Last week Maruti Suzuki Celerio launched the all-new Celerio in the country. The updated hatchback is being offered in four variants with prices starting at Rs 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom). For the same sum of money, the budget hatchback segment offers alternatives like the Hyundai Santro, Datsun GO, Tata Tiago, and its stablemate, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R. So, is the new Celerio worth buying over its closest rivals? Let’s find out.

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

In terms of dimension, the Wagon R with a height of 1,675mm is taller than the Celerio. While this may make the ingress/egress more convenient, the Celerio is wider and longer than the Wagon R resulting in a slightly roomier cabin. The difference in the starting prices of both hatchbacks is small. However, as we go up the variant lineup, the Wagon R offers the option of the peppier 1.2-litre engine in the same price range as the Celerio. Having said that, the K10C motor on the Celerio is new and far more fuel-efficient. Besides this, the Wagon R is also available with a CNG alternative that the Celerio may get only in the coming months.

Hyundai Santro

The Hyundai Santro is a more affordable alternative to the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. The price difference ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 45,000, depending upon the variant. However, the Celerio has a stretched wheelbase that is 35mm more than Santro’s 2,400mm and 78-litres of additional boot space over Santro’s 235-litres. Nonetheless, the Santro benefits from a handful of convenience features such as rear AC vents and a reverse parking camera.

Tata Tiago

Between the Tata Tiago and the Maruti Suzuki Celerio, the Tiago with its 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine is clearly the powerful of the duad. It puts out 85bhp and 113Nm of torque and is paired to a five-speed manual and an AMT unit. The Tiago is wider than the Celerio at 1,677mm. However, the Celerio has an elongated wheelbase and a bigger boot. Price-wise, the difference between the two models is little. Tata Motors is also rumoured to introduce a CNG version of the Tiago hatchback soon that will further help the carmaker strengthen its position in the segment.

Datsun GO

The Datsun GO is the longest car of the lot with a length of 3,788mm and a wheelbase that extends to 2,450mm. It’s powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 67bhp when paired to a five-speed manual and 76bhp when mated to a CVT unit. On the flip side, the Celerio looks more modern, is decently equipped, and has an ergonomic dashboard.

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio has upped the ante in the budget hatchback segment. While the price tag might not exactly be as affordable as some of its rivals, the Celerio offers a well-rounded package with a spacious cabin, a fuel-efficient engine, and a feature list that is a step up over the outgoing model and at par with its counterparts. To know more about the 2021 Maruti Suzuki Celerio, click here.