I purchased a new WagonR Lxi on 19th August 2004. My observations with this car are as under-
Why to buy?
This is not only a good city car but acts as a wagon as the name suggests. Plus you have the reliable MARUTI sales & service at your door steps. The car is also very much reliable and self-sufficient in the sense it is well-suited to city conditions as well as can be safely and comfortably driven on highways periodically. The best part of this car is the versatility and flexibility within the seats which no other car provides. A best engineered and technologically advanced product from SUZUKI. Good value for money.
My likes-
The Engine-
The engine is the most responsive in the class with lot of power under its belt even with full a/c and lots of loads at the rear. Pick-up is excellent and can beat even the bigger cars for that matter.
The looks-
I fell in love with the new brilliant yellow coloured Wagon-R with clear Head-lamps and tail lights standing tall amongst the other cars. The shape may not be appealing to the perspective buyers but would say one thing- don’t go externally it is lot more beyond that.
The Interiors-
Lots of cubby holes and pockets here and there. Good for placing daily stuffs like papers, cups, bottles, goggles, mobile phone, coins, cassettes, CDs etc. The plastics may not be appealing but the new fresh uphostery to the seats and door trims add to the charm.
Space-
The space is really innovative. So much that 70% of the cabin space can be converted into a mini-storage rack which can in turn be used to carry all your shopping requirements and needs or even 4 persons sitting at the rear with legs folded. This is truely amazing. What more, you can convert the four-seater into a double-bed for two.
This is very much handy when you go for a long drive with older people taking rest. Leg-room is wanted though especially at the rear with seats upright. Width is just about o.k. although sometimes the knees tend to touch the dash or the window-roller or the gear knob(you need to slide the seats back-wards for better leg-room at the expense of reducing the rear leg-room especially if you are tall).
The Tall-boy design-
The tall-boy design ensures easy regress in and out of the car plus it adds to the roominess within the cabin. However one thing I observed is the stereo system sounds better with this design than in other cars owning to the extra height and better reciprocation of sound(However the car doen’t have any provision for mounting Rear speakers and hence require special mounting at the side walls or on the tail-gate without disturbing the movement of the rear seats).
Air-conditioner-
The a/c is the most powerful in its class with terrific blowers. Though the blowers feel very noisy when set to full. Cooling is very much fast and adequate. Defrosting is quick too. However the a/c control switches look too dated(taken from M800).
Steering & manuaverability-
Simply best in the class beating the Santro by a long margin. EPS is fun to drive. Turning radius is the lowest in this segment making it ideal for parking and city commuting.
My Dislikes-
The gear shift-
This is the major flaw in this car. It is not the smoothest. Though believe me it is not bad either. You cannot treat this car as a racer. It is best suited for city use as mentioned before.
Rear view obstruction-
At times, It becomes difficult to reverse the car with the rear head-rests blocking the rear view from the car. Better remove the head-rests before reversing.
Front pillar obstruction-
Due to the tall-boy design may be and the long stretch of the driver seat from the windscreen, the front two pillars tend to block the vision while manouvering sharp turns especially on ghat sections. However in the city there is not worry to much about. You tend to get used to it after a period of time.
Seating-
Uncomfortable seating for long drive especially the driver’s seat in upright position. You may get back-trouble in the long run if used extensively for long journeys without a pause. I think this may be the reason why it has the provision for double-bed and reclining sleeper-type seats at the rear. However this is a non-issue for city commuting and are far more comfortable here.
Suspension-
Suspension is a bit rigid at the rear especially on bumpy roads may be dur to the tall-boy design constraints but good enough for regular roads. Its the smoothest on the expressway very refreshing.
To sum it up, I would say that it is really worth to buy this car at the price MARUTI is giving today and especially for those who are tall, with older people around in the family although a good family car in itself and those who travel daily in the city traffic and occasionally go on long drive, once a week(a majority of us).
If you are thinking between SantroXing and WagonR, I would definitely recommend this one irrespective of its looks as one should consider more than the looks. The Innovation, The technology, The Reliability and The Service. Full points to the Wagon - R