Maruti Suzuki India, the country's largest car maker, on Monday announced opening of bookings for its third generation WagonR ahead of its launch scheduled next week. The company will launch the popular family hatchback in a new avatar on January 23.

"Buyers can now book the hatchback at authorised Maruti Suzuki dealer network across India at an initial payment of Rs 11,000, while customers can also opt for e-booking through the carmaker's website," Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement.

Powered by the advanced K-series engine, the New WagonR will be available with a new 1.2 litre petrol engine option along with another choice of 1 litre engine, which will deliver powerful and impressive performance coupled with great fuel economy, the company said.

The company offers safety features including driver airbag, Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and front seat belts reminder, speed alert system and rear parking sensors.

The new WagonR, which is expected to be priced around Rs 4.5-5.5 lakh, will face stiff competition against the likes of the Hyundai Santro, Tata Tiago, Renault Kwid and Datsun GO.

Developed on the 5th Generation HEARTECT platform, the car will be more stable, strong and safe. The use of high tensile steel helps to improve overall safety, rigidity and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance, it added.

For the first time, Maruti Suzuki is offering the innovative SmartPlay Studio infotainment experience in the new version of Wagon, which will allow riders to not just listen music but also allow them to surf news, get latest updates on weather and locate eateries around.

Launched in 1999, WagonR is among the top 10 best-selling cars in the country for over 10 years. Brand WagonR carries a strong legacy, which is evident from the fact that close to 24 per cent of customers come back to buy WagonR only.

Earlier this month, Maruti Suzuki increased the prices of certain models by as much as Rs 10,000 to pass on the impact of increasing commodity prices and foreign exchange rates.

The models that have been included in the price hike include Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Alto K10 and Alto 800. Meanwhile, the recently launched second-generation Maruti Suzuki Ertiga has not been included in the price hike.

After the price rise, Vitara Brezza, the only SUV sold by Maruti Suzuki in India, will see its prices increased by Rs 8,930. Price of Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 has been increased by Rs 10,000, whereas Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 has become dearer by Rs 7,000.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar