First-Time Car Buyers Guide: Renault Kwid vs Maruti Suzuki Celerio – Which One To Choose?

What a First-time car buyer looks for in a car

A first-time car buyer seeks safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. While looking for the best cars for first-time buyers, features like Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and crash warning are important safety aspects. Fuel efficiency is crucial as it impacts long-term ownership costs. Driving convenience, made possible through elements like power steering and rear parking sensors, are also important, simplifying the driving experience for beginners.

Therefore, a combination of safety, fuel efficiency, and user-friendly features are key considerations for first-time buyers. For this first-time buyers’ guide, we take a look at Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki Celerio as suitable cars for the purpose.

Why Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki Celerio are popular among First-time car buyers

As far as affordable cars for first-time buyers in India are concerned, Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki Celerio are favorites because of their balanced focus on safety, fuel efficiency, and driving convenience.

Renault Kwid impresses with its high ground clearance, providing good ride comfort and off-road capabilities. Its commitment to safety is seen in the provision of ABS and crash warning systems across all variants. Furthermore, features like power steering and rear parking sensors make driving simpler for novices. You can also read our comparison of Renault Kwid with Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, and with Maruti Alto K-10 for first-time car buyers.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio, on the other hand, boasts of exceptional fuel efficiency, reducing the cost of ownership over time. Its ABS and crash warning systems ensure safety, while power steering and rear parking sensors add to driving ease. With its reliable performance and strong after-sales service network, Celerio offers a sense of assurance to first-time buyers.

Our variants shortlist for Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Product	Variant	Price
Maruti Suzuki Celerio	LXI	₹537,000
Maruti Suzuki Celerio	VXI	₹583,000
Renault KWID	1.0 RXL	₹500,000
Renault KWID	1.0 RXL Opt	₹521,000
Renault KWID	1.0 RXT	₹567,000
Renault KWID	CLIMBER	₹588,000

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio LXI variant offers the advantage of essential safety features like ABS and crash warning systems. Its fuel efficiency is excellent, providing a cost-effective choice for first-time buyers. However, it misses on certain convenience features like a push button start.

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXI provides similar benefits as the LXI variant, with the same set of safety features and fuel efficiency. The increased price can be attributed to additional comfort features and a more premium feel.

The Renault KWID 1.0 RXL features safety essentials like ABS and crash warning systems. It offers less fuel efficiency than the Celerio variants, but compensates with higher ground clearance and an affordable price.

The Renault KWID 1.0 RXL Opt variant offers the same benefits as the RXL variant, along with USB ports for added convenience, making it a potential choice for the tech-savvy first-time buyer.

The Renault KWID 1.0 RXT variant provides an enhanced driving experience with steering mounted controls and a rear parking camera. This, along with other features of the RXL Opt variant, makes it a good option for those seeking comfort and convenience.

Finally, the Renault KWID CLIMBER is a top-of-the-line variant providing all the benefits of the RXT variant, minus the rear parking camera, at a slightly higher price.

Best variant among Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki Celerio for First-time car buyers

Among the shortlisted variants, the Renault KWID 1.0 RXT stands out as the best option and the right car for a first-time car buyer. It delivers on safety with ABS and crash warning systems. Its fuel efficiency, while lower than the Celerio’s, is respectable and its high ground clearance adds to the driving experience.

Importantly, it excels in convenience features, with steering mounted controls, power windows, a rear parking camera, and a LCD touchscreen, making the driving experience more enjoyable for novices. Additionally, it offers traction control, enhancing safety, and is competitively priced. If you’re a budget-conscious buyer, you can read our comparison of the Renault Kwid with Maruti Suzuki Alto K10.

The Top 3 choices

Variant	ABS	Crash Warning	Rear Camera	Overall Mileage (kmpl)	Power Steering	Rear Parking Sensors	Traction Control
Renault KWID 1.0 RXT	Yes	Yes	Yes	21.46	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maruti Suzuki Celerio LXI	Yes	Yes	No	25.24	Yes	Yes	No
Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXI	Yes	Yes	No	25.24	Yes	Yes	No

The top three choices for a first-time car buyer include the Renault KWID 1.0 RXT, Maruti Suzuki Celerio LXI, and Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXI.

The Renault KWID 1.0 RXT strikes an excellent balance between safety, fuel efficiency, and driving convenience, making it the top choice. The Maruti Suzuki Celerio LXI and VXI variants, while providing superior fuel efficiency, miss out on certain convenience features compared to the KWID 1.0 RXT, placing them as second and third choices respectively.

In conclusion, all three options provide compelling propositions for first-time car buyers. They balance key aspects such as safety, fuel efficiency, and driving convenience, offering a comfortable and confident start to their driving journey.