A heavily camouflaged test mule of the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R has been spotted on Indian roads, indicating that the third-generation hatchback could soon receive a facelift. The prototype appears to feature minor exterior revisions and, more significantly, hints at changes to its powertrain lineup.
The current-generation Wagon R has been on sale since 2019, making the upcoming update potentially its most comprehensive revision yet.
Wagon R facelift: spied changes
The test mule spotted was a CNG-powered version, featuring an underbody-mounted CNG tank. This setup could allow future CNG versions of the Wagon R to free up more boot space.
Maruti Suzuki has recently introduced a similar underbody CNG tank arrangement on the facelifted Brezza, suggesting that the technology could be extended to other models.
The prototype also provides some clues about the facelift’s exterior changes. The halogen headlamps feature revised detailing, while the grille and front bumper have been redesigned. The lower air inlets also appear to have received smoother detailing.At the rear, the bumper gets minor revisions, including vertically positioned reflectors instead of the horizontal units seen on the current Wagon R.Overall, the styling changes appear relatively subtle. The existing tail-lamp design seems to have been carried over, while the interior glimpsed on the test car did not show any major revisions.
Wagon R facelift: expected engine options
Maruti Suzuki is expected to retain the 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol and CNG powertrains for the base and mid-spec versions.
The more significant change could come at the top end of the range. The current 1.2-litre four-cylinder K12N petrol engine could be replaced by Maruti’s newer 1.2-litre three-cylinder Z12E Z-Series engine.Maruti has already been moving from the K-Series to the Z-Series engine in models including the Swift, Dzire and recently facelifted Baleno, primarily to improve efficiency.
It remains unclear whether the Wagon R Bioflex flex-fuel version, which also uses a K-Series engine, will receive the same powertrain change.
Wagon R facelift: expected price and rivals
The facelift is expected to command a slight premium over the current Wagon R, which is priced between Rs 4.99 lakh and Rs 7.24 lakh (ex-showroom, India).The updated hatchback will continue to compete with models such as the Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Tata Tiago.
Source: Autocar India
Image credit: What The Fuel via Instagram.