Suzuki Wagon R Test Drive Report

ReportDecember 17, 2021

This is the car for kei cars! Suzuki Wagon R

In 1993, an extraordinary mini car made its debut, the Wagon R. In fact, looking back on it now, I feel that the Wagon R is the car that gave many people the image that mini cars are useful cars. In fact, looking back on it now, I feel that this Wagon R is the one that gave many people the image that "mini cars are useful cars.

Although the tall boy style was first proposed by Mitsubishi Minica Toppo in 1990, I think it was the Wagon R that established the multi-wagon category. Mini cars were usually sedans, hatchbacks, or specialties, and there was no such thing as a car that was small enough to carry both people and cargo, yet stylish enough to be different from commercial vehicles.

Fifteen years have passed since then. Now, that category has become the mainstream of mini cars. Naturally, rivals would not leave such a tasty market untouched, and even now, competing cars continue to appear one after another. Under such circumstances, it is no wonder that it has been the No. 1 selling car for 15 years. I have tried many times to solve the mystery of why it continues to sell so well, but in the end, I feel that the reason lies in the high level of friendly basic performance that makes you feel that the company is always thinking about the user first. And to put it simply, the new 4th generation Wagon R is a sure sign of this.

Spacious interior and high quality design

It took a while for the Wagon R to sell well after the full model change from the second to the third generation due to its too-maintained concept design, but despite the drastic design change this time around, one of the features of the new Wagon R is its deep design performance that makes it look like a Wagon R from every angle. One of the features of the Wagon R is that it has a very deep design performance.

The main feature of the design is the elimination of the traditional six-light design, which makes it look like a small car in photographs.

The B-pillars were lowered to the rear and the doors were enlarged in order to give the car a more passenger-friendly concept in terms of ease of getting in and out of the car and a more open interior. In fact, the wheelbase was extended by 40mm and the interior length was increased by 105mm. In addition, the rear seats have been positioned and slid more, increasing the distance between the front and rear passengers by 140mm. Thanks to this, the rear seats have enough room for passengers to cross their legs.

The seats are even better. The seat cushions are thicker, and the seats are larger and stronger, so you can sit more securely. In addition, the seatbelt catch is now self-supporting, and the seatbelt is well equipped. The luggage space is smaller, but the lineup also includes the Palette, and with the trend toward downsizing, multi-wagon minicars are shifting toward "passenger cars" rather than "cargo cars. With the trend toward downsizing, multi-wagon minicars are becoming more of a "vehicle to ride" than a "vehicle to carry," so it is safe to say that this is an evolution with an eye on the future.

The interior has also undergone a major evolution. Needless to say, the quality of the interior is so high that it can be seen at a glance, but the most significant evolution is the change from a column shift to an instrument panel shift. Not only is it easier to operate, but the instrument panel shift does not protrude, so it does not interfere with the side walk-through.

The Stingray Turbo is equipped with 7-speed paddle shifters.

Since the new Wagon R is an all-new model, the powertrain has also been changed.

The NA engine is basically the same, but the head is cooled more efficiently, and the torque has been improved, although it does not show up in the figures. The turbocharged version, the 60 hp M-turbo (mild pressure turbo) from the previous generation, was upgraded to a 64 hp DI (direct injection) turbo using the same method.

The M-Turbo was characterized by its torque that came out from the low speed range and was easy to drive around town, but the high speed range was not as good as the DI. Therefore, the DI turbocharger was not included in this year's lineup, and the turbocharger was integrated into the lineup.

The CVT, which was added later in the previous generation and was only available in one grade, has been expanded, and the Turbo in particular is now only available with the CVT. The Stingray Turbo even comes with 7-speed paddle shifters. The Stingray's turbo also comes with 7-speed paddle shifters. The suspension was also changed from the platform to take the power.

Suzuki has a tradition of updating the front and rear chassis at different intervals, so while the rear chassis was adapted from the Palette, the front was completely new. In other words, it was an all-new model, and this completely changed the handling and quality of the car.

Since I can't write more than a few words, I'll simply say that it's already good enough! It's so good that it makes you think, "This is good enough! It's a car that's really a class above the rest! The evolution of the car is so great that you can feel that it has become a car of a higher class.

First of all, after only 10 meters of driving, you can feel the solid center of gravity, and you will be impressed by the low vibration that is often seen in light cars. Later, as you increase the speed, you will be surprised by the high rigidity of the body, and when you turn the steering wheel, you will not feel like you are driving a tall car, and even when you repeatedly slalom, there is no shaking back. There was no rocking back and forth.

The handling is also extremely natural and very high quality. On top of that, Suzuki's minicar maintains a small turning radius of 4.2 meters. The power steering could have been a little lighter in a cut-throat situation, but the stable braking performance, the ride comfort that has a lot of taming power for a mini car with a short suspension stroke, and the high level of quietness that allows for easy conversation between the front and rear passengers even at high speeds. The list goes on and on, and I think it's safe to say that a vehicle with a high degree of perfection has been born.

The fourth-generation Wagon R is as good as its predecessor

The fourth generation Wagon R has a lineup that includes the Stingray model that was added in the middle of the previous generation.

Both the Wagon R and the Wagon R Stingray are available with NA or turbocharged engines, and the only difference in powertrain is that the Wagon R has a 5-speed manual transmission. The only difference in terms of powertrain is that the Wagon R has a 5-speed manual transmission. However, the appearance is completely different and the equipment is quite different.

First, the aforementioned 7-speed paddle shifters on the turbo model. It is also the first minicar to feature an air pressure warning system and curtain and side airbags as standard equipment. The front ventilated disc brakes, the auto-light system, and ESP as an option. It is no longer the mini car it once was.

These features and the high quality feel of the car may be part of the reason, but in fact, it is so comfortable, not only in the driver's seat, but also in the back seat, that the feeling that it is a mini-car completely disappears. The driver's seat lifter and tilt steering wheel are only available on the Stingray, which is a little disappointing.

I like the styling of the regular Wagon R! It's too bad that people who like the styling of the regular Wagon R can't choose a basic driving position device as an option, so I hope this is improved. However, I am sure that the rivals are quite impressed with the quality of the new Wagon R.

Buy now!