Maruti Suzuki Wagon R: Why should you buy?

The all-new Maruti Suzuki Wagon R has finally arrived in India and it is longer and a little wider than before. It continues to be a tall-boy and hence a spacious car, ideal for the confined spaces in the cities. In spite of being all-new and bigger, in true Maruti Suzuki fashion, it is priced just a tad above the outgoing Wagon R. It now gets a bigger 1.2-litre petrol engine as well, along with AMT option and of course, a newer cabin layout and a new set of features to go with it.

What is good about it?

Space and practicality. Since it is a tall-boy, there is enough knee room for both the rows even with a six-footer in the driving seat. The rear seat folds flat which means it can also double up as a little cargo van, enough to carry almost all your worldly possessions if you had to move out. 

Being practically a box, it is very easy to judge the corners and manoeuvre it in urban traffic and to find parking spaces as well. The 1.0-litre engine has proven to be a bulletproof workhorse for a decade and so has the 1.2-litre powertrain. The automated manual gearbox gives you the option of ditching the third pedal and the fatigue that comes with it.

In terms of features, you get Bluetooth telephony from the VXI trim with the addition of a touchscreen display in the ZXI. While ABS with EBD and driver airbag is standard, you can opt for a passenger airbag as well as seat-belt pre-tensioners for added safety.

What is not so good about it?

Ideally, we haven’t seen the car yet and hence our grouses will not be comprehensive and might be based on past experiences with the outgoing car. Logically speaking, since it is not too wide, the Wagon R will find it difficult to seat three adults on the rear seat for longer durations. Being a tall-boy, it will be top-heavy around corners and not very inspiring for the weekend racers in us. 

Best variant to buy?

The Wagon R is ideally a budget family car or a commuter which makes the 1.0-litre VXI the most value-for-money buy. It offers the right mix of features, power, fuel economy and price.

Specifications

Petrol - 1.0-litre, three-cylinder,

67bhp/90Nm, five-speed manual, AGS

Petrol – 1.2-litre, four-cylinder,

84bhp/113Nm, five-speed manual, AGS

Did you know?

The Wagon R is the longest running badge in India for Maruti Suzuki after the Omni and has grown 842 per cent in the past 19 years in terms of sales.