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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).
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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.
All bunch of biased decisions.
How can u get all features in these classes of cars. We are getting products and concepts that are decade old.
Go by your priority and budget:
My recommendation (i keep on changing cars every year or so, expect a honest feedback):
1. If you want comfort and space – Indica/Wagon-R. Pls don’t counter attack my statement saying it looks like a taxi. It is your money, you decide.
2. If you want pickup – Choose Wagon-R/Estilo/i10
3. Less Maintainence – Alto/Wagon-R/Santro
4. Fuel Economy – Alto/Estilo/i10
5. Hi-Tech and safety Features (Like B-segment) – Estilo/i10
6. Alternative Fuel – Wagon-R
7. Sun roof – i10/Estilo
Santro is out of date model, it makes sense to consider i10.
Wagon-R is still popular because of space features
8. Back-seat comfort: Indica/Estilo
9. Front-Seat comfort: Indica/Santro/i10
10. Accessories and Customization: i10/Estilo
Please note:
All these vehicles will have some pros and cons and all make noises and rattle. Visit your nearest service centre for packing the doors etc. to that u hear less noise.
Please do not talk of which vehicles that work best at 130 kmph. God forbid, any accident, you are not safe and whole vehicle will be useless
HI,
Can you pls tell me the difference between Santro Normal Model and Santro Xing.?
What features do Santro 2002 Model has ?
The Base of Santro is very heavy this is the reason its looks as its top is shaking.How many Santro’s you heard fall down by shaking.I always drive My Santro 120+ on highway.Once I touched 150.
paul says:
October 24th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
The wagon r shakes and makes noises over 90 km/hr i don’t understand why is it because the engine is still very new and not yet opened it has just done 200kms
I am planning to book ‘Wagon R-AX BS III-With immobaliser’ any feedback on the performance?Mileage?
I purchased WagonR LXI 1 month back.A very nice car in city and highway.The only problem which I see is with the AC. You switch on the AC and pickup will reduce drastically.I have driven my WagonR on the speed of 120 and I didnt find it shaking.A very comfortable car specially if you have a height of >=6′.
Is it a 4 seater car??I thought it was a 5 seater.Can someone confirm on this?
I purchased WagonR LXI Duo. LPG tank capacity is 22 ltrs. and I get 250 KM for 22 ltrs in city and gues what happens when you go for Highway, its wooping 350 km for 22 ltrs. Can anyone tell me is there better car than this. With fuel prices getting higher, this is the best car (only car with LPG) in this segment, as of now.
So those of you care for fuel, this is the car for you.
I own a santro GLS.
Prev owned a wagon R..I found both cars the same but wat mattered to me was the service provided to me by the dealer.
I hd a bad experience with Maruthi.They treated me well wen i went to pick the car but later wen i visited them wit prob n clarifications they ignored me. Tats not the same with Hyundai.From the date of delivery till u sell ur car they treat u the same..
So guys if ur looking for a cheaper one then its Wagon-R or if u want the looks n service its a Santro.
Getting a DUO(petrol/gas) is a good idea but ur jst loosing out on luggage space buddy…
I have used a wagonR for 4 years, 1lakh+ kms now.
No Engine trouble whatsoever
Minimal maintenance- limited to regular oil, filter change, breakpads, 1 set of tyres, battery and 1 clutch plate change which is certain for any car in 4 years and 100,000+ kms.
Also converted to CNG a year after purchase- No engine damage, no noise.
Excellent cooling in AC, way better than santro, loss of power with AC on full blower speed is obvious its only about 1000cc after all.
With proper wheel alignment and balancing there is no shaking or vibration upto 120-130kmph, touches 150 but obviously feels dangerous.
and oh yes I forgot to mention whoever says WagonR is for 4 passengers need to get their record right, WagonR is meant for 5 passengers as mentioned in its specifications and the registration certificate. It is more spacious than santro.
I had purchased a Wagon R LXI (Petrol) in May 08 & it has done 5057 km by now. I am already getting a mileage of 17.63 with AC on & that too in Delhi Traffic. My travel includes the Highly trafficed Ring Road, Naraina Stretch, Nizamuddin, ITO, Shershah Road as well.
iam jiss…I want to buy a car…..I select 2 cars…….1.santro XING, 2.maruthI WAGOR R
which one i choose…please answeer and the reason….y?
ok,please replay me–iam waiting….help me….strictly said whatz u choose?,-(say 1 name)
Hi,
I was little bit confused whether to select Santro or Wagon R. Now I have selected Wagon R after going through 611 comments.
I agree that Santro is a good vehicle, but Wagon R has the upper hand.
I am one like many on this discussion, wondering whether to pick up a wagon R or santro. I wanted to pick up the wagon R because it was the only one with LPG and since i put in lot of miles everyday. Also since am tall it is easy to get in. I had almost settled for the wagon R till i saw the santro LPG version. Am now trying to decide between the two. Anyone has an opinion on the comparison of the LPG version of both these.
Cheers
Anil
The wagon r duo is the best mileage giving car. Well it gives me 17 on a litre of gas.
Wagon R is the ultimate verdict from the Maruti stable. Never think of buying anything else even after reading so many testimonials for the wagon.
Hi,
I own a Santro & I have friends who own WagonR. I think both the cars are equally good. There are some unique features of both the cars. So both are winners. Happy Driving.
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Hi guys
I bought a Santro Zip-Plus automatic 2nd hand, 2yrs back. I now want to go for a new automatic car within 5L budget.
What are the options I have?
Is the automatic model in WagonR still available from Maruti?
Pls.advise.
Thanks.
Prabhu,Chennai
I think WagonR is the best choice when compared to Santro, In terms of service and cost of spares. But for the guys who are not care for money but style gop for santro. the weak point of wagon r is its indian label.
Well, I own a 2001 Santro – I am the 2nd owner, bought the car in 2006. I must say that it is reliable if maintained properly. I have never had a breakdown inspite of it being so old. The only problem I had was a bad battery which I replaced. However I would not rate the service centre(s) highly – they are lousy (most of them charge heftily for small things and are careless). As for performance, the car is stable even at speeds of 120km/h – it can reach this speed quite easily and is capable of more.
I own a Santro XL, comfort is definitely good, even at higher speeds i dont see vibrations and driving long distances also you dont feel any discomfort! mileage is around 17.5kmpl in my recent drive 450 kms drive. and in city with moderate traffic conditions today morning it gave 15 kmpl. Also the rear seats are comfortable for 3 people but in wagon R this is the drawback, only two can be seated…also the better leg space in wagonR is due to modification of seat in wagonR, if you see the length of the seat is more in santro compared to wagonR….so santro rear seats rests you thighs and gives you better comfort whereas the wagonR to give the “better leg space” impression has reduced the seat length and doesnot give good comfort is what I think.
this site is too good. One can collect lots of information about selecting a car. But still then i would like to know more about the comparison between WagonR & Santro Xing, as I’m also in the same dilemma. PLease suggest about this.
hi,
anybody can send me santro xing xg model’s manual??i have recently bought a 2nd hand but dont have themanual/ guide…it will be gr8 if anyone of you can mailme the manual at vatts_2000@yahoo.com
i had been with both the cars , now i m using a wogon r Vxi.. i fee wagon r is better in all the aspects ,so i would prefer the confused minds to go for wagon r .. the only advantage for santro is the looks.. but now i feel wagor .r is as good as santro
Cheers
gireesh_chinnu2001@yahoo.com
yes,wagon r is fa better car than santo.wagon r is smoother than santro,its looks marvellous,mileeage is verry good.i prefer wagon r to buy,between wagon r and santro.
hey prabhu/anyone else
Incase anyone on the blog is interested in selling their Automatic Santro here in Chennai, please give me a call i would be interested to buy. Thanks..deepak 9841401207
I own a santro that is a year old. I am getting a mileage of around 18- 19 in city. Also I find that the car has phenomemnal strength. I was rammed from the back By a loaded and speeding tempo auto. And all that happened was that the tail lamp broke. I had no other damage of any kind. And the replacement was 750 with labout. All in all I love the santro over the wagon r only because of this. the body of any maruthi dings like tissue paper. It cannot withstand the smallest of im[acts. Sad
I m planning tobuy Wagon r .Anyone can tell hw long this car is available in car world.
i think wr will available till sep’09, in car world
hey buddy i have both the cars.
I had buy the santro xing gls model in last september and buy the wagon r lxi model a month ago.I want to express my views which would help u in purchasing a car.My intension is not to hurt anyone.
what i feel is advantage of santro xing :
-> too much comfortable seating.
-> good brakes.
-> side mirror adjustment within the car is too good feature added to xing
-> Awesome design and looks great
-> Gear lock system is pin type which is good from safety purpose.
->Engine is good and good pickup
Advantage of wagon r :
_>ecm system
good pickup than xing
good handling..steering is very light as compared to xing steering..altough xing steering is also good but not compared to wagon r.
disadvantage of wagon r accd to me as compared to xing :
-> not much comfortable.
-> side mirrors are very bad
-> gear lock is u type which creates problem when u changes the posn of ur seat or other front seat…gear lock stuck in the way of front seat
-> Design is not good…santro design is awesome….
-> brakes are not good as compared to xing
OVerall i can say from my experiance….maruti service is good…but hyundai is awesome..i like it very much..and everyone say wagon r is havng good pickup and mileage..i agree with them but santro is also having good pickup..my both cars are new and I love to drive the xing rather than hyundai wagon r !!
Hope it will help u
Hi, i own a Santro xing eRLX Jan 2007 model. Has run 24500 kms. I am thinking of selling it. What is the price i can expect?
Can any one help me please?
I have a Santro of 1999 and i am planning to install CNG kit for the same.. Is it advisable as the car is old model..
Please help me
Can anyone share the experience on WagaonR DUO Lxi?
Does that have option of ABS and Safety Bags?
Does LPG impacts the speed, pickup or overall performance?
Hi Friends ,
I am looking for a new car in the range of 3.5 to 4 lac max . After a bit of search and friends opinion , narrowed down to Wagon R or Santro Xing . Initially we decided on Wagon R but lately some of our relatives was telling Hyundai Santro would be more preferable .
I am looking for performance , space and maintanence as it would be mostly run by my parents. I could understand both the cars are in a same segment and has equally pros & cons .
But to my requirements , can anyone share some thoughts.It would be much appreciated.
I am planning to buy a car , but I am unable to decide whether to go for Santro or WagonR. Experienced users can anybody please guide me.
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
Folks,
It has been pleasure filled 3.5 years with my Wagon R done 56000 Kms, Only thing that gave problem was left drive shaft which was replaced was the car was in warranty.
I changed the tyres at 50K Kms to MRF ZVTS 155/70/R 13, it increased hight by an inch, I drove my car in Shiradi ghat on the way to dharmastala (this road is worst nightmare for low boday cars), nothing hit the body.
I installed a strut brace(automech) for the car, it reduced the body roll t by 90% .
Over all my car is still feels like new car and happy I put my money on right car.
Regards
Raghu
santro is beautiful in looks and if you see the interiors you will wonder why the interiors of WR or ZEN are so cramped. To check just take a seat in the rear seat and push back the front seat maximum. Your legs will touch the front seat unless it is a santro. You will also have a definite feeling of spaciousness in a Santro which you usually get in a Swift.The ZEN, WR and ALTO have the same space nearly with the WR a tad better maybe.
Engine noise despite the Santro having a 3 valve 12 bit (as compared to 4 valve 16 bit of the WR)is almost absent. Mileages vary. The AC for a Santro is probably a 1.5 T against 1.18T for WR. Whatever, the AC effect in the Santro is superb….. could be due to the interior design. None have back side AC vents though. Maintenance? None really require any!!Combination of driving comfort like gear shift anf passenger comfort is superior in Santro. Korea and Japan is of course a mindset! Who says the Koreans are bad in car technology! WR is a Maruti after all. So is the ZEN VXi with 4 power window rear child lock, tiltable headlights, rear defogger,beige interior, 17.3 KMPL. The service network of Maruti is vast.So bad or good service will matter less, would have really mattered if the service centres were few.But is it true that the Santro is being phased out in favour of the i10? From utilitirian point of view the Santro GLS Xing still stands out from the i10. So which to go for? Santro or ZEN or WR or i10? Ultimately personal preference will matter since these are comparable.
Hi,
I am looking for a card in range 3-4 lac.
Can you pls suggest me a good one in this range?I am confused among WagonR ,Santro,Spark and others.
Thanks,
Pramod
WAGON R or I10/Santro:
I feel WagonR is VFM car,i Purchased Lxi variant sometime back,Many of my friends suggested me i10/santro etc.I went for WagonR as it was tried and tested car.The idea is Everyone has own priorities,We must study the specs, Analyse which car suits you better(Importantly your pocket,during purchase and after purchase,All cars are good if maintained well…)
I recommend Wagon R over Santro,If you have 50K more to spend you can go for more latest and Good looking i10,
NOTE for those who think WagonR is milk vehicle : Wagon R is best selling car in Japan Since 2003,”Seems Everyone sells milk in Japan”
Korean vs Japanese mindset:Japanese are way ahead of koreans,I stayed in Korea for 3 years and japan 2 years,Japanese focus more on technicalities and Engineering,Koreans focus more on packaging the device..See i10 for example..They made Better looking Interiors..As people will generally be impressed as they sit in the car and this will trigger a Impulse to buy the vehicle,,Although The person will cry over the decision later when after sales service stars,If car meets accident ,reimbursement is only 50% as Front engine compartments are all Fiber….Korean do lot of work on how to sell the product with better freebies etc.Japs focus more on How to last long the product..with technical prowess..//
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 want to comment on the above comparison which is given by one of over friend –
Provision for 4 speakers in Santro, Wagon-R has provision for only 2. – this is wrong even in Wagonr we can have 4 speakers.
Ability to adjust the side view mirrors from inside. – even in wagonr you have a option of adjusting the mirror & it is electrical one.
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. – even in wagonr we will get seat belts for 5 persons & seating capacity is 5 members.
Wagnor is too good, compared to santro, i have purchase the wagnor LXI recently, after analyzing with other cars it is best then all
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
i purchased a WagonR VXi in nov 2008, i was also in confusion over santro and wagonR. what i feel is if you are looking for a small car and value for money its WagonR. WagonR is also approved for 5 seats. when you are purchasing on loan then you should go for WagonR.
1.light steering
2.better pickup and mileage.
3.good resale value.
4.touches max speed at 130km/h whereas santro touches 100km/h and starts shaking.
5.cheaper spare parts and low maintenance.
6.new looks are far better than a santro. santro appears now old and boring as compared to new looks of WagonR.
7.AC is far better than xing in extreme hot conditions.
8.electronic rear view mirror adjustment is available in WagonR.
9.regarding gearshifts and all i don’t find any difference.
10.regarding engine details i don’t know much but performance of WagonR is superb than santro.
one more thing i wish t add here is just few days back. i was standing in traffic jam and besides me was a guy in satro. we raced and i couldnot find him for next 10 minutes. he was lagging behind and then he stopped and said your car is good to handle in traffic and has good pickup and speed
I found Wagon-R is better than Santro..
1) Santro Has a Feminine look’s..
2) Wangon R’s cooling is better than santro..
3) Its From Suzuki , more branded than Hyundai…. 🙂
4) Windows are bigger than santro..
5) Head Space is higher than santro..
6) Back seat is better for travel …
7) Its really a machine in highways…
it can easyly touches 140(i hav done).
bt santro shaking after 110/hr..
8) For Indian Roads & the mechanics its better to buy a maruti than hyundai…
I’m really satisfied with my Wagon-R LXI
wagon r is very much better than santro in terms of space,smooth drive top speed engine power.Always go for the wagon r
I own a Wagon R LXI and acccording to me it is the Wagon R that has the upperhand over the Santro Xing as i have also Driven the Santro Xing. It beats the Santro in speed, Pickup,comfort,engine the santro beats the Wagon r only in terms of price
Please stop this nonsense about Santro shaking. Get your car checked. It can be easily rectified if it is happening. I have driven till 160 kmph in my 5 yr old sanro, and there was no shaking. 130-140 is nothing for this car.
Anyways these 2 are very old cars now. If someone likes the looks of WagonR, and see it day after day, go fo it.The same applies to Santro