Buy Or Hold: Wait For New Maruti Celerio Or Go For Its Rivals

We see if the all-new Celerio is worth waiting for, or would you be better off with one of its readily available rivals

Update (10/11/2021): Maruti has launched the second-gen Celerio with prices beginning from Rs 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom). Read more about it here.

The second-gen Maruti Suzuki Celerio is due to launch on November 10 and pre-bookings are already underway. It has been spied numerous times and most recently at dealerships, ready for customers. But is the new Celerio worth waiting for, or will a readily available rival be better suited for you? Let’s find out.

All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi

Maruti Wagon R: BUY for tallboy design and spacious cabin

The Maruti Wagon R, a stablemate of the Celerio, has always distinguished itself by its tallboy design that allows for more headroom while also being easy to get in and out of. It is a stalwart of the segment and its current generation was released just a couple of years ago in 2019. It gets the basic comforts like a touchscreen system with steering-mounted controls, power-adjustable ORVMs and 60:40 split-folding rear seats. But it has some misses too, such as not offering dual front airbags as standard and nor does it offer a rear view camera.

The Wagon R is offered with the choice of 1-litre and 1.2-litre petrol engines, both with a 5-speed manual and the option of a 5-speed AMT as well. There’s a CNG option for the 1-litre engine too.

Hyundai Santro: BUY for a premium cabin experience in the top trim

Hyundai reinvented the Santro for its current generation by giving it a modern look inside and out. It bears visual similarities with the previous-gen Grand i10 and has a premium cabin in its top variant. The Santro has rear AC vents, a sporty-looking gauge cluster, turbine-shaped air vents on either end of the dashboard, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. But most of the best features are limited to the higher trims and it also does not offer dual front airbags as standard.

The Santro is only offered with a 1.1-litre petrol engine with the choice of a 5-speed manual or an AMT. It is also available in a CNG variant.

Tata Tiago: BUY for sporty looks and youthful interiors

The Tiago was facelifted in early 2020 as part of the BS6 update and it is currently the sportiest looking hatchback in this segment. Its cabin has a modern feel too with its digitised gauge cluster as standard, and coloured inserts around the AC vents and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Tiago is also very well-equipped in the top variant with auto AC, height adjustable driver’s seat, Harman sound system and dual-tone 15-inch alloy wheels. It’s safer as standard than most of its rivals with dual front airbags as standard along with cornering stability control and has a 4-star safety rating from Global NCAP.

Tata offers the Tiago with a powerful 1.2-litre petrol engine that makes 86PS/113Nm with the choice of a 5-speed manual or an AMT.

Datsun GO: BUY if you’re on a very tight budget or for the affordable CVT option

Yes, the Datsun GO is still out there for people to consider. It is the most affordable car on this list but still comes with dual front airbags as standard. The GO is also equipped with electronic stability control, 14-inch alloy wheels and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Unfortunately, it doesn’t match the cabin quality of its rivals and its top trim is not as well equipped either.

It is the only one here to be available with the choice of a more refined automatic transmission in the form of a CVT with its 1.2-litre petrol engine. The other option is a 5-speed manual which also offers 9PS of power less at 68PS.

New Maruti Celerio: HOLD for a sportier looking Maruti compact with modern features

The second-gen Celerio has been spied multiple times ahead of its official debut. It has a more rounded design that makes it look sportier than its stablemates, especially with the blacked-out alloy wheels. The new Celerio seems to be bigger than the outgoing version too which should be good news for cabin space. Inside, it is similar to the Wagon R with the same instrument cluster and steering wheel design with mounted controls. The new Celerio also comes with a central touchscreen infotainment system and a rear parking camera along with a passive keyless entry with push button engine start-stop.

Also read: 2021 Maruti Celerio Reaches Dealerships, Unofficial Bookings Underway

Maruti will be offering the Celerio with the same 1-litre petrol engine as before and could introduce the choice of the 1.2-litre petrol engine to the badge. Both are expected to be offered with both manual and AMT options while the smaller engine could get a CNG variant from launch.

Want to go the SUV route?

The uninterrupted growth in popularity of small SUVs has led manufacturers to introduce that form factor across budgets. Today, you could have an SUV-esque model for around Rs 6 lakh. While it’ll likely be a base or just above base variant, you could also consider these readily available small SUVs over the second-gen Celerio:

All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi

Read More: Tata Punch vs Rivals: Price Talk

Read More on : Celerio AMT