Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Facelift: What Makes It So Popular In India?

Maruti continues to prioritise function over form with the WagonR. What works? What doesn’t?

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? We spend an entire day with one to bring you the answer. 

Looks

The Wagon R rarely turns heads, but it isn’t a design you’ll hate. Obviously, its tall boy silhouette focuses more on function over form. 

At the front, the Wagon R gets a basic grille, but there’s a splash of bling thanks to a sleek chrome strip connecting both the headlights. We like the minimalist chrome approach as it gives the hatch the right amount of show. 

Maruti has also given the Wagon R character and that can be seen on the side. It sits on blacked-out alloys which, paired with this luscious red colour, looks sporty. Adding to the overall look is the blacked-out roof and ORVMs in the top-spec ZXI+ dual-tone variant that makes the hatchback look more youthful and appealing. 

Things are simple and no nonsense at the slab-like rear as well, with vertically stacked tail lamps and a chrome trim above the number plate housing, with ‘WAGON R’ embossed in bold. Overall, the Wagon R’s design is no-nonsense, simple, and likeable. 

Interior 

Step inside the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R and you’re greeted by a straightforward dashboard design. This is an ergonomically friendly place with all the controls in the right places. It’s also finished in three colours: black and beige with silver highlights. And the use of beige is generous, which makes the cabin feel airy, though do note it’s bound to be soiled rather easily. 

The Wagon R features Maruti Suzuki’s older 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The user interface is snappy, easy to use and it gets the job done. However, the graphics do feel a tad old-school. That said, it supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and you can relay your smartphone’s screen on it. 

The cabin is finished in hard plastics, whose quality is par for the course for the most part. The AC knobs, stalks and steering-mounted audio controls all feel solid and robust. But the texturing and finish on the dashboard isn’t as premium as what you would find in a Tata Tiago, for example. 

Certain bits such as the plastics around the seatbelt area are crude, and the grab handles are fixed and look old school. We would also have liked some fabric padding in the elbow rest area on the door pads. 

Features And Safety

In terms of features, the Wagon R gets all the essentials including a manual AC, electronically operated ORVMs, steering-mounted audio controls, all four power windows, and keyless entry. Presence of automatic climate control and push-button start would have rounded off the package. 

As for safety, it gets the basics with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and hill-hold assist. That said, even with these safety features, the Wagon R still secured a disappointing one-star in the latest Global NCAP safety test.

Space And Practicality 

Getting in and out of the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is easy, thanks to the tall seat height and roofline. And once inside, we found the seats to be comfortable and can easily accommodate wide frames. The seats are also mounted high up and visibility outside the cabin is excellent. There's no seat height adjust here, but you're unlikely to miss it.

As for comfort levels, the Wagon R fares exceptionally well. The front seats have good lateral support and there’s more than enough room to wiggle around, while underthigh support is more than satisfactory as well. There aren’t adjustable headrests, but these fixed units are tall enough and should offer whiplash protection even if you are around six feet tall. And if you’re on the taller side, you will be happy to know that the front seats offer excellent fore and aft range. 

Even better is the rear seat room. The Wagon R is genuinely a car that can seat two six-footers one behind the other in utmost comfort. Even with the front seats pushed all the way back, your five-foot-eight author had enough legroom. And as for seat comfort, underthigh support is more than enough, though lateral support is a bit lacking. Another downside is that the fixed headrests are small, and almost useless as they don’t offer any sort of whiplash protection. 

We squeezed three medium-sized adults and they had enough shoulder room to wiggle around. However, if two plus-sized people are seated here, then the middle seat is only good for a child. 

The Wagon R isn’t one of the best in terms of cabin practicality,  as storage space is limited. All four doors have bottle holders that can accommodate a 1-litre bottle, though the door pads are on the slimmer side and perfect for documents. There’s a large cubby hole below the AC controls to stow your smartphone, while you get a cup holder between both the front occupants. As for the glove box, it is smaller than we'd have liked. Most of the little space is consumed by the user manual.

But what isn’t small by any means is the 341-litre boot. You do have to contend with a high  loading lip and lifting luggage in and out will need some effort. However, it's a nice square shaped trunk, capable of carrying your small, medium and large suitcases with space remaining to carry small bags. 

Performance 

The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is offered with a choice of two naturally aspirated petrol engine options: a 1-litre three-cylinder and 1.2-litre four-cylinder. Both the engines get manual and AMT options. The 1-litre engine can be had with a CNG option as well. Take a look at the detailed specifications:

For this test, we have the 1.2-litre petrol engine paired with the 5-speed AMT. It’s the carmaker’s Dualjet engine that gets two injectors for every cylinder. So how’s it to drive? 

Twist the key and the engine quickly settles into a smooth idle. The engine is refined and vibrations are kept under check. It’s only when you push it hard that it becomes vocal due to the lack of insulation. 

Slot the gear lever into drive and the Wagon R starts creeping ahead, like any other automatic car. The engine is peppy and extremely responsive to drive in town. You don’t have to work it very hard to keep up with fast-moving traffic. You can close gaps in traffic comfortably too. 

Out on the open road, the Wagon R’s light kerb weight helps it get to 100kmph quickly. It can do three-digit speeds all day long. This engine is perfect for those, who’ll be using the Wagon R both on the highway and city. And if you’re in the mood for some fun, you’ll also appreciate the fact that it revs all the way up to 6000rpm.  

Speaking of fun, you might think that the 5-speed AMT dilutes the driving experience, but this is one of the best units we’ve experienced in a while. You do notice the pause when gears are changing, but it’s smooth and the head nod effect is next to none at part throttle. The gearbox also keeps you in the right gear most of the time. 

Even when you are climbing up a slope, the ‘box will hold the gear, so progress is smooth. For  a quick overtake, the box shifts down a gear or even two quickly when you put your foot down. It’s only when you’re driving really hard that you feel the gear shifts, that too only when it's upshifting at the redline. 

Ride And Handling

The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is a breeze to drive around town. The tall seat height coupled with the slim A-pillar, low dashboard, and large glass area gives you excellent visibility. Most of the controls are also light, making it an excellent city dweller. The only negative here is the steering, which is a bit on the heavier side at slow parking speeds and requires more effort, especially in three-point turns. 

As for its ride quality, the Wagon R boasts a soft suspension setup and as a result, it has a cushy ride. Speed breakers and minor potholes post no threat to the hatchback and shocks don’t make their way into the cabin. Most of the imperfections and undulations on the road are dealt without unsettling the cabin. 

What catches it out mainly are big and sharp potholes, whose shocks do make their way to the interior. Also, there is some side-to-side movement while driving over really bad roads, but it isn’t to the point of being uncomfortable. 

Out on the open road, the Wagon R takes you from point A to B without any fuss. If you’re looking for something fun and enthusiastic, look elsewhere. Straight-line stability is par for the course, and the hatch remains stable even at triple-digit speeds. Even when going over expansion joints, it doesn’t bounce much and settles down quickly. 

It’s only when you want to make a fast lane change that the hatch exhibits a lot of roll, which can be a bit overwhelming if you are not careful. Also, because of the roll, it takes a bit of time to change directions at higher speeds. What remains reassuring are the brakes. The pedal is easy to modulate and offers good feedback. And if you intend to brake hard, it offers a reassuring bite as well.  

Verdict 

The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R gets all the basics right. It has all the features you would expect from a budget city hatchback and an extremely spacious and comfortable cabin, not just for the occupants, but also for luggage with a 341-litre boot. The 1.2-litre petrol engine is also versatile and has more than enough poke for both city and highway runs. 

What it could have done better is on the in-cabin noise front. Lack of insulation means you do hear more of the engine and tyres. Its handling on highways could have also been tighter and despite being one of Maruti’s best sellers, it still isn’t the safest car around. 

But its positives overshade the negative, considering the fact that the Wagon R does all the basics right and makes it a great city commuter. Maruti’s expansive service network is also a hit and coupled with its affordable service costs, the Wagon R remains the leading choice for a practical, no-nonsense city commuter.