Spec Check: 2022 Suzuki Celerio vs. Toyota Wigo

We compare the all-new Suzuki Celerio against the Toyota Wigo

If you're looking to buy your very first car on a limited budget, chances are you're looking at getting a hatchback. With its small size, fuel-efficient engine, and affordable prices, it's no wonder five-door hatchbacks are still a popular choice for first-time buyers.

Just recently, Suzuki Philippines revealed the all-new Celerio. Not only is it bigger, but the hatchback now comes with a curvier look, a new engine under the hood, and the AGS transmission derived from the Dzire.

With the Celerio essentially putting other hatchbacks on notice, we decided to do a spec-check between Suzuki's newest hatchback against one of its closest competitors, the Toyota Wigo. With similar dimensions, engine sizes, and amenities, we're curious just how the two will compare with one another.

Sizing them up

Both the Wigo and Celerio may be small in size, but that doesn't mean they're not capable of seating 5 individuals plus their cargo.

Starting with the all-new Celerio, it measures 3695mm long, 1655mm wide, and 1555mm tall. It also has a 2435mm wheelbase plus a ground clearance of 170mm. When it comes to luggage capacity, Suzuki claims the 2022 Celerio can carry 295 liters worth of cargo with the rear seats up.

As for the Wigo, Toyota's smallest hatchback is 3660mm long (3700mm for TRD S), 1600mm wide, and 1520mm tall. Its wheelbase measures 2455mm while ground clearance comes in at 180mm. Toyota did not reveal its cargo capacity with the rear seats up. However, they did say that with the rear seats folded, the Wigo can carry 421 liters worth of luggage.

Side-by-side with one another, the Celerio is the bigger vehicle in this comparo. Sure, the TRD S version of the Wigo is longer, but that's due to the body kit providing some extra length to the hatchback. When it comes to ground clearance, however, the Wigo gives more peace of mind should you need to go over uneven terrain or some puddles of water.

Loaded with features

Despite their small size, these two hatchbacks come with plenty of features to keep occupants relaxed and entertained. But which of these two offers more bang for the buck?

All variants of the Celerio come with a 6.2-inch touchscreen courtesy of Sony. It has AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, as well as USB connectivity. Sadly it doesn't come with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but it does have Weblink 2.0 to connect with your phones.

It also gets manual air-conditioning, a 12V power socket, a multi-function steering wheel with audio controls, and a multi-info display that can show the trip meter, odometer, and average fuel consumption. It even comes with 60:40 rear seats that can be folded to accommodate more luggage should you need to.

Safety-wise, the Celerio has the following; anti-lock brakes, brake assist, electronic stability program, hill-hold control (AKA hill-start assist), rear parking sensors, and dual front airbags.

Over to the Wigo, this one also has a touchscreen infotainment system. But unlike the Celerio where it's available across all variants, the touchscreen on the Wigo is only available on the G and TRD S versions (The E variant has a 2-DIN sound system with USB, Bluetooth, CD, and Aux). It also has AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, and USB. But if you want to have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, those two are only available in the top-spec TRD S variant.

Other amenities in the Wigo include a digital air-conditioning system, push-button start, power-folding side mirrors, and a dashcam (TRD S only). It also has a multi-info display that shows various vehicle parameters like average fuel consumption and the trip meter.

Toyota also made sure it has several safety features that include anti-lock brakes, reverse parking sensors, reverse camera, and keyless entry.

All in all, both vehicles come pretty loaded with features. But the Celerio's lack of a reverse camera, power-folding mirrors, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay means it's lacking some standard features. On the other hand, the Wigo doesn't come with hill-hold control and electronic stability program which are already standard across all models of the Celerio.

Three-cylinder power

Don't expect to find four-cylinder engines under the hood of the Wigo or Celerio. Instead, both hatchbacks come with a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels. But which of the two actually produces more power and torque?

The Celerio comes with the new K10C inline-three with DualJet technology. It makes 67 PS at 5600 rpm while torque is rated at 89 Nm at 3600 rpm. As for the Wigo, it's powered by the 1KR-VE three-cylinder with VVT-i. It puts out a humble 66 PS at 6000 rpm and 89 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm.

Looking at the figures, it seems the Wigo and Celerio are evenly-matched. However, peak torque and horsepower are more accessible in the Celerio. This means the Suzuki hatchback can provide more oomph when the need arises.

AGS vs A/T

So we now know that both hatchbacks are powered by 1.0-liter three-cylinder engines. We also know that the Celerio and Wigo are available with a 5-speed manual gearbox. But when it comes to self-shifting transmissions, the two vehicles have different approaches.

Whereas the Wigo continues to soldier on with the 4-speed automatic, the Celerio trades its CVT for an automated manual transmission (AMT) called Auto Gear Shift (AGS). First used in the Dzire, the AGS combines the efficiency of a traditional manual gearbox with the convenience of an automatic.

This means the clutch is electronically-controlled when changing gears, negating the need for a clutch pedal. It even comes with a manumatic function which allows the drivers to go through each gear as they would on a typical manual transmission.

Budget-friendly?

Now we come to the most important part of this comparo, the price. The Wigo starts at PHP 568,000 with the 1.0 E M/T and is followed by the 1.0 G M/T which retails for PHP 623,000. Moving to the 1.0 G A/T, it has a sticker price of PHP 658,000. Last but not least is the 1.0 TRD S A/T that is selling for PHP 700,000.

As for the Celerio, the 1.0 GL M/T has a suggested retail price of PHP 708,000 which makes it PHP 8,000 more than the range-topping Wigo TRD S. If you prefer your Celerio with the AGS system, you'll have to cough up PHP 754,000, making it significantly pricier than the Toyota Wigo.

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Some might say the Wigo is already a decade old and is in need of a full model change. But its budget-friendly prices and a wide array of amenities across different variants still make it one of Toyota's most popular models. Meanwhile, the Suzuki is Celerio is all-new and packs plenty of technologies and amenities, including the innovative AGS system. But with a starting price of PHP 708,000, its price range is now on par with B-segment sedans.

If you had to choose, would you go for the Suzuki Celerio or the Toyota Wigo? Let us know in the comments.