Replacing my 13 year old WagonR: Buy a WagonR again or something else

I have watched review videos of Hyundai Exter and one thing I liked about it was the ground clearance

BHPian DiptiSrivastava recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello members of Team BHP,

This is my first introductory and quick query post. I am well aware of introductory posts getting locked automatically for comments after few weeks but my introduction gives insights for my query too so I am making it in one post.

My name is Dipti. I am a Computer Engineer by education and profession. I know about Team-BHP since 2010. My current interests are watching review videos of newly launched cars and always I was interested in reading and since past few years I enjoy doing yoga on regular basis. I own a Wagon R as my sole car.

Starting with my driving experince. My dad had a Fiat Padmini, so I always believed I knew how to drive since the third grade.

At present I have a 12.5 year old WagonR (drove total of 60k kms). I drove my car in different cities of India from narrowest roads of Patna to busiest of NCR. My driving license was made in Mumbai where my driving skills were checked evaluated in most legit ways.

Before pandemic I was planning to change my car and now its high time. The easiest option I have is to buy WagonR again(highest model).

I always felt confident driving wagon r in every phase of my life including a newborn in carseat to now noisy kids in backseat. My usage is always city drive, weekly once or twice to office in south delhi else quick short trips to nearby market.

Last year I took test drive of Skoda Kushaq and honda city. I drove Creta, maruti Dzire and Hyundai hatchbacks of family members and friends.The best I liked was Honda City CVT as for comfort and smooth automatic driving experince but I am not so much skilled with quick parking of vehicles except hatchbacks.

I have watched review videos of Hyundai Exter and one thing I liked about it was the ground clearance and the driver's full bonnet view similar to wagon R's.

My question to readers of the forum is:

"Is there any other hatchback that I will not regret buying if not wagon R". ?

Budget 8-15 lakhs. The higher side of the budget will be a tolerable pinch for the spouse.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

The WagonR is one heck of a practical hatchback with many endearing qualities. It has among the highest loyalty rates among owners (repeat customers), with stats that are easily on par with loyalty numbers of the City, Innova, Creta etc.

However, it's time to move on. You have a budget of ~15 lakhs and love the City CVT. That's the car you should buy. A better car will be more useable & enjoyable in almost every way. You'll also drive more & road-trip more. YOLO & all of that too.

Go for the City CVT. The Elevate CVT might be worth waiting for too (launch is just around the corner). Don't sweat over the size; it's easy to get used to a midsize car. In 100 - 200 km of driving your new Honda, you will be totally at ease with the car's footprint.

Here's what BHPian greenhorn had to say on the matter:

My best friend has been through three generations of the wagon R. The latest car is very competent. It's a significant improvement over the older wagon r. The only thing I would hold against it is the 1 star crash.

I tried bigger cars like City etc, but for my usage for narrow roads and cramped slots, I'm happy sticking with a small car. Exter is a good option. Punch also is what I was very close to buying.

Here's what BHPian ByKaizen had to say on the matter:

Automatic is mandatory for you? If not Swift/Ignis Manual will be a good option (but obviously it is a concern over safety). The peppy nature of K12 engines will bring in smiles whenever we find a short gaps even inside the city traffic.

Both Swift (with seat height at max position) and Ignis (with seat height at any position) give a very good visibility, Swift has K12C while Ignis still has the older K12B but the differences (in terms of performance) between the 2 will be not that much noticeable as a driver.

If automatic please prefer CVT/AT/DCT, AMT will be a compromise in comfort.

Here's what BHPian magastor22grey had to say on the matter:

Hi @DiptiSrivastava, hope you are doing good.

When you are in a car made by Maruti, it is very difficult to come out of the brand due to its reliability and availability of parts. But now, its not 13 years back, and times have changed: We must agree that MSIL does not make the best cars.

I would suggest that you go for 2 options: Either an I20 or the Honda City.

When you select the I20, you select driving pleasure and ease of maneuverability over comfort and spaciousness. You get a beautiful 1.0L/1.2L engine with a IVT/DCT. You can even go for the N-Line, if you have the budget to do so. I assure you, the car will only leave you smiles after every drive.

However, if you prioritize comfort, convenience and roominess, considering that you have a kid, the City is the best option. You will get additional space, Honda's drivability and extra boot space. However, it is not very engaging to drive, nor is the gearbox enthusiastic to rev.

If you can stretch your budget a little more, the Virtus 1.0L will be good at your hands. It will be engaging to drive and be spacious to sit in.

You can even consider some used cars like a pre-owned Hector or Seltos.

Do not be scared of the sheer length and size of the car. You will get used to it.

YOLO!

Here's what BHPian Dry Ice had to say on the matter:

Welcome to the forum!

I doubt anything else will give you as much confidence as a Wagon R due to the sheer all round visibility it offers.

Ignis is a good option if you want an upgrade, but don’t want a bigger car. Some people complain about the rearward visibility due to the funky c-pillar, but that’s something easily verified on a test drive. You can certainly include it in your cars to test-drive list.

Here's what BHPian BoneCollector had to say on the matter:

Welcome to the forum.

We have a 2012 Wagon R with us, done around 60K kms. Our car is only for city as Brezza does highway duties. Wagon R is an agile car especially for the narrow bylanes of a tier 3 city. Since your location says Delhi, my suggestion would be to go for a better and safer car. As suggested by many, it's the time for an upgrade. The new Wagon R is bigger than the older generation but safety is an issue. And since your post says that your kids are on the back seat, please move over to a better car.

In Maruti's stable, you can check out the Ignis or Baleno if you want a hatchback or Brezza or a base Grand Vitara or the Fronx if you're OK with a bigger vehicle. As suggested by GTO, you can even get the City or wait for Elevate which in my opinion would be a good vehicle.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.