Maruti already has 7-seater products on sale in India and doesn’t feel a need to bring in a new model.
The third-generation Maruti Wagon R is currently undergoing testing and will reportedly be launched by the end of 2018. It will sport a new design with broader headlights and a new rear. There were also rumours about a 7-seater version but they have been laid to rest by the company.
Maruti doesn’t feel that introducing a 7-seater version makes sense as it already has vehicles like the Ertiga in the MPV segment and the Omni and the Eeco in the commercial vehicle segment. The 2018 Ertiga is slated for launch this year and will be a good refresh.
Coming to the third-generation Maruti Wagon R, it will continue to feature a tallboy design and will be powered by the same 1.0-litre, K10B petrol engine which produces 67 HP and 90 Nm of peak torque. Transmission options will include a 5-speed manual gearbox and an AMT gearbox.
Reports about an electric Maruti Wagon R were also rife but nothing is confirmed yet as the company is still working on the development of electric vehicles. If it does materialise, it will be launched in the year 2020. Maruti is also working on setting up a battery plant in India to support its future electric cars and even be a supplier of the battery to the other companies.
The third-generation Maruti Wagon R is expected to be priced at a slight premium over the current model and will rival Hyundai’s upcoming AH2 (aka Santro). The 7-seater version would have gone head to head with the Datsun GO+.
Maruti Wagon R 7-Seater
– The company doesn’t feel the need to bring in a 7-seater version
– It already has the Ertiga and the cheaper Omni and Eeco models on sale
– Third-generation Wagon R will go on sale by the end of this year
Source – IndianAutosBlog.com