Maruti Wagon R - Strong-Selling Hatchback

Maruti freshens up its strong-selling hatchback with useful extras, at a reasonable price hike

Welcome to the Maruti-Suzuki nip-and-tuck clinic. The beneficiary of this month’s procedure is the Wagon R, Maruti’s ‘tall standing blue-eyed boy’ (that’s what the marketing gimmickry calls it). The company says the changes were based on customer feedback.

And so, the changes. The grille is marginally narrower than the older version’s and gets a single horizontal strip, rather than the three it had earlier. The LXi and VXi trims get additional chrome. The bumper is also all-new, with a much more prominent air dam and a new housing for the fog lamps. The customers apparently didn’t want any changes to the rear so Maruti hasn’t touched that.

The grille is marginally narrower than the older version’s and gets a single horizontal strip

Inside, you get all-new beige upholstery on the VXi, replacing the grey/blue of the previous model, the LX/LXi versions get a black/beige combination for the seats. There’s also a newish looking integrated stereo, which now also gets a USB port on the top-end VXi.

Maruti’s engineers have managed to add another glove box on top of the existing one. It isn’t very big, but it does expand the Wagon R’s practicality, making it one of the most user-friendly cabins in its segment. We wish Maruti had also changed the oval-shaped gear knob, which feels odd to grip. The company should seriously consider making that golf-ball gear knob from the Swift/Ritz standard across its range.

The Wagon R continues to be powered by the 67bhp, 998cc, 3-cyl K series motor. But Maruti has reworked the engine mapping to improve fuel efficiency – it claims a figure of 20.51kpl against the older version’s 18.9kpl.

What remains impressive about this unit is its inherent refinement and its free-revving nature. It’s a smooth unit, so the Wagon R’s occupants won’t complaint if the engine is revved hard.

Interior looks dated, although the beige is abundant

The high-set seats and light controls make it the ideal city hatchback, but the able engine is let down by a rubbery gearshift, and those reedy 155-section tires. On the upside, the Wagon R’s square shape liberates masses of interior room. The rear seats are fat but they have generous cushioning to keep passengers happy even on long runs. The boot is well shaped and will accommodate two large suitcases for that occasional airport pick-up.

The new Wagon R’s prices have gone up by around $200. The base Wagon R LX petrol is priced at $7,160, the top-end VXI at $8,260 (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). The Wagon R is among India’s top five best-selling cars and it’s easy to see why. It fits the bill for a roomy, fuel-efficient budget hatch, which is essentially 80 per cent of our market. It’s a decent car, but we’d still suggest you fork out that extra $400-600 and buy the base version of the better-rounded Ritz.