Maruti Wagon R

This car needs no introduction. The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is a popular household name on our shores, routinely selling around 15,000 to 20,000 units per month. You too might have been in one on plenty of occasions, either in your own or your relatives’ or even an Uber! So what makes the Wagon R so popular?

• Maruti WagonR’s design doesn’t turn any heads, as it's simple, and prioritises function over form.

• We like the tall boy design, since it is very rare nowadays, but it has basic design elements.

• The front gets a sleek grille with a chrome strip that adds some bling, but most of the attention goes to the enormous headlamps.

• All lighting elements, including the indicators, are halogen.

• While no LED lighting elements isn’t a big miss at the price point, they should have been present at least in the top-spec variant.

• The side profile gets some character from its 15-inch all-black alloy wheels, and the dual-tone shade looks great.

• Lower VXi variants get 14-inch steel wheels, while the LXi variants come with 13-inch steel wheels.

• At the back, the design has been kept simple with a no-nonsense slab-like look.

• WagonR’s design is sober with little to no premium elements, but it is still likable to many.

• Maruti offers it with 7 monotone colours: Solid White, Metallic Silky Silver, Metallic Magma Grey, Pearl Metallic Gallant Red, Pearl Metallic Nutmeg Brown, Pearl Bluish Black, and Pearl Metallic Poolside Blue.

• Metallic Magma Grey and Pearl Metallic Gallant Red are also available in a dual-tone shade which comes with a Pearl Bluish Black roof.

Design & Quality

• Inside the WagonR is a straight forward dashboard design, which is offered in a dual-tone black and beige theme.

• To add more contrast, Maruti has added brushed aluminum highlights on the steering wheel, gear lever, and door handles.

• The light cabin theme does bring in an airy feeling, but these beige fabric seats are bound to attract dust and get dirty very quickly.

• The plastic used in the cabin is hard and sturdy for the most part, and the fit and finish is on par with the price.

• However, we would have liked some padding on the door armrest, and the buttons could have been slightly more solid.

Driving Position

• Due to its tall boy design, you sit a little higher compared to other hatchbacks, and this in turn gives you a commanding driving position with great visibility.

• However, there is no seat height adjustment for the driver, and the steering wheel only gets tilt adjustment, which makes finding your driving position a little difficult.

• The seats, on the other hand, are comfortable for short journeys. But due to their soft cushioning, long journeys can become tiring for your back.

• We would have also liked better side support, as the contours are just too small.

• This, along with the presence of a centre armrest and adjustable headrest, would have made the experience a lot better.

Passenger Comfort

• Maruti has managed to offer space for three average sized adults in such a small footprint.

• Due to its tall design, getting in and out is super easy, even for older members of the family.

• However, if there are two large people in the back, the middle passenger won’t be very comfortable.

• There is a lot of space here, as one 6 footer can easily sit behind a 6 foot tall front passenger.. 

• Headroom, legroom, and kneeroom is more than enough and the underthigh support is also adequate.

• However, just like the front seats, the rear seat doesn’t offer good side support, and the headrests here are also not adjustable.

• As for misses, there is no centre armrest, which will be needed during long journeys, and there is no headrest for the middle passenger.

Storage Options

• While the WagonR’s priority is function over form, that’s not the case in its practicality, as storage options are limited.

• All four doors do get 1-litre bottle holders, but the door pockets on the side are very slim.

• It gets a small glovebox, only one cupholder in the front, a small tray below the AC controls for your phone/wallet, and a seat back pockets only behind the front passenger seat.

• Rear passengers do not get any cupholders, and also miss out on any storage below the rear AC vents.

• As for charging options, the front passengers get a 12V socket and a USB port, while the rear passengers don’t get any.

Features

• The feature list of the 2025 WagonR is very small and you only get daily-use basic features.

• It comes with a 7-inch touchscreen, which is easy to use, but has a pretty outdated user interface. This screen is available only in the top-spec variant.

• It does support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but it's only wired.

• However, you can project your phone’s screen on this display, which is a nice addition.

• Rest of the features include manual AC, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, all four power windows, and keyless entry.

• Push buttons start/stop and automatic climate control would have rounded off this feature package.

• Its safety kit has standard features like 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability program (ESP), rear parking sensors, and 3-point seatbelts for all passengers.

• Higher variants get front fog lamps and hill hold assist. A rear parking camera is missed.

• Even with these safety features, the WagonR (2 airbag version) only scored a 1-star safety rating in Global NCAP crash tests.

• The 2025 Maruti WagonR comes with a boot space of 341-litres, which has a squared-off shape for better use of space.

• You can fit a large, a medium, and a small suitcase with space left for one or two small bags.

• However, the boot lip is a little high, which means you’ll have to make extra efforts to load your bags.

• Maruti also offers a 60:40 rear seat split from the VXi variant onwards, which you can use if you are carrying large items.

• The Maruti WagonR comes with two naturally aspirated engines: a 1-litre, 3-cylinder, petrol and a 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol. 

• Both are offered with the choice of a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT (automated manual transmission).

• The smaller 1-litre petrol engine is also available with a factory-fitted CNG kit, but only with a manual transmission.

1.2-litre Petrol

• We drove the 1.2-litre variant, and the engine was refined with little to no vibrations.

• However, when I pushed the car, I heard a lot of noise coming from the engine due to lack of insulation.

• This engine is peppy and very responsive during city drives. The power is also enough for quick overtakes.

• Even on the highway, you can easily reach triple digits due to the low kerb weight of the car.

• The clutch is light and manual gear shits are slick. Even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, using the manual is easy.

• We’d recommend the AMT if you drive in the city a lot, as it performs well in city traffic, and is one of the best AMTs in the market.

• There are occasional jerks while shifting gears, but for regular drives, it takes care of everything.

• As for fuel efficiency, you can get a mileage of around 15 kmpl in the city and around 20 kmpl on the highway with manual.

• The AMT offers close to 13 kmpl in the city and around 18 kmpl on the highway.

1-litre Petrol

• The smaller engine is less powerful and that does make a difference.

• Your city drives won’t really be affected by it, but it will definitely make a difference on the highway.

• It is a 3-cylinder unit which is not so refined. This will add some vibrations to your regular drives, which can be a little annoying.

• Even here, we’d ask you to pick the AMT, as it will be more convenient.

• This engine offers better fuel efficiency. You can get around 16-17 kmpl in the city and over 20 kmpl on the highway. 

CNG

• The CNG variant will offer a similar drive experience as the 1-litre petrol engine.

• You might get bothered occasionally due to the noise it makes, especially when you’re pushing it to gain some speed.

• However, it does claim a fuel efficiency of over 33 km/kg, which is great for those who do a lot of highway commutes.

• When driving over small potholes and speed breakers, the WagonR absorbs them well without transferring the impacts onto the passengers.

• It offers a cushy ride quality which will keep all passengers comfortable in most conditions.

• When going over deep potholes and sharp speed breakers, the impact is transferred to the passengers, but not enough to cause any discomfort.

• However, due to its tall boy design and soft suspension, it is prone to a lot of body roll, which causes the passengers to experience a lot of side to side movement.

• On the highways, it handles undulations and expansion joints well, and settles down quickly.

• But here as well, side to side movement is common, especially while changing lanes.

• As for handling, the WagonR remains stable at triple digit speeds.

• But due to its body roll, it does not inspire confidence on corners, and you have to be careful.

• Maruti offers the WagonR in four variants: LXi, VXi, ZXi, and ZXi+.

• CNG is available in all variants except the top, and AMT is offered from VXi variant onwards.

Maruti WagonR LXi Variant

• Typical base variant with basic design elements like 13-inch steel wheels, halogen lighting elements, and blacked-out ORVMs and door handles.

• Features include manual AC, front power windows, and idle engine start/stop (petrol only).

• Gets a good safety package with 6 airbags, electronic stability program (ESP), and rear parking sensors.

Maruti WagonR VXi Variant

• Gets the option of an AMT for driving convenience.

• Design upgrades include 14-inch steel wheels with covers along with body-colours ORVMs and door handles.

• Cabin gets more premium with steering wheel garnish, silver door handles, and silver insert on gear knob.

• Gets additional features like keyless entry, all four power windows, tilt-adjustable steering, bluetooth and AUX connectivity, and 2 speakers.

• Safety kit gets hill hold assist in the AMT variants.

Maruti WagonR ZXi Variant

• This variant gets similar styling as the VXi one, but comes with blacked-out B-pillar.

• No major changes to the feature list apart from steering mounted controls and electrically adjustable ORVMs.

• However, this variant gets the bigger 1.2-litre petrol engine.

Maruti WagonR ZXi+ Variant

• Exterior becomes more premium with 14-inch all black alloy wheels, ORVM mounted indicators, and option of dual-tone shades.

• Feature upgrades include a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 4-speakers, and voice commands.

• The only addition in the safety kit are the front fog lamps.

CarDekho Recommends

• Pick the one-above-base VXi variant if you’re on a budget. You get the basic features and a good safety package, along with the option of both CNG and automatic powertrains.

• Go for the top-spec ZXi+ variant if you want a better feature experience. Gets the best styling inside and out, along with a more powerful powertrain.

The Maruti WagonR has always been a people mover, and it continues to do that today. It gets all the basics right, and focuses on giving the space and comfort you need for your family. While there could have been improvements in the cabin quality and feature list, it tries to give you the most for its price.

Even today, the WagonR is still a good choice for those looking to buy their first car. And no matter what it misses out on, it rarely disappoints.

Other Options To Consider

Maruti Celerio

Reasons To Consider

• Better styling

• Slightly better features

Reasons To Ignore

• Less rear seat space

• No 1.2-litre petrol engine

Tata Tiago

Reasons To Consider

• Better infotainment package

• More premium design

Reasons To Ignore

• Gets only 2 airbags

• Less space in rear seats

Citroen C3

Reasons To Consider

• Comfortable ride quality 

• Better infotainment package

Reasons To Ignore

• No CNG option

• Much more expensive