2018 Hyundai Santro vs Maruti Suzuki Wagon R: Which will be the next popular hatchback?

The legend of Hyundai – Hyundai Santro is going to make its comeback with the all-new Hyundai Santro 2019 after all these years. The new Santro is due to be launched in October 2018, which is just only weeks away. Its Santro whose code name is AH2 will compete with other cars of the entry-level hatchback segment like the Maruti Wagon R, Maruti Celerio and Renault Kwid. And Maruti Wagon R which also expects the next generation in 2019 will be among the biggest rival of the new Hyundai Santro.

Upon what we have known about the new Santro, we are going to compare the on-going Maruti Wagon R with the up-coming Santro with regards to their exterior, interior, features, mileage, and engine.  

1. 2018 Hyundai Santro vs Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Dimension

At 3610mm, the new Santro will measure at a greater length than the Wagon R which only 3599mm long. At 1645mm, it is also 150mm wider. It could be translated to bigger legroom and shoulder room. However, with regard to the height, it is the Wagon R that has the upper hand as it measures at 1700mm, which is 140mm higher than the Santro. Despite the big gap in height, the Wagon R’s ground clearance is actually only 5mm higher. The two matches with the same wheelbase length of 2400mm. 

Maruti Wagon R will be a tad smaller than the upcoming Hyundai Santro

In terms of boot space, the Hyundai Santro gains a big advantage as it has a noticeably bigger boot. The boot space of the new Santro stays at 235 litres while the Maruti Wagon R is only 180 litres. 

Looking at the dimensions of the Maruti Wagon R and Hyundai Santro 2018, it seems that the new-comer Santro somehow edge out the Wagon R. But it is still unknown if the on-paper figures could be translated into a corresponding result in reality. 

Hyundai Santro obviously gains a big advantage in terms of dimensions and space

2. 2018 Hyundai Santro vs Maruti Wagon R Specifications

The ongoing Maruti Wagon R now receives power from the K10 engine. This unit is a three-cylinder 1-litre engine that could churn out the peak power fo 67bhp and the torque of 90Nm. This engine could be mated with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed ATM. Maruti Wagon R’s 1-litre engine is a trusted engine with high reliability and decent performance. Moreover, the engine also gives out a considerable mileage of 20.5kmpl for both manual and ATM version.

New Santro will be powered by the tested-and-tried engine from Grand i10

On the other hands, the Hyundai Santro will be powered by a 1-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. This unit has been seen on the Grand i10 and will continue to serve the new Santro. The power output stands at 68bhp and the peak torque is rated at 95Nm. Moreover, it will be the first time that a Hyundai petrol car in India gets an automated gearbox. But the diesel engine will not on offer at its launch. However, this will not upset the Santro in the race with the Wagon R as it also comes with no diesel option as well. 

The new Santro is expected to stretch the mileage to 20kmpl, which is just slightly lower than that of the Maruti. In this aspect of fuel efficiency, there is no certain winner here. 

Also read:

>>> One Month Before the D-Day: What to expect on 2018 Hyundai’s Santro

3. 2018 Hyundai Santro vs Maruti Wagon R Features

On its returns, Hyundai Santro 2019 will surely be packed with a fully-loaded feature list in a hope to create a head start over other models in the market. And the Maruti Wagon R. on the other hands will merely compete with the Santro in this aspect as it has been around for quite a long time. 

Here is the list of expected features on the Santro. (The new Santro will be no less than the suggested list).

• Interior 

• Rear AC vents

• Keyless entry with push start/stop button

• Touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth connectivity

Safety features:

• Rear parking camera

• Dual front airbags

• ABS with EBD

• ISOFIX child seats

Ongoing Maruti Wagon R doesn't have as much feature as the new Santro

On the other hand, the recent Maruti Wagon R is packed with some simple features like a double-din infotainment system, power window, power steering, adjustable headrests, foldable rear seat. It misses some key features like rear AC vents, keyless entry with push start/stop button and touchscreen infotainment system as on the new Santro. The safety list of the Wagon R will include dual front airbags, ABS, and central locking. It seems that the newcomer gets ahead on the game, and Maruti Wagon R needs an instant update in the near future.

4. 2018 Hyundai Santro vs Maruti Wagon R Price

Maruti Wagon R is priced at 4.14 lakh while Hyundai Santro is priced at 4 lakh. Hyundai has undercut the price of the Maruti Wagon R, which is hoped to gain advantage for the newly-launched Santro over the well-established name like Wagon R. But with such a feature-rich car like Santro, it will predictable that Hyundai will hike the price soon after the debut.

Read more car compare review from IndiaAuto.com

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