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| Manufacturer | Suzuki |
|---|---|
| Also called | Opel Agila Vauxhall Agila Suzuki Karimun Maruti Wagon-R |
| Production | 1993-present |
| Class | Kei car City car |
| Related | Changhe-Suzuki Beidouxing Changhe-Suzuki F-MPV |
The Suzuki Wagon R is a kei car first introduced in Japan in 1993, and is still in production by Suzuki. The R stands for recreation. It is one of the first cars to use the "tall wagon" design in which the car is designed to be unusually tall with a short bonnet and almost vertical hatchback and sides in order to maximise cabin space while staying within the kei car dimension restrictions.
The Wagon R has been the best-selling kei car in Japan since 2003;[1] and in 2008, Suzuki expected to produce its three-millionth Wagon R.[2]
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1st generation (1993-1998)
The first generation Wagon R is 1,640 mm (64.6 in) high, or 255 mm (10.0 in) taller (170 mm (6.7 in) internally) than the JDM Suzuki Alto sold at the same time (which was the exact same length and width).
2nd generation (1998-2003)
1998 saw the introduction of the second-generation Wagon R in Japan, with the Wagon R+ replacing the Wagon R Wide in 1999 - this was brought to Europe in 2000. This is also produced in Esztergom in Hungary and Gurgaon, India. The Opel Agila is a badge engineered version of the Suzuki Wagon R+, also introduced in summer 2000.
3rd generation (2003-2008)
A third generation Wagon R was launched in Japan in September 2003 for their 10th Anniversary, but only as a K-car - no oversized version (like the previous Wide and +) was developed in either Japan or Europe. The third generation was facelifted in September 2005.
Stringray
The Stringray was an updated 3rd generation Suzuki Wagon R.
4th generation (2008-present)
The fourth generation Wagon R was launched in Japan in September 2008 along with the Stingray variant, the AZ Wagon and Custom variant, manufactured for Mazda. Significant differences for the new generation include larger rear doors, which incorporate quarter glass, eliminating the need for a D pillar arrangement. Powertrain options include naturally aspirated and turbocharged 660cc engines with the latter developing an output of 64 HP, mated to a 4-speed automatic, a 5-speed manual or a CVT transmission. As with many other Japanese market models, customers can choose between front-wheel and all-wheel-drive versions.
Maruti Wagon-R
| Manufacturer | Maruti Suzuki |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Maruti Udyog |
| Production | 2001–present |
| Predecessor | Maruti Versa |
| Successor | Maruti Ritz Maruti Suzuki Swift |
| Class | Microvan |
| Engine(s) | 1061 cc four cylinder, 16 valve, MPFI |
| Transmission(s) | 5-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 2,360 mm (92.9 in) |
| Length | 3,520 mm (138.6 in) |
| Width | 1,475 mm (58.1 in) |
| Height | 1,660 mm (65.4 in) |
| Kerb weight | 825 kg (1,819 lb) |
| Fuel capacity | 35 L (8 imp gal; 9 US gal) |
The Maruti Wagon-R is a made-for-India version of Suzuki Wagon R. Maruti Suzuki India Limited has recently revamped its looks and introduced a new look WagonR which sheds the boxy look at the back.
Initial launch
The Wagon-R was born out of Japanese kei-jido-sha restrictions which dictated a limited length and engine size. This boxy, tall-boy design has now completed seven years of presence on Indian roads.
Maruti's launch of the car was ill-timed. Despite being one of the world's first tall-boy designs (along with models from Daihatsu and Daewoo), the Wagon-R was not first-to-market in India.
The Hyundai Santro Xing (Hyundai Atos in Europe) was the first tall-boy design to hit the Indian roads. It preceded the Maruti-Suzuki Wagon R by a two year lead.
Design and trim options
The car comes with a variety of trim levels. These include the LX (sans power steering), LXi (power steering), VXi (fully loaded) and the AX (automatic). The car normally comes with a 5-speed manual transmission and seats 4 (including the driver) comfortably.
The Wagon R's bread-box shape did not immediately cut ice with the Indian consumer and the car saw slow sales initially.
Specifications
The car is powered by a 1061 cc four cylinder, sixteen valve, multipoint fuel-injected engine producing 64 bhp (47.7 kW) at 6200 rpm and 84 newton-metres (62 ft·lbf) of torque at 3500 rpm.
The LPG version, christened DUO, was recently launched; this runs on petrol as well as on LPG. Also the internal controls have been given a more sportier look with bright metal finish.
Other features new in the Vxi (the top end manual transmission model) are Electrically adjustable outside Rearview mirrors. This is the first on any B-Segment car in India.
Driving impressions
Light kerb weight (750–775 kg) makes for a nimble car with good acceleration and a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). The car's fuel economy is somewhere in the range of 13 to 14 km/l (7.7 to 7.1 l/100 km) in city driving and 18 to 20 km/l (5.6 to 5.0 l/100 km) on the highway.
The car is priced between Rs. 350,000 (LX) to Rs. 485,000 (AX).
Now the car has found a market for itself, especially among young Indian urban professionals who don't mind its boxy slab-sided looks, but value its Maruti lineage. The car is currently among India's second largest selling car, after Maruti Alto.
Wagon R-Wide/R+
The Wagon-R Wide, introduced in 1997, is a slightly larger car, exceeding the kei car specifications, with larger 1.0 (both turbo and naturally aspirated versions) and 1.3 litre engines - this is what was sold as the Wagon R+ in the European market (also introduced in the same year). The only other tall wagon style car sold in Europe around the time of its introduction was the Daihatsu Move.
International
The Hungarian-built Wagon R+ is still being produced for the European market, albeit with limited range and availability (it is no longer for sale in Ireland, for example). As of 2006 in the UK, only one model is available - the GL, with a 1.3 litre (1289cc) 16 valve 4-cylinder petrol engine delivering 59 kW (80.2 PS), ABS with EBD and air conditioning as options. The current model is 3,540 mm (139.4 in) x 1,620 mm (63.8 in) x 1,695 mm (66.7 in) (length x width x height), with a claimed 597 litres of cargo space.
In 2000 until 2007, the Wagon R is rebadged as Opel Agila. The Agila was built at a General Motors factory in Gliwice, Poland and used Vauxhall/GM Engines and transmissions.
In India, the Wagon R is sold as "Maruti Suzuki WagonR", having Suzuki's 1.1 L F10D petrol engine producing 64 bhp (48 kW). Also, a new LPG version called DUO has been introduced lately, which runs both on Petrol and LPG.
In Indonesia, the car is called Suzuki Karimun and offered with a 1000 cc (until 2006) and 1100cc (2007 onwards) petrol engine, whilst in China it forms the base for both the Changhe-Suzuki Beidouxing and Changhe-Suzuki F-MPV.
References
- ^ "Suzuki Wagon R 1st-Half Best-Selling Car for 5 Straight Years", Japan Corporate News Network, Oct 6, 2008
- ^ The New York Times Small Things in Good Packages
External links
- "After 4 years, Suzuki Wagon R to relinquish its sales crown", Yuzo Yamaguchi, Automotive News, September 2002
- "Sales Of Two Million Plus For Suzuki's Wagon R", Carpages.co.uk, January 30, 2004
- Suzuki Outline History: 1990s, Suzuki global website
- Suzuki Outline History: 2000s, Suzuki global website
- Suzuki, Histomobile
- Maruti WagonR website
- Review of Maruti WagonR
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