Santro . Review on Hyundai Santro Xing eRLX

Yo, hope you guys find the below comparision between standing frogs useful.

I have purchased a Santro erlx high end with all the works and accessories accompanying it. However I believe the car is an average car coming from the Korean stable. Previously and still I have retained the Wagon R as it is a better car. Let's understand what they have to offer.

Coming to the point, ERLX is a 32bit processor instead of using the 16 bit to the same old engine. Both the cars use the 32 bit ones now..

In fuel consumption, (for us Indians) it has always been the wagonR which is slightly on the higher side. Even with the new eRLX model the mileage difference is slightly less by 13.3+.3 while for the Wagon R it is 14.15+.2

https://marutiudyog.com/bp/prodwagon.htm

In city conditions you can get about 12 for the Santro while you get around 13+ for the WagonR . Of course it all depends on how you drive them both.

On highways, regardless of what some people state, the Santro gives around 16 slightly higher for the WagonR at 16.5. And again before anyone jumps the gun and talks about the fuel, let me inform you that this is regardless of the fuel you use. Some fuels come with additives to clean the engine and maintain pickup. The consistent mileage is as a result of a cleaner engine. (It does not increase)

Regarding the looks both the cars are two standing frogs. The Matiz was always the beauty and much more polished car then these frogs. However the WagonR is more of a Mini SUV than a car while the Matiz is more of a car then the SUV. And both the cars try to be both.

If you intend to purchase the cars for it's looks, then do NOT buy them.

With regards to the suspension, both the cars use the same type (Macpherson Struts). So there would not be much of a difference. However the Santro starts rolling at 80+ while for the WagonR it is at 110+ kmph. These figures are very accurate figures. If you can testride your friend's car and compare the roll speeds you would get the complete picture.

However that is not a significant advantage for me as often I use both cars for city

driving. It is only about 4 times a year that I use it for journey's above 1000 kms..

Coming to the engine both the engines are almost similar in capacity. (1061 cc/64 BHP for the WagonR and 1086/ 63 BHP for the Santro) However though cheaper materials are used, the lighter component finish in a Santro, you would find it slightly ahead in the 0-60 secs category. In comparision the WagonR is slightly slower. But if you are planning to actualy test it, then forget it. That hardly makes a difference.

The WagonR is a much safer car to drive. Especially if you are accident prone. That is where Maruti's advantage lies. One of the main points where all Japanese manufacturers concentrate on is safety first. This is displayed aptly when you see the accidents relating to either a Santro or a WagonR. The stress points in the body have been beatifully hidden away and it still retains it's slightly better looks over the Santro..

In the fit and finish department, it is the WagonR which stands out. Both the dashboards are plasticky. The Santro offers clunky instrumentation just like the 800, but the Wagon R has a lot of innovative features to offer by the dashboard.. The dashboard has been very intelligently designed to make it a very functional car in almost every nook of the vehicle.. Have you noticed a holder at the right front below the dashboard? That in itself speaks volumes. Very intelligently placed. However it still is plasticky. Not much to hype..

The service of the WagonR is easier and cheaper. Also now that Maruthi is launching the credit card program with Citibank, expect card benefits much like the Hero Honda Passport program.. Except here, the points are much higher. That's a good feature. For each service, you need to use the card. And if you use the card for refuellling also, then expect to gain about 20000 points plus every year. And if you sell your vehicle through TruValue, you can gain an additional lumpsum of points. All these are useful not only for the electronic accessories, but also help you obtain a discount when you purchase a new car.

The Santro lacks in service. Most of the times I have had to explain my issues for several hours only to take the car back with the same problem.. This is not the case with the WagonR. As Maruti is GD Powers certified, they have to atleast maintain the minimum criteria to maintain the certification. (For the certification the minimum is 85 for every 100 points) And being GD Powers certified means more smiles to us. Compared to the maintenance on both the cars, both are very minimalistic as in most cars nowadays. It remains to be seen how efficient they would be with synthetic engine oils..

But one good fact stands out for the Wagon R. It is more popular in Japan as a 660cc car for teenagers and quite good in it's segment in the UK. So it is already a tested car. The engine however has been boxed up to add one more piston for the Indian market. And the safety features have been enhanced due to continuous improvement in the body features.

There are a few more disadvantages if you have noticed in a Santro. My friend has ridden around 60000+ and he complains that the AC is barely working upto the mark. Very similar to a Zen.

Both cars are 4 seaters (and 5 adjust kar yaar.) But the boot space is not as much as offered by the Wagon R. Besides being taller by 7 cms, it is also pretty convenient. This is one of the other stand out features. You can even bend one of the rear seats to make cavernous boot space or bend the front seat to let one of the passengers sleep. This is one significant feature especially when you plan for a long vacation..

With regards to the hype that the Santro is a 5 seater, forget it. It is a marketing gimmick by Hyundai. By providing an extra seat belt, they think it should influence the customer to make his decision. They forgot to answer one question. Do you actually wear seat belts when 5 people are seated inside? The difference between the rear seat space between the two vehicles is very negligible.

The main disadvantage of a WagonR is the blind spots. When reversing, I sometimes have to have someone at hand. Especially in narrow areas. This is due to its shape. That unfortunately cannot be avoided.

The Santro in comparision is easier to park, though it has it's share of blind spots. I guess I probably got carried away by WagonR's features, but the Santro has nothing to offer especially if you have ridden the WagonR earlier. It is a letdown when you do so.

Take care..