Indians are obsessed with fuel efficiency and part of that obsession has been fuelled by best-selling hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki WagonR. This tallboy has always ticked the sensible boxes for a car buyer and given its popularity, Maruti Suzuki has given the WagonR a shot in the arm with revised engines, more appealing paint schemes and some more kit. Prices for the revamped WagonR start from Rs 5.39 lakh, ex-showroom and here’s a look at what has been updated on one of India’s most popular hatchbacks.
The Maruti Suzuki WagonR is a hugely popular tallboy and a large part of that is due to its sensible design that offends none. Maruti Suzuki hasn’t messed too much with this proven formula – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – but the 2022 WagonR does get a styling update with a dual tone paint scheme and two new colours, Gallant Red and Magma Grey. The WagonR also gets 14-inch alloy wheels as standard for the first time on the top-spec variants, in place of the earlier steel wheels. Other than that, the WagonR remains virtually unchanged for 2022, retaining its classic tallboy silhouette that continues to be a familiar sight on our roads.
It’s a similar story when you step inside the WagonR. The interior layout hasn’t been changed but the upholstery which was earlier beige and brown has been traded for a more upmarket beige and dark grey melange fabric. In terms of features, the WagonR comes to be on par with the segment with a 7-inch SmartPlay infotainment touchscreen that gets Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and navigation. Audiophiles will appreciate that the WagonR now gets four speakers instead of the earlier two, but other than that, there have been no changes to the features list.
The biggest change to the WagonR is actually under the bonnet. The current-gen WagonR was offered with a choice of two petrol engines, and both of these have been revised for 2022. The 1-litre naturally-aspirated engine on the WagonR is identical to the K10C in the all new Celerio, featuring variable valve timing on the intake as well as the exhaust, along with cooled exhaust gas recirculation tech. This engine can also be had with a factory-fitted CNG kit, and Maruti claims to have bumped up the fuel efficiency figures to 25.19kmpl and 34.05km/kg – a 16 per cent increase for the petrol and a 5 per cent increase for the petrol and CNG variants respectively. The 1.2-litre K-Series engine is identical to the one in the Swift and the recently facelifted Baleno, featuring an idle stop start function and delivering a fuel efficiency figure of 24.43kmpl – 19 per cent more than the outgoing model. Both the engines of the WagonR can be had with a manual or an AMT transmission, with the AMT now being offered with a hill hold assist function, a feature which will be much appreciated by owners.
Prices for the WagonR start from Rs 5.39 lakh, ex-showroom for the 1-litre LXi petrol-manual, going up to Rs 7.10 lakh for the top-spec 1.2-litre ZXi+ petrol-AMT, which translates to a Rs 21,500-30,000 rupee premium over the the outgoing WagonR, depending on the variant. You can subscribe to the WagonR at a monthly subscription fee starting from Rs 12,300. The Maruti Suzuki WagonR goes up against the likes of the Tata Tiago, the Hyundai Santro, the Datsun Redi-go, the Renault Kwid and it’s own siblings from Maruti Suzuki, the all-new Celerio and the S-Presso.