Complete Guide to Buying a Maruti Wagon R

If you decide to buy a car for your daily commute and ask for opinions, the Maruti Wagon R will be right up there as a recommendation for a perfect city ride. Though it has been around for a long time, the freshness remains with Maruti constantly upgrading it. Not only has it evolved with the times, it has continued to sell in large volumes and is currently the third on the list of India’s best selling cars. An iconic design, practical dimensions and storage with superb fuel efficiency, it certainly merits your consideration. This buying guide will walk you through the reasons why you would consider the Maruti Wagon R as your next car.

Maruti Wagon R Specifications

Why you should consider the Maruti Wagon R

Are you looking for a slightly premium hatchback that will give you trouble free ownership, good fuel efficiency figures, no reliability issues and with good handling characteristics? Then let us tell you why you should be considering the Maruti Wagon R.

Spacious Interior and Ease of Entry and Exit

The Maruti Wagon R’s tall boy design translates into its roomy and versatile interior. All the switches and cubby holes are conveniently placed so that they are easily accessible. The dashboard design is intended to give the feel of a big premium vehicle. It offers ample headroom, legroom, and cargo space, making it an excellent choice for families or those who value comfort and practicality. Not just that, one can enter and exit the car with ease thanks to the higher seating position. This is a big plus especially for senior citizens and bulkier individuals who don’t need to bend much to get in or strain to pull themselves out.

Maruti Brand Name and dependability

Maruti Suzuki has a reputation for building reliable vehicles, and the Maruti Wagon R is no exception. It’s designed to provide dependable performance over the long term. Maintenance costs are low, yet readily available thanks to independent stand alone garages or franchisee service garages, and the per day running costs are easily met. Should anything untoward happen,the pan Indian network of Maruti service centres provide a reassurance that is unmatched by any other car company. Spares are cheap, plentiful and easily available while mechanics are found even in the most remote villages.

Pricing and fuel efficiency

Maruti has always had its finger on the pulse of the Indian car consumer. It has once again delivered a value for money vehicle which is competitively priced over its competitors. This ensures that first time buyers, small families or consumers on a budget are drawn to it. The wide range of options available means that the customer will not have a problem finding one that meets his budget. Throw in the famed fuel efficiency of Maruti which also finds a successful outlet on the Maruti Wagon R (giving ARAI figures of 24.35 kmpl to 34.05 km/kg for different variants) and customers are drawn to it like bees to honey.

Engine Options, performance and reliability

The Maruti Wagon R offers two engine options. The new model retains the previous version’s 67 PS, 1.0-liter, three-cylinder K10B engine. Alternatively, you can opt for the larger 90 PS, 1.2-liter, four-cylinder K12N engine, which is borrowed from Maruti Suzuki’s larger hatchbacks like the Swift and Ignis. Both engines come with the choice of 5 speed manual or Maruti’s AMT automatic transmissions.

For those interested in more fuel efficiency, the Maruti Wagon R 1.0 is available with a factory-fitted CNG kit that is light on your purse. However, while the 1.0-liter petrol engine is suitable for city driving, it may lack the spirited performance desired by some. On the other hand, the 1.2-liter engine offers livelier performance with only a modest impact on fuel efficiency. Both engines have a track record of reliability and dependability, ensuring peace of mind for drivers. You can trust these engines to deliver consistent performance without letdowns.

Resale Value

Need to sell your Maruti Wagon R? You will have the advantage of a vehicle which retains its second hand value well while also having no dearth of buyers should you decide on  upgrading to a more premium ride. Just drop the word to your friendly neighbourhood garage or mechanic, post an online ad or simply let it be known in your circle of friends and you will have no shortage of people enquiring about your car.

Why not to buy a Maruti Wagon R

Even though the Maruti Wagon R is a market leader, Maruti Suzuki has cut a few corners in order to make it more accessible and affordable to the customer. Perhaps those compromises could even be a dealbreaker for you. Also, there is the competition to consider.

Poor Safety Rating

Maruti Suzuki tends to prioritise fuel efficiency and affordability over safety. The same problem plagues the Maruti Wagon R. It has an extremely poor rating of one star in GNCAP while child protection gets 0 Stars. Families with young children might avoid buying it. There are no ISOFIX child mounts and only dual airbags. An inexcusably very big miss from Maruti.

Design Limitations

The tall boy design of the Maruti Wagon R comes with its own problems. While it is the design around which the entire car is marketed and has built its popularity on, the Wagon R is not good for cruising on highways. High speed overtaking and cornering leading to sudden swerves may cause you to lose control as the design sacrifices stability at high speeds. The Maruti Wagon R is best used as a city runabout where its small size, low kerb weight and light controls give the best possible experience.

Missing Feature List

The average car customer of today does not just look for good features and a bouquet of options. They demand it. The Maruti Wagon R comes up a bit short here because it does not provide options like diesel engines. Features like rear AC vents and reverse parking cameras are absent. Maruti Suzuki does not help its own case by removing features like projector headlamps that were available on the last model. The rear defogger got dropped quietly as well. Also, most of the good features are reserved for the top variants which only come with the 1.2L engine, limiting the consumer’s choice severely. The competition has got a much more loaded feature list and different engine options as well. The Ignis gets a more extensive feature list as well including the option to personalise it according to taste.The Tata Tiago is the safest hatchback around with a four star GNCAP rating.

Competition

The Maruti Wagon R faces stiff competition from other affordable hatchbacks in the market, such as the Tata Tiago and the Hyundai Grand i10. Even its siblings, the Maruti Suzuki Celerio and the Maruti Suzuki Ignis are its rival thanks to the price overlap. The Celerio even offers better fuel efficiency. The Ignis is more stylistic and comes from Maruti’s Nexa brand which instantly elevates the premiumness, fit and finish of the same. The Hyundai Grand i10 is a safer, more comfortable car to drive and also outshines the Maruti Wagon R on the feature list. The Tiago offers a spacious interior, eye-catching exterior and the choice of fuel efficient, yet refined, petrol and diesel engines. You are spoilt for choice in this segment of the car market.

Maruti Wagon R variants

The main Maruti Wagon R variants are listed below for your convenience. You basically have a choice between petrol and CNG with manual or automatic transmissions. Dual tone options are also offered in order to increase the options you can buy, even if they are purely cosmetic in nature.

Best Maruti Wagon R Variant to Buy

The Maruti Wagon R offers a wide price band for buyers to indulge in. Since you have a choice of two engines, we would say that the 1.0L engine should be looked at only if your budget cannot be stretched. We would recommend that you go for the top end ZXi+ version with the 1.2L engine. You will receive more power, more premium features, more safety and all that comes with a minor sacrifice of fuel efficiency. For a better driving experience and stress free handling, go for the Maruti Wagon R ZXi+ automatic.

Summary

The Maruti Wagon R is a team player, an all rounder that offers a bit of everything:- affordability, practicality, spaciousness, features and yet doesn’t sacrifice fuel efficiency. It is a popular choice for first-time buyers, families, and budget-conscious consumers alike. Maruti’s reputation for reliability and the Maruti Wagon R’s versatility make it an attractive choice. You will be buying a dependable, stress free ride that is easy to run and maintain. It is backed up by the entire might of the Maruti sales and service network ensuring that you will not face any problems. Go for one and you will not be disappointed.