Maruti Suzuki have released an official picture of the rear design of the 2019 WagonR. The new version of the popular small car seems to be bigger and meatier than its predecessor.
The old WagonR was an instant success in the country due to its spacious interior, frugal engine, and, of course, the Maruti Suzuki’s legendary after-sales network. The car featured a ‘tall boy’ design which gave ample headroom and comfort. The spy pictures below have been circulating on WhatsApp of what seems to be a training program of the third generation WagonR at a Maruti Suzuki dealership just before its launch. The pictures leave nothing to the imagination and completely reveal all the details and features of the popular small car.
The ‘Big New WagonR’ is expected to be offered with at least three powertrain options:
> 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol
> Duo 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol and CNG version
> A new 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol (first time on the WagonR)
The transmission choices will include a five-speed manual and a five-speed AGS (automated manual).
On the design front, we expected the car to look somewhat similar to the Japanese release of the same car. However, this is not at all the case. The soon to be released Indian version looks quite different when compared to the Japanese one. The cars’ design is not far from the current model, albeit, with a few changes. The most prominent of which can be seen in the front with an entirely new grille and slightly larger bonnet. The C-pillar gets a blacked-out section creating an illusion of a floating roof. Furthermore, the Japanese edition comes as a hybrid with different variants. Maruti Suzuki during their annual press conference with Car India, have spoken much about their intention to gradually discontinue small capacity diesel engines, which would make way for hybrid units. However, India will receive a more conventional powertrain now and hopefully, a hybrid option might be introduced in the future.
To keep competition in check Maruti Suzuki have given the cabin a complete makeover and added a bunch of new features. The two-tone dashboard appears to be more trendy. For the first time, Maruti has included a touchscreen infotainment system and steering mounted controls. The circular driver’s information console is all-new and comes and is larger than before, which should make it easy to read on the go. Apart from that, we can expect further enhancements such as a reverse parking camera as well as dual airbags and more, most of which have become the norm in cars today.
The new WagonR is wider, longer, and taller than its predecessor and should compete directly with the other returned ‘tall boy’, the Hyundai Santro. The car launches on 23 January 2019, after being delayed due to the company working on launching the car with up-to-date regulations. Deliveries should commence in February 2019.
Maruti Suzuki have just announced that they will discontinue producing BS-IV engines by the end of December 2019 in favour of BS-VI engines.
Also read: Maruti Suzuki to Stop Production of BS IV Vehicles in December 2019
Story: Zal Cursetji
