The Indian automotive industry is experiencing a major change with more auto firms promoting automatic gearboxes.
While the luxury and premium segments have always been equipped with auto boxes, it is the budget segment that shows stronger affinity to cars equipped with automatic gearbox, clear indicators of which can be seen in a wide range of budget cars with the AMT-equipped cars.
Planning to purchase a small car offering automatic transmission convenience? Here are your best options within the Rs. 6 lakh budget.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
The latest-gen Wagon R comes with two options for the petrol engine –1.0-liter (68 BHP) and a 1.2-liter (83 BHP). Both the engines come equipped with the convenience of an AMT gearbox, although it is the larger engine that delivers the stronger performance and is the one to be purchased. The AMT gearbox is pretty smooth and timely shifts occur. Note that since the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is spacious, practical and easy to drive, it is not an ideal highway car, even if it is more secure than its predecessors.
| Variant | Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| Wagon R VXI AMT 1.0L | Rs 5.34 lakh |
| Wagon R VXI AMT 1.0L (O) | Rs 5.41 lakh |
| Wagon R VXI AMT 1.2L | Rs 5.57 lakh |
| Wagon R VXI AMT 1.2L (O) | Rs 5.64 lakh |
| Wagon R ZXI AMT 1.2L | Rs 5.91 lakh |
Tata Tiago
An automated manual transmission (AMT) gives the already likable Tata Tiago a dose of convenience. A manual mode and a creep feature are common on the AMT like rivals, but there is also a ‘ Sport’ mode on offer that allows some degree of performance. Of course, the Tata AMT gearbox isn’t the slickest around, but the cabin space of the Tiago, the big car attitude and genuine value make it a great choice for budget automatic buyers. The Tiago has been updated in 2019, and a digital instrument cluster is now included in the feature list. However, you’re going to have to pay relatively large bucks for the fully loaded version. Be aware that a facelift with a BS6-spec engine will launch soon and it’s worth the wait.
| Variant | Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| Tiago XZA | Rs 5.85 lakh |
| Tiago XZA+ | Rs 6.40 lakh |
| Tiago XZA+ Dual Tone | Rs 6.47 lakh |
Hyundai Santro
The first model from Hyundai to come with an AMT gearbox, the transmission from the Santro is smooth and refined, with limited delays between gear changes. There is also a Tiptronic mode available to manually shift gears. The AMT configuration is well tuned and works well with the relaxed 1.1-liter (69 BHP) petrol engine, but linear power delivery. This budget has a large cabin space and is loaded with a features. Although the Hyundai Santro AMT is more priced than its rivals, the cost-cutting measures are somewhat evident in some areas.
| Variant | Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| Santro Magna AMT | Rs 5.31 lakh |
| Santro Sportz AMT | Rs 5.71 lakh |
Maruti Suzuki Celerio
The Celerio popularized AMT gearboxes in India, when it first arrived in February 2014. Nevertheless the unit that is now available has been refined over the years and is now shifting relatively smoothly. The high point is the excellent performance of the 1.0-liter (68 BHP) petrol engine. The cabin space of the Maruti Celerio is a highlight of the other things, but the interior lacks features like a touchscreen infotainment system that is available in more affordable models.
| Variant | Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| Celerio VXI AMT | Rs 5.08 lakh |
| Celerio VXI AMT (O) | Rs 5.15 lakh |
| Celerio ZXI AMT | Rs 5.34 lakh |
| Celerio ZXI AMT (O) | Rs 5.43 lakh |
Datsun Go CVT
Using a more sophisticated CVT gearbox, the automatic version of the Datsun Go goes one up on its AMT-equipped rivals. Although the expensive hardware pushes prices above the Rs 6 lakh mark, a relatively smoother drive justifies it. That said, the Go’s CVT is not their best example, with the rubber band effect of the CVT playing spoil sport. Noise insulation could have also been better. Drive in city is perfect, but the light weight means that on the highway, the Go feels unstable.
| Variant | Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| Go T CVT | Rs 5.94 lakh |
| Go T (O) CVT | Rs 6.18 lakh |
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Also see: 10 Best Used Mileage Cars in India
Source: AutoCarIndia
