Maruti Suzuki Wagon R vs Toyota Etios Cross

The way things are being planned, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Flex-fuel (FF) is set to become India's first mass-segment flex-fuel car. It's one of the answers to the never-ending quest for alternative fuels for cars. The Wagon R FF is designed to run on any ethanol-petrol blend and will eventually help reduce tailpipe emissions. It also goes without saying it will comply with the upcoming and more stringent BS6 phase-II emission norms. The prototype exhibited at Maruti's pavilion at the 2023 Auto Expo looked exactly the same as the standard Wagon R on sale in India, save for the fluorescent badging. We believe the 'Flex-Fuel' branding on the side will be mellowed down in the production avatar. However, the bright green embellishments may be retained to display its green, environment-friendly avatar.

It’s a crossover… It’s a hatchback… No, we don’t know! And since we don’t have a name for this segment of cars, we are going to begin by christening them Hatchovers! The Etios Cross is the latest entrant to this India-specific segment, where the cars look rugged and bulky like crossovers, but offer pretty much the same utility as that of a hatchback. It may be a unique distinction for the Indian automotive market, but not something that we should be proud of. What exactly is the purpose of the hatchover then? What made manufacturers like Volkswagen, Skoda and Toyota enter this segment? Is it just a passing fad or will we see more vehicles of this kind in future? We spend some time with the Etios Cross to get to the bottom of this riddle.

It’s a mid-cycle refresh for the current generation of the Maruti Wagon R, which has been around since 2019. Here's how it's like to drive.