Key highlights
- Wagon R facelift spotted testing with minor exterior changes
- CNG version appears to use an underbody-mounted tank to free up boot space
- Top-spec variants could get the newer Z12E petrol engine
Maruti Suzuki is preparing an update for the Wagon R, with a heavily camouflaged test mule spotted testing on Indian roads. The facelift is expected to bring modest styling changes, but the more significant update could be under the bonnet.
What to expect
The test car appears to be a CNG-powered version, and one of the most interesting changes is the location of its CNG tank. The prototype appears to use an underbody-mounted tank, similar to the setup recently introduced on the facelifted Brezza CNG. This could free up more usable boot space compared with the conventional tank placement.
Visually, the changes appear relatively restrained. The test mule gets revised detailing for the halogen headlamps, a redesigned grille and a smoother-looking front bumper. The lower air inlets have also been reshaped. At the rear, the bumper appears to get minor revisions, including vertical reflectors instead of the horizontal units seen on the current Wagon R. The tail-lamps, however, appear largely unchanged.
The cabin has also been briefly seen, although no major changes could be identified from the test vehicle. This suggests Maruti could be keeping the Wagon R’s familiar tall-boy interior largely intact.
The bigger change could come with the 1.2-litre petrol engine. Maruti is expected to retain the 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, along with the CNG option, for lower and mid-spec variants. However, the current 1.2-litre four-cylinder K-Series engine used in higher variants could be replaced by the newer Z12E three-cylinder engine.
Maruti has already started using the Z12E in models such as the Swift, Dzire and facelifted Baleno, primarily to improve efficiency. Whether the existing Wagon R Bioflex flex-fuel version will also move to the Z-Series engine remains unclear.
The current Wagon R is priced between Rs 4.99 lakh and Rs 7.24 lakh, ex-showroom. The facelift is expected to command a small premium when it arrives.
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