Santro is a better option.
But one more thing better in WagonR is the seats.
No one in these car segment offers seat that fully recline.
One more thing. Iheard in WagonR you cant have speakers at back. Is it TRUE?
Thanks
Kamlesh
January 20th, 2006 at 3:46 am
Hi, I am planning to buy Santro Xing XO model. Can anyone tell me what is the best deal / discounts offered for XO 2006 model.
January 21st, 2006 at 10:31 am
Hello All,
Finally purchased a Santro eRLX XO model, excellent car!. I have driven around 250 Kms and I am quite satisfied by the performance. I have following aspects to share.
1. Santro is a ergonomically designed car, seats comfortable, outside view excellent. Gears located at correct place and dashboard very well organised.
2. I liked the storage space provided, apart from the glove box the drawer below the driver seat is extremely useful and spacious too.
3. Pick-up is great and extremely smooth.
4. Gear shifting is also smooth and requires very little effort, the gear stick just glides into the correct slot.
My second choice was Wagon-R, but after driving Santro eRLX I think I have made a very wise choice. I think one should not bother the difference about Wagon-R giving more average, the difference is negligible to be considered as a buying incentive.
January 22nd, 2006 at 1:05 am
Hi all! I have been driving my new Santro XL since more than a month now & clocked 1100+ km so far. Recently travelled about 850 km on highway. Average speed was 60-70 kmph, however, went upto max 90 kmph. No stability issue. Got a better than expected mileage of 19-20 kmpl (with AC on 50% of the time).
January 22nd, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Hi all! Santro and WagonR are equally(almost) good… WagonR has a slight advantage over Santro.. the reason being cheaper spares, maruti dealer network, better ride(believe me, the ride qaulity is a bit better than Santro), stability (it is not true that santro is more stable in highways). Santro is slightly better in City while WagonR holds up on highways. WagonR has a max speed which is about 15km/hr more than Santro. The mileage of both the cars are almost same, but mostly depending upon how you drive it. The 5 seater- 4 seater thing is very meaningless. Both the cars are comfortable for 4 people, and 5 can be squeezed in. Santro is just about 5cm wider.. and has an extra seat belt! But WagonR interior is very versatile, clever. You can recline all the seats, make it like bed, fold the back seats and use it for luggage space etc.
The look is very subjective. I personally do not believe that any of there are any good lookwise. Santro can be called a TOY, or a FOOTBALL or a glorified RIKSHAW, and WagonR a BOX or a MILKVAN. To me, WagonR looks like a miniSUV.. of course you get used to the looks after sometime and start falling in love with it.. be it a Santro or a Wagon. Regarding the resale vale, it doesn’t differ much for these cars.
So guys, choose yours… mine is a lovely little WagonR.
January 22nd, 2006 at 1:43 pm
I forgot to mention one thing.. the gearshift.. it’s much better in Santro, and the switches… like the power window buttons and A/C knobs etc are of better quality in Santro. WagonR VXi comes with a Tacometer but none of the Santros has it.
January 23rd, 2006 at 4:33 am
Hi, I am planning on buying a santro eLrx. However I got confused after checking the past few comments about the discount etc. I was talking to 2 dealers a Hyundai dealer for a santro and a maruti dealer for Wagon-R.
My Hyundai dealer is very firm that only 10K accessories are free with the 2006 Jan santro.
1)Please give me pointers to where you are getting discounts in cash.
2)Are these because you are taking a loan from Hyundai @ 9.5 %???
Please write to me at vinhinduja@rediffmail.com
January 23rd, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Hey prakash,
A great blog…..
Am planning to upgrade to Santro/Wagon R from M 800. The new model is Erlx XL .
Need some guidelines on the mileage and spare parts cost…
January 28th, 2006 at 11:00 am
Anirban: The mileage of Wagon R used to be slightly better but after Santro introduced ERLX engine, the difference is marginal but still Wagon would be better. If you are moving from Maruti 800 you would find the cost of spares of both the cars expensive cause 800 spares are so cheap. But still Santro spares would be more expensive.
I discussed this with a friend of mine who owns a Santro for 6 years and he says that he hasn’t replaced any major spares except once. His only cost is routine maintenance.
So when you consider cost of spares, also consider how often do you need to replace them and that depends on the driving conditions and how you drive.
January 28th, 2006 at 11:25 am
Review the statistics at the below site for true information. So anyone claiming 19/22/ kmpl regardless of the type of rocket fuel is a duffer. Just shows their Bias.
http://marutiudyog.com/bp/prodwagon.htm
At the santro site it is
http://www.santroxing.com/santroMain.asp?pagename=tech_comp
With regards to the looks, I always loved the Matiz when compared to the Santro or the Wagon R. Just hated the looks of two standing frogs. Too froggish for my liking. But the manufacturers have thoughtfully added a lot of interior features which are in fact quite good (for the santro). The exteriors are also matched to the interiors. (Not the reverse) In comparision the Wagon R is a little plasticky but more functional inside. Review the inside features as provided in the brochure.
Both are similar in terms of suspension. But the tall boy is Wagon R being 70 mm taller. How does that make a difference? Unless you have a lot of luggage for the rear.
One of the main reasons for me opting for the Wagon R is the seating. Though both cars are capable of seating 4 comfortably (and 5 with Adjust Maadi) the rear of the WagonR is quite spacious if you fold the seats. In fact the luggage space it holds is cavernous.
When you have a lot of lugging especially to and fro from the airport or when going on journeys where a lot of luggage is expected, then you can fold the seats to provide more luggage space. Also if you can fold the front seat, you have a recling bed as in an international flight.
Now that’s the problem. The Wagon R is used as an SUV in Japan, not as a car. And the Wagon R is more of a car than an SUV. So each stands out with their own features. (In Japan it was 660cc)
The performance of the newer Santro Xing is slightly more faster than a Wagon R. (0-60 Wagon R is half a second behind) But otherwise both are the same in terms of speeds. Don’t tell me you actually want to test the maximum.
And as Indians, if it’s the price and the mileage then forget that.(Fuel Efficiency = 14.15 km/l for Wagon R and Fuel efficiency = 13.3 km/l for Santro as determined by Autocar 2004) Forget it because it would eventually be the same based on your driving skills.
Base your decision on your purpose. Think what is your purpose. One is a car and one is an utility vehicle.
And if you want to review the prices visit the manufacturer sites. All auto manufacturers provide pricing based on regions.
The Wagon R does have a lot of plus points for me. It suits my needs.
January 28th, 2006 at 11:26 am
Sorry, the below precedes the above post.
In 2001, my sister purchased a second hand wagon R. After using it for quite some time, and comparing with my friends Santro, I decided to make my purchase for the Wagon R. Why?
Continue to earlier post..
January 28th, 2006 at 11:24 pm
Padrevaters: Good feedback. Did you know you can drop down the Santro seats and fold it again and create a huge boot space? If you do that you can only seat 2 but is a great way to create additional space if you need to carry things around.
January 30th, 2006 at 5:00 am
Padrevaters - I strongly object to your statement that “So anyone claiming 19/22/ kmpl regardless of the type of rocket fuel is a duffer. Just shows their Bias.”
You, being such an intelligent person, should know that the mileage given in Autocar 2004/Maruti website is for older Santro Xings & not for the newer ones with eRLX (Euro-III) engines which were launched only in 2005. Secondly, the reported mileage is the overall mileage which may consist of any ratio of highway/city driving. For all you know, it may be the mileage in city only. Highway mileage is much more than city mileage as any of the so-called duffers can tell you.
I stand by my earlier post that my car gives 19-20 kmpl on HIGHWAYS. Overall, the fuel efficiency is atleast 17.5 kmpl with a mix of 20% city & 80% highway driving (I have filled 70 litres petrol after taking delivery of my car & clocked 1228 kms). And yes, I use 87-88 octane “speed” petrol and not any rocket fuel.
January 30th, 2006 at 8:12 am
Hello all you guys. Sorry could not reply for some time now. Am giving details of all the questions asked from me.
1. I got the car from Krishna Motors (showrooms in Mulund and Thane). You can contact Madhuri at 56007065 and give my name. This is a multi car showroom which stocks everything from maruti’s to Mitsubishi’s (they procure the cars from the main dealers) and hence offer better discounts than the main dealers.
2. As I had mentioned earlier Santro was officially offering Rs 40K discount for Dec ‘2005 models. (You cud have the registration done in 2006) I bargained a bit with Krishna Motors and was able to get a 50K discount. I know Citibank and ICICI Bank offer 5% of the loan amount taken as discount (I think from Jan onwards, Citi would only be financing Maruti cars…the Citicorp Maruti tie up). You can ask the dealer about the discount offered by banks on the loan amount. Am sure you would receive a positive response. I haggled a bit on the loan discount also and got it. On a 275000 loan, I was entitle to get Rs 13750 (@ 5%) as discount, which I stretched to Rs 17,000. My EMI for a 5 yr loan of Rs 275000 is coming to 5880 per month.
3. I feel you might not be able to get better deals at the present moment bcoz of a} Company has hiked prices by Rs 8000 b} Mine was a Dec 2005 model, hence the better bargain I could get.
4. The prices for the current models at Krishna Motors are
XL version -
————
On road cost Rs 418483 (inclusive of regn/octroi/insurance
Dealer discount Rs 24000
Less- 5% discount of loan amount
XO version
————-
On road cost - Rs 447800
Dealer Discount - Rs 24000
Less- 5% discount of loan amount
5. Veera, I think the company has stopped mnfg the XG models. The XL model now comes with power steering/ac/front power windows and key central locking (i think these features were previously present in the XG model)
regds
kayo
January 31st, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Hello everyone!
I am glad to see online discussions like in other hi-tech countries.
I am trying to understand which make-model is for me. Can any one let me know about any specials in 2006 models of both WagonR and Sentro Xing. I am planning to buy Automatic Transmission due to some reasons (one of them I drive AT in usa, secondly I want to have my family an easy card driving experience in india).
Thank you for your comments which made me learning so much about these two models.
MD
February 1st, 2006 at 11:03 am
My Santro giving me 15+ km/lit. in city and 19+ km/lit. on higway.Mine is e-RLX model.With 20 Litre of Petrol It goes 300+ kms in City and 375+ kms on highway.
February 4th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Hi,
I am confussed about buying zen or wagon R.
I had tried santro and Indica. But santro is not so impressive and Indica becomes a TRUCK after 2 years.
I am looking for good Average and Pickup in city(poona).
Mandar
February 4th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
I am a proud owner of a Maruti(1996) and clocked 73000 KM. With the lowest maintainance cost( same as my bike) and I gives me 19kmpl on highway cond.
Can any techinical staff from Maruti give me an Idea how to take extra of it. some details abt engine worn out. I was told by many mech. that the life of the petrol engine is 1,00,000. KM is that true. Dose maruti takes care of such old cars?
Please reply
Regards
Mandar
February 5th, 2006 at 3:55 am
If someone is not impress by santro then he should buy wagon-r instead of zen.
February 6th, 2006 at 10:19 am
Hi All,
Can any one please throw some light as to which Automatic is better - Wagon R or Santro Xing.
I think toll boy design of these cars is handicap friendly, providing easy ingress for elderly and handicapped.
I want to buy one of these, after I found out in Honda City (old) driver’s as well as rear seats are not comfortable.
Thanks
Dan
February 8th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Dan
I agree with you. Even I did that study and could not find AT in any other then these two which has foldable seats and all. Just to share with you, I felt that WagonR is little better choice as it has a largest Maruti network and if you overlook the style-look it has almost 180 degree reclinable seats which is much better for some elder person. AT is just not being used for Phisically challanged person but AT is actuly a smart choice if you want to drive in city limits with heavy traffic.
Any one has any idea of new add-ons on 2006 models of both WagonR AX and Sentro Xing AT?
Thank you!
MD
February 10th, 2006 at 11:44 am
Santro xing AT have 4 gears automatic transmission whereas Wagon R have only 3 gears automatic transmission. Santro AT’S mileage and pickup is better than Wagon-R in heavy traffic.
February 13th, 2006 at 9:08 am
I am told for highway use WagonR is much better than Santro.
Other plus points seem to be better A/C and suspension.
Is Santro AT’s mileage ( and gearbox) really that superior so as to compensate other plus points of WagonR- AX ?
Any expert around?
Thanks
February 16th, 2006 at 9:18 am
Hi MD,
Did you buy the Automatic you were looking for?
Dan
February 17th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
Hi,
Santro is Korean while Wagon R is Japanese. Having said that Iam not telling that all Korean products are inferior and that of Japanese are superior. However, I personally feel that as far as Santro Xing and Wagon R, are concerned, the latter is a superior one. Reasons are
1. Wagon R engine is superior, more powerful, and cool
2. Wagon R is having the state of art electronic power steering while Santro is having the outdated hydraulic PS which is atleast 30 years old technology.
3. Strictly speaking, both cars are good for 4 perons only. The statement that Santro is 5 seater and Wagon R is 4 seater is just meaningless.
4. Boot space is better for Wagon R. Even the biggest type VIP briefcase can be easily kept in a Wagon R while it is not possible for Santro.
5. In general the maintenance cost of Santros is much much more than that of WagonRs. This is a general opinion and not an isolated case.
February 23rd, 2006 at 2:27 am
Hey guys iam a person having a wagonr vxi and santro xg. According to me both cars are having its own advantages and disadvantages. In speed,stability,mileage,power,ac cooling and styling both are almost similar. In case of suspension santro gives little more comfort. If wagon r is having alloy wheels it gives added comfort. The interior ……Dash board and other finishes are good in wagonr. Steering superb in wagonr.gear shift santro slightly better. Braking both same. rear seating santro more leg space .Go for santro or wagon….both will not disappoint you. Any how when we drive wagon we feel more driving comfort and pleasure. Excellent city driving in wagon r.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:08 am
Hi, I think both WagonR and Santro are great hatchbacks. It’s time to add some music to our ears. I recently bought Santro Xing in Mumbai. I’m looking tobuy a decent car audio system now, within 10K - 12K or so.
Any ideas about good head unit-speaker combination guys?
February 25th, 2006 at 10:01 am
I have a Blaupunkt music on my Santro and works quite well. It has CD/MP3/Radio. I also read about JVC DVD MP3 player so it can play a DVD with thousands of MP3 songs, sounds interesting.
February 28th, 2006 at 10:06 am
Hi Niraj ,
What is your experience with Santro Automatic.
Is it better than WagonR AX?
How is the Auto Transmission?
What KPL are you getting after 1sr service?
Thanks
Dan
February 28th, 2006 at 10:31 am
Hi Ajay,
What is your experience about Automatic?
Dan
February 28th, 2006 at 10:32 am
Hi Prakash,
What do you think about Santro AT v/s WagonR AX ?
Thanks
Dan
February 28th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
Hi Dan,
In my opinon Santro AT is better also as per a few magazines reviews.
Go automatic if you live in a city with a lot of Traffic congestions
(Bombay/Bangalore) and are tired of shifting gears!
Regards
Prakash
March 1st, 2006 at 1:51 am
Can anyone advise me on the discounts & accesories that one can look for when buying a Santro Xing in Mumbai/Thane/Navi Mumbai?What’s the max that can be squeezed out of the dealer?
March 1st, 2006 at 5:10 am
Hi, I am undecided between a santro and a Wagon-R. I would like to know which is a better car in the long run?
I don’t think I will sell the car, it would just become a second car after a few years. My topmost consideration is annual running cost and comfort for our family. (My in-laws are old and riding comfort, back seat space etc is important for us)
Thanks,
Aditi Mathur
March 1st, 2006 at 5:20 am
Aditi:
Annual running costs wise Wagon R would be a bit cheaper but Santro is
easier to drive and more comfortable.
Wagon-R has one advantage that you can drop the seats completely and
create a full bed out of it. May be useful sometime for old people as
they can sleep if they are not feeling well.
I would also suggest that take your in-laws along and go for a test
drive, lets them actually sit and feel if its comfortable or not.
Do writeback once you decide which car to buy.
Regards
Prakash
March 1st, 2006 at 5:49 am
I am thinking of buying a small-sized car. Here is what I am looking for.
1. My budget is 4L max
2. I will be traveling 25 kms in a day (to & fro office). – would like to get a good milage like any other middle class Indian
3. Occasionally would like to go for a long ride (vacation)
4. Looking for AC variant/Power Steering
I feel swift and getz are more expensive and will not fit into my budget.
So my choices are coming down to Santro/Vagon R etc.
Can you suggest me one? Also what you think about Palio?
Looking for a reasonable re-sale value also.
Thank you for your time and advise.
Regards
Prajith Nair.
March 1st, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Prajith,
Considering your usage, mileage costs for both cars wouldn’t be much
different specially after Hyundai has introduced the eRLX engine which
gives better mileage.
AC of Santro is very good and their Powers Steering is suppose to be
better. Note however that Power Steering in any vehicle would give
you less mileage.
Palio is a great car but is suffering from poor service and
uncertainty since the company is not doing well. Also mileage wise its
not great.
Regards
Prakash
March 2nd, 2006 at 5:01 am
Also would like to know in Santro rlx power steering version
how much of average do u get with A/C(in peak summer so the a/c is on all the times) in city
March 2nd, 2006 at 5:05 am
Is Santro unstable on high speeds (above 90 kmph)and shaky in comparision with Wagon R
and when u say Santro is expensive maintaince wise can somebody give example in terms of figures real time
March 4th, 2006 at 11:22 am
I contacted today to one of Hyundai dealer. He is offering only Insurance and 4000/- free with no other free accessories. Is it the best deal we can get today. What about other dealers… Are all people in india are getting the same deal. Is it OK to wait for some more time. Anyone has any clue, please share
March 6th, 2006 at 12:37 am
This is the deal which is offered by one dealer in Hyderabad in Santro XO model.
1) Insurance free
2) Sony MP3 player with 4 speakers worth about 4k
3) Remote Locking
4) Sun Film
5) Full matting
6) Teflon Coating
The price has come down further and presently it is quoting for XO metallic is as given below
Ex showroom -368982
Life Tax - 33210
Insurance - 13481
Prices / Offers are likely to better in April as per the dealer. This is because what ever sales which are made in the month of the march, the company doesnot get the Excise Duty reduction benefit. Only sales from April will qualify for the Excise Duty reduction and the same will be passed on to customers in terms of better discounts / free accessories.
March 6th, 2006 at 12:42 am
Sorry, MP3 player worth 11K. So the total discount works out to be around 34K.
March 6th, 2006 at 12:53 am
Hi every one,
Has any one from Hyderabad give me mileage and other features of Santro zing eRLXXO model. How is Wagon R compared to XO. I am planning bo buy XO shortly.
Pl give feed back on performance. I have driven my sisters car Santro 2001 model and found to be good in pickup, mileage. Driven at 110-120 Kms pr hour was comfortable. How is new XO and what are the differences between the two.
Pl help.
Mritunjaya
hyderabad
March 6th, 2006 at 8:38 am
Hi Pawan,
Santro Dealers in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune are not giving any freebies since prices have fallen over 20000 after Excise duty cut. They, however, give free insurance which is worth around 15000..that’s all.
If any one is getting more than this pls let me know.
Dan
March 7th, 2006 at 1:59 am
Hi Satish,
Can you pls tell me more details abt the dealer kun or lakshmi or talwar. I called up talwar today and he is quoting 4.15 for XO model with acc worth 18000. How much did you pay?
March 7th, 2006 at 2:40 am
Hi,
I am planning to book Santro Xing XL later this month. I visited one of the dealer in bangalore (Advaith). Now after the budget, they quoted 3.93L on road.
Discount: Rs 4000
Free Acces..: MP3 player with speakers, mats, teflon coating, tinted glass, mudd stuf….
This was only the first round of talk. thinking to bargain more as i am not happy with 4k discount while maruti offering more.
Can anyone help me is it possible to get more discount/ any other free accessories …by bargaining. Anyone had better deal with advaith?
Thanks in advance,
AP
March 7th, 2006 at 7:12 am
Hi Prakash,
I recently test drove Santro Automatic, the car was very smooth and it was fun to drive. You don’t even feel anything at 60kmph and the controls are very light especially the brakes.. Pickup is excellent but road bumps are felt.
I have decided to buy this car.
(which dealer ???!!!)
Thanks
Dan
March 7th, 2006 at 8:52 am
Vijendar, The offer is from Talwar. 4.15L is the on road price and he will be giving accessories worth around 20K + Insurance free. So in effect it is about 34K discount.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:48 am
In Pune I am getting on Santro Automatic Free Insurance (15K), Cash Discount (4K), freebies: Mudflap, mat, reverse horn, engine bulb, number plate and sun film. Antirust coating at special rate of Rs 1200/-
If anyone getting more than this pls let me know
Dealer here is selling daily 10 santo cars and couldn’t be pushed for more freebies.
Dan
March 9th, 2006 at 8:59 am
Satish,
You are right, you will get more free stuf in April.
Dealers were refusing to give free acc. earlier and are slowly opening up now. I had to accept less acc. because I wanted to book now, get delievery before March 31st, so I can claim a depreciation of 7.5% on ‘On Road price’. My Tax saving will be 10K.
Dan
March 9th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
Hi Prakash. I booked the Santro XO model today which comes to almost 3.99L in trivandrum, Kerala inclusive of insurance +tax+Basic Accessories(mat, mudflap,no.plate and Body cover). I have asked for a loan of 2.98L from ICICI for 5 years for which the EMI comes to about 6500/month. Prakash is there anything that I should ask for in terms of Accessories. Should I have the teflon coating and the underbody rust proof coating done before I take the vehicle. Please advice on this.
March 9th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
If you want to get a music system, I would suggest that you get it now. If within the warranty period, you get a music system fitted from elsewhere which results in some other problem with the electronics, your warranty may be void.
About the coating, underbody rust proof coating is good to have specially if you live in a place where the climate is humid.
For that the authorised service centers in Mumbai quoted Rs. 3000, where as the mechanic quoted Rs. 1500! I don’t know how much the quality differs but I would prefer the cheaper option.
March 10th, 2006 at 6:52 am
Thank you Prakash for your reply. But most people around here get music systems done outside. I haven’t seen any dealers fitting a music system to the car unless it comes with the car. Here most dealers suggest a particular accesssory shop as they get some kind of comission from them. This was what I heard from finance personnel from ICICI bank.Here we have a bunch of car accessory shops all over competing equally with one another. Among the music systems I think Pioneer mp3 player stand out. As I see much demand for them. Prakash could you suggest a good music system with speakers and their specifications. Thanks again
March 10th, 2006 at 7:54 am
Satish the prices for Santro XO Model here in trivandrum was 4.23L with insurance and basic accessories, has come down to 3.99L with the same offer now. What I’ve heard is that there are chances that the dealers might just pass 50% of this to the customer later maybe next month and if the sales tax or anything goes up prices might go up a bit.
March 10th, 2006 at 11:28 pm
Suman,
I haven’t seen the Pioneer so can’t comment. Sound Quality should be your top priority, listen to the quality of sound before you decide which one to buy.
Prakash
March 11th, 2006 at 5:47 am
Hi Prakash,
I had the ICICI bank finance cancelled as thir intrest rate was 10.31% and they claimed it was diminshing while it was fixed. I got a call from State Bank of Travancore who offered me intrest rate 8.75% and which is fixed with no verifcation or any collateral and stuff like that. I think its best to go for loans to nationalised banks as they hav started cutting down on their policies. What would you say Prakash? Would like to hear your comments.
March 11th, 2006 at 7:38 am
Suman,
I am not a finance expert. The best way to compare is to check the EMI per lakh.
Regards
Prakash
March 11th, 2006 at 3:06 pm
Guyz,
GM was suppose to introduce a small car in Feb 2006 . Did it happen?. Does anybody have some details on that?
I am planing to buy my first car. Should I go for ALTO and later to wagon R?Does ALTO have a good resale value?
Regards
Senthil.
March 12th, 2006 at 8:23 am
have heard maruti is goin to launch a new Wagon R model with improved shape. Does anyone has an idea about the new shape????
March 12th, 2006 at 8:26 am
Also, am planning to buy my first car, and am cofused between wagon R and swift. The problem is not the budget as far as buying is concerned. But i need to know which one would be heavier on my pocket in the long run, that is, after buying the car. On average i would be driving about 30 kms a day. I have got very bad reviews so far on the mileage of swift.
Can some one please help me…..soooon????
I am really confused.
March 13th, 2006 at 4:15 am
Hi Everybody
I own both Sentro Zing AND Wagon R.
Just Sentro is far better than Wagon R..
It will keep you safe in all accidents like own kid. Things are much better in sentro then in wagon R
March 15th, 2006 at 3:20 am
Senthil, the small car GM had in mind was the Daewoo Matiz (Daewoo has been taken over by GM) which was supposed to be launched earlier. But right now they have kept it on hold for another 4 months. If you are willing to wait, then you would get the car soon..
Alto’s resale value has come down, especially since everyone retains a compact car for 3-5 years at the most.. It’s the same with other cars also. In fact if you are a first timer, I suggest you go in for a second hand car. At the current prices they are well worth it..
Suman, with loans, it’s always better to go in for a diminishing loan when you intend to foreclose it much earlier. For ex., if you want to to go in for a fixed loan, and the loan amount is around 1 lakh for a period of 3 years, you would be paying the “interest” initially. There is no difference if you go in for a full term. However when you intend to foreclose the loan, then you would have to pay more than the one lakh you have taken (if within the first 6 months) You might end up paying upto 1 lakh or 90000 besides the payments you have already made. (at 8 %) However with diminishing loans, the payment you make are for both the interest and the principal. So the foreclosure amount would be slightly lesser (for the same six month period).
Manish, regarding the claims made about a Santro giving 20 kmph, I again reiterate that no Indian car for that matter has so far given that much mileage. This is regardless of the “Speed” fuel you use. I just verified that the mileage improvement by Santro is in .3 km for the newer version. I fail to see how that could affect the highway mileage (eRLX Euro 3).
True. The highway mileage is always much higher. The Santro at any given point gives you around 13 in city conditions and 16-17 max on highway conditions. But 19-22 is still wanting by any Indian car. (With or without AC) You can visit any Santro dealer for the actual figures. And it is the same for the Wagon R or any other car.
This is regardless of the fuel you use (whether groundnut oil as in Shakthiman trucks (in scarcity or during a war) or 87-88 octane “speed” petrol). Note that the Speed pe