According to a new report from Autocar India, the Maruti Wagon R launch will take place in early 2019, echoing a report from Team-BHP. With the full model change, the Maruti Wagon R won’t
switch to the Heartect platform which would make the car expensive. Maruti
Suzuki will just update the old platform to meet more stringent safety norms.
The next-gen Maruti Wagon R is already undergoing
road tests, and it has appeared in spy shots a few times. It looks nothing like
the new JDM-spec model that debuted early last year. With an evolutionary
design, it is still conventionally styled. Compared to the Kei car (with a
0.66L engine), it has a longer hood to accommodate the 1.0L engine that will
likely send power to the wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed
'AGS' automated manual transmission.
An aspect the Maruti Wagon R needs to improve upon
is the interior. With the lifecycle action, it should get a more appealing
dashboard design as well as new equipment including a touchscreen infotainment
system with smartphone integration capability and steering-mounted audio
controls among others. On the safety front, expect all configurations to
feature driver airbag, driver and co-driver SBR and speed alert system.
Currently, only driver SBR is standard.
The 2019 Maruti Wagon R could have a starting price
between INR 4.25 lakh* and INR 4.50 lakh*. Higher pricing is unlikely, as that
would bring the car dangerously close to the more sophisticated Maruti Ignis
(INR 4.67 lakh* onwards).
