The Maruti Suzuki WagonR just happens to be one of their highest selling models. Its unique tall boy styling made it a popular choice for those looking for a small family car. It offered an airy cabin, enough space for five adults to sit in reasonable comfort, a decent amount of boot space and a peppy little engine that was frugal as well. It might not have scored big on looks, but it did win the market over thanks to its practical nature. Now, Maruti Suzuki is set on recreating that magic with the big new 3rd generation WagonR that promises to be bigger in just about every department. In doing so, they have managed to deliver on all the promises that the original lived up to and take it up a notch by offering you more!
To start with, the new WagonR boasts of much larger dimensions than its predecessor. It is both, wider and longer and has been styled to look more premium as well. It carries a bold new design that includes sculpted body panels, strong character lines, Christmas tree rear lights and a striking looking front which includes a classy grille, large unique dual-split headlamps and fog lamps integrated in the front bumper. It has a modern outlook, yet manages to retain the charm of the WagonR with its tall boy stance, which is something that I was impressed by. Maruti Suzuki didn’t try and do away with the design completely, rather they gave it a modern twist with that familiar look which should make this car endearing to existing WagonR owners who are looking for an upgrade.
Thanks to its large dimensions, the new WagonR boasts of a very spacious cabin. Getting in is easy since the doors open wide and this is something that people might overlook but it makes a big difference especially to tall or old passengers who can have difficulty getting in and out of small cars. The driver’s seat offers a commanding driving position and you don’t rub shoulders with the front passenger at all. The rear seat can seat three adults comfortably and tall passengers don’t have a problem with headroom either. The one change I would like is adjustable headrests at the rear, but that is the only minus in what is otherwise an amazing cabin for a small car. The luggage compartment can fit 341 litres of luggage, however if you need more space the rear bench comes with a 60:40 split that can free up to 710 litres of space if required.
The fit and finish of the cabin is commendable as the materials and fine surfaces give the cabin a premium appeal. Key features include a digital driver information display, a large touchscreen infotainment system with SmartPlay Studio, 60:40 split rear seats, power windows, electronically adjustable ORVMs, remote keyless entry and steering mounted audio controls. Of note is the new SmartPlay Studio that combines smartphone, vehicle and cloud-based services that work to enhance your overall drive and ownership experience.
Maruti Suzuki is offering the WagonR with a 1.0 litre petrol engine like before. This engine delivers 68 PS of power and 90 Nm of torque while returning a fuel efficiency of 22.5 kmpl. However, since everything has gotten bigger with this new version, MSIL is also offering customers a bigger engine as well, which also happens to be the version we got to drive. The WagonR can also be bought with the tried and tested 1.2 litre K Series petrol engine under the hood. For those of you who have driven the new Swift or Dzire in recent times, you know that this engine is known for its peppy nature and is an absolute joy to drive. In the new WagonR it doesn’t disappoint. The refined mill boast of low NVH levels, is very quick off the mark and can easily take you up to three digit speeds. The icing on the cake is the fact that it too is a frugal motor and delivers an efficiency of 21.5 kmpl.
The new WagonR is available with a 5-speed manual transmission, however for those looking for a convenient city car, you can always opt for the AGS (Auto Gear Shift) variant which does a great job and has been tweaked to offer smooth switches between gears. Overall, the WagonR 1.2 litre version is what I feel is the version to put your money down on and you can take my word for it that it won’t let you down in terms of driving dynamics.
On the safety front, the WagonR comes with dual airbags ABS and EBD as standard. The higher variants get a few more features which include an integrated reverse parking sensor as well. Add to that, the new WagonR is built on Maruti Suzuki’s 5th generation HEARTECT platform that is made from high tensile steel and plays a vital role in occupant safety in the event of an accident thanks to its effective ability to absorb an impact.
The new WagonR is a car you can hardly find a fault with. It ticks all the right boxes, drives well, offers you a decent amount of tech, caters to your connectivity needs and is a very spacious car that is ideal for a family of five. I am sure that it will continue the legacy laid down by its predecessor and will be a regular in the ‘top 5 best-selling cars in India’ list for some time to come! After all, Maruti Suzuki has nailed the pricing as well, with the range starting from INR 4.19 lakh and going up to INR 5.69 lakh depending on the variant.