Maruti Suzuki is the most trusted, reliable car brand in India. Not only this they have very well championed the hatchback segment in the Indian car market. Cars such as the Maruti Suzuki Alto, Zen, Wagon R, 800 have been the true pioneers of the hatchback segment in the country. Being a master of offering value for money to the Indian customer Maruti cars are appealing to one and all! If you were to ask anyone who has some knowledge of the Indian car market – ‘Which are the 2 most popular Tall Boy design cars to have come to the Indian market?’ you can be sure to hear these 2 car names – Hyundai Santro & Maruti Suzuki Wagon R. These 2 very popular and successful cars have ruled the Indian market from the time they were introduced! These 2 cars needed a modern makeover (with respect to both technology and design). The Hyundai Santro just received a radical makeover making it more appealing to the new age Indian car buyer. Maruti has followed suit and given us the recently launched 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R…read on to find out more!
At first, glance when you see the new Wagon R, you begin thinking is this the same car as we have known it? But look closely and you shall notice the tall boy design is more stylish now and in tune with modern car design. The first-generation Wagon R was launched in 1999 for the Indian market – it became an immediate hit in the market for offering great practicality, comfort at an amazing price…value for money in all sense of the word. The Indian car market has evolved and progressed a great deal since 1999, but it is great to see that Maruti has kept the winning formula of the Wagon R alive…Yes, the overall design remains unchanged but the addition of cuts, asymmetrical design adds a nice dash of styling. The front of the car gets a new bold bumper with thick chrome stripes running across the grille. The headlamps are like the ones on the previous model, blending well with the rest of the car body. There is not too much of change at the back of the car, the only major change is a new set of well-designed tail lights…it seems Maruti has taken a leaf out of the Volvo book here! The new Wagon R is based on Maruti’s HEARTECT platform which also is the blueprint for other Maruti cars such as the – Ignis, Dzire etc. With the new platform, the 2019 Wagon R has grown – making it longer, wider and more spacious on the inside. Step inside the car and you will notice a similar but refreshed interior. It is great to see that Maruti has maintained the tried and tested practical cabin layout for the latest generation Wagon R, with an evergreen design the interiors needed a modern rejig. Maruti has done exactly that with the addition of a new steering wheel unit, digital-analog instrument cluster, the dual-tone color scheme for the interiors. The new Wagon R is amongst the first cars to get the new Maruti infotainment touchscreen unit along with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay. For added practicality and convenience, the infotainment system can be controlled via a smartphone app. One of the highlights of the new interiors is the fact that there is more roominess and space both at the front as well as the rear of the car. Many users who have previously owned or traveled in a Wagon R before can agree to the fact that the 2 passengers up front were used to sitting shoulder to shoulder and fitting 3 adults at the back was a bit of a squeeze. Thanks to the HEARTECT platform the Wagon R has grown in width and length to negate this issue. Kudos Maruti Suzuki!
Driving the Wagon R has always been very easy. Being a compact hatchback, offering great outside visibility and the added ground clearance makes the Wagon R a breeze for all types of drivers also making it ideally suited for driving within the city. Nipping in and out of traffic, finding that one tight spot for parking in our overcrowded metros has never been easier with the Wagon R. Probably one of the biggest downfalls of driving the Wagon R has been the tall and boxy design invites a body roll issue, making the driver more cautious while driving along turns at a high speed. The Wagon R was never meant to be driven in a spirited manner, however, the new generation Wagon R is wider and more stable at high speeds. The biggest and most exciting change on the 2019 Wagon R is the addition of the peppy and powerful 1.2 L petrol engine which produces 83 bhp of power. This engine also does duty on other Maruti cars such as the Baleno, Dzire, Ignis, Swift. The introduction of a more powerful engine is a move which will be well received by the automobile enthusiasts. The 1.0 L petrol engine from the previous generation remains unchanged. Both the engines are mated to a manual and an AMT (Automated Manual Technology) gearbox.
The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R was always a good car, in its latest avatar Maruti has only made it bigger and better. What’s amazing is the fact that Maruti has kept it simple and not gone for something fancy or experimented with the basic value proposition of the car. The very practicality and simplicity of the Wagon R is genius. Time and again we global markets have taught us that if you have a product working great all you need is a rejig to keep it going strong! The Wagon R has a lot going for it – it is now larger and better, one of the most user-friendly and practical cars in the Indian market, well kitted with modern amenities and a loyal consumer base. Can the new Wagon R sustain in the market with new entrants and cut-throat competition? This remains to be seen…however, we are confident it will remain successful in the market.
