KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- The WagonR celebrates its 25th anniversary this year
- Available with a 1.2-litre and a 1.0-litre powertrain
- Hugely successful among families and cab operators
The WagonR has been immensely successful for Maruti Suzuki for various reasons; it served as a worthy contender to customers looking to buy their first car, but with an extra focus on comfort and practicality. While it has been subject to some amount of trolling as well, there is no denying that the Maruti Suzuki WagonR has been accepted by wide range of customers.
Over the years, the WagonR has also seen many changes, without sacrificing the comfort and practicality aspect. Before we dive deep, make sure to join the 91wheels WhatsApp Community to stay up-to-date with fresh news from the automobile industry and to connect with like-minded enthusiasts.
Maruti Suzuki WagonR Old Vs New: Design and Brief History
The WagonR was first launched in 1999, as a rival to the Hyundai Santro and the long-gone Daewoo Matiz. Many people have used the term 'breadbox on wheels' to describe its design; highly practical, functional, but without the aesthetic charm of something like a Zen.
The first-gen WagonR was on sale from 1999 till 2009, with facelifts offered here and there. While the OG tallboy, the Santro was still a bit rounded, the WagonR had a more upright, tallboy design, which gave it a slight edge in terms of headroom. Its glasshouse was also larger, which made the cabin feel more airy.
The second-gen WagonR made its debut in 2010; a fully revamped car that was offered at a killer price tag of Rs 3.99 lakh (ex-showroom)! This generation was a built on a new platform, and it also grew in terms of dimensions, making it even more spacious than before. It also got some extra practical bits, such as an extra storage tray under the front seat.
This generation of the WagonR also spawned off another derivative called the 'Stingray'; Maruti Suzuki was aiming to offer a more stylish alternative to the WagonR, with a different nose, sleeker headlights and clear-lens tail-lights.
The current-gen WagonR was launched in 2019, and has since then remained on sale. This version is built on the same Heartect platform as the Alto K10, Celerio, and the Swift. Maruti Suzuki gave it an upgrade in 2022, adding some more features and colour options to its arsenal.
Also read: Renault Kiger Vs Rivals: How It Fares Against Maruti Suzuki Fronx And Hyundai Venue?
Maruti Suzuki WagonR Old Vs New: Powertrains
The first-gen WagonR was powered by a 1.1-litre F-series petrol engine with 64bhp and 84Nm of torque, paired to either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic transmission. There was a time when Maruti Suzuki used to offer an AX variants in certain cars, which would exclusively feature the automatic transmission. This 3-speed unit was eventually phased out.
The second-gen WagonR featured the K-Series 1.0-litre engine from the Zen Estilo, the Ritz, and the Swift, producing 67bhp and 90Nm of torque. This generation also featured a new cable-type 5-speed manual transmission that felt a lot slicker to use, and a new 5-speed AMT was also added sometime later.
The current WagonR gives you the option of choosing between two powertrains. The first is a 1.2-litre K12N unit, with 88.5bhp and 113Nm of torque. The other is a K10C unit churning out 65.7bhp and 89Nm of torque, paired to either a 5-speed manual or an AMT.
Also read: Maruti Celerio Old VS New: How Better Became Great
Maruti Suzuki WagonR Old Vs New: Interiors and Equipment
The WagonR's interiors were identical to those of the Alto in its first-generation guise, with the exception of a twin-dial analogue instrument cluster, which would later be seen on the Alto VX 1.1. While WagonRs are usually known for space and comfort, this generation of the WagonR was known for having a cramped rear bench.
The second facelift of this model featured slightly tweaked interiors, with a new steering wheel, a different centre console and instrument cluster.
The second-gen model featured a completely new interior layout, with an integrated stereo/CD player, a four-speaker sound system, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, power windows, power-adjustable ORVMs, dual airbags, retractable cupholders, and optional ABS. This generation of the WagonR also finally fixed the cramped rear bench issue; being longer, taller and wider than before, this car felt much more spacious and comfortable, and three people can easily sit in the rear. The front row continued to be spacious and ergonomically sorted for the driver as well.
In its current guise, the WagonR offers things like hill-hold, a 7-inch infotainment touch screen with smartphone connectivity, bluetooth/USB availability, a four-speaker sound system, high-speed alert, rear parking sensors, and seatbelt reminders.
Also read: Mahindra Bolero: Old Vs New - Is It Really 'New?'
Verdict
The Maruti Suzuki WagonR focuses on comfort and practicality, and it nails those parts to perfection. There are other more modern rivals available in the same price bracket, which offer more performance and a better equipment list. However that doesn't seem to affect its sales or its popularity.
