2019 Maruti Wagon R Review
Car Tested: 2019 Maruti Wagon R; Road Test No. 1053; Test Location: Udaipur
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 5.14 – 6.88 lakhs
The new Maruti Wagon R has improved dynamics, performance and features along with a spacious cabin & boot
The Wagon R is Maruti’s immensely successful model and inspite of being nearly 2 decades old, Maruti has been consistently clocking good numbers month after month. In fact, it has cemented its position in the list of the top 5 selling cars every month. However, age was clearly showing for this car and with the competition having caught up, Maruti decided to bring in the next generation Wagon R. It is now bigger, more powerful and offers even more practicality than before. We have come down to Udaipur to find out how it fares in the real world.
Motor Quest: This car has been exclusively made for India and nowhere in the world is this exact model sold. This is the longest and the widest iteration of the Wagon R. Globally this is the 7th generation Wagon R but in India, it is the 3rd generation model.
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The wider stance of the new Wagon R makes it look attractive
Exteriors – The Wagon R always had a very boxy design and the new model gives us a break from the traditional box by incorporating a few curves at the front and rear. What you immediately notice is that this car is wider and longer and looks very pleasing to the eye. Changes are more evolutionary than revolutionary and there is no mistaking the tall boy Wagon R silhouette. The blacked out B and C pillars give a floating roof feel while the elongated and somewhat Volvo-inspired tail lights add to the sportiness. Maruti has also given flared wheel arches which accentuate wider stance of the car. However, when viewed from the side, the tyres look a bit small for the wheel arches.
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The Wagon R is now a lot more spacious
Interiors – The interiors are well appointed and look sporty courtesy of Maruti’s new Smartplay Studio infotainment system (which is debuting in the Wagon R). One of the first things you notice when you step inside is the spaciousness of the cabin. There is just so much space inside now. The wheelbase is now longer and it has drastically enhanced the practicality. Legroom at the rear is abundant and now three people can occupy the rear bench in comfort. Shoulder room is ample too while under-thigh support is average. When it comes to headroom, there was never a reason to complain and now there is even more headroom than before.
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The cabin feels very airy and roomy
The Wagon R has the largest boot in its segment and is easy to load
The Wagon R offers best-in-segment boot space of 341-litres which can be further enhanced to 710-litres by folding the rear seats. The rear doors open almost by 90-degrees making it much easier to get in and out of the car. The large glass area gives the interior a very airy feel. There are sufficient storage bins in the cabin with door pockets in each of the doors and bins in the central console. There is also a storage tray below the front passenger seat. The SmartPlay Studio offers cloud-based services through an app on your mobile phone. You can also use your phone as a remote to navigate through the infotainment system. Needless to say, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Fit and finish levels are a notch up now but the hard plastics are an eyesore.
