| Date of acquired | March 2007 |
| Efficiency | 16.2kmpl (Overall) |
| COSTS | -Nil- |
| Distance covered | 29,260kms |
| For | Reliability, roomy interiors, smooth ride, good road visibility. |
| Drawbacks | Nervous handling, narrow rear seats, poor gearchange, over-assisted steering |
There are certain things in life that serve you so well that you almost stop talking notice and our long-term Wagon-R seems perfect to fit in that list. It has just a few months left in terms and deserves kudos for enduring the rigorous times without a glitch. I mean it has just clocked over 23,000 kms in a span of 4 years but shows no sign of wear and tear. The engine feels as refined and peppy as it was. It remains quite flexible too. In city traffic, it picks up from low revs, at times with a bit of clutch use, and effortlessly handles the better part of the rush in third and fourth gear. Give it space to stretch out on the highway and the gear ratios handle the torque spread perfectly. I like the good road visibility, smooth ride, roomy interior. The high roof frees up bags of space inside and you can play mix-and-match with the seats for hours. There are the usual Maruti strengths – great engine and reliability, let down by a rubbery gearchange and narrow, insubstantial rear seats.
Any dislikes? I don’t like the finish on the dash and hope the trim had a option across colours. The seat fabric also in a dull blue and grey, is prone to getting dirty and doesn’t feel as premium as say, the swift’s black upholstery. Handling also feels nervous, over-assisted steering and poor gearchange is other drawbacks. Rear seats feels like a narrow bench which is not comfortable. But a versatile little car if you open mind. The best I achieved in a test was 16.2 kmpl, driving mostly in city. Couple that to the diesel cost advantage and the Wagon-R spells great on savings if you’re into serious mile munching.
Also see – Garage – Afzal’s Alto
More pictures of Adee’s Wagon-R –
