Maruti Wagon R Flex Fuel UNVEILED; Check Out FULL DETAILS Including Design, Features, Fuel Efficiency, Expected Price, Booking Amount & More!

Worried about increasingly rising ethanol blends in petrol? Maruti now has an answer for you! The largest carmaker in India has now taken the lead by unveiling the first mass market flex fuel model in the form of the Wagon R Flex Fuel. 

While in many aspects, such as its design, interior and feature list, it remains similar to its standard E20-rated counterpart, major changes have been carried out under the hood for a greener and future-proof package!

Let’s take a closer look at the new flex fuel hatchback:

Exterior

Design-wise, the Wagon R Flex Fuel remains almost identical to the standard Wagon R, but gets some key changes to distinguish itself.

• Up front, it retains the friendly and familiar fascia with large squared-off halogen headlamps and a stubby bonnet.

• You also have the horizontal grille with a singular chrome slat and honeycomb detailing for a subtle, yet contemporary look.

• The bumper also features a large air dam and fog lamps housed inside black surrounds.

• In profile, the Wagon R Flex Fuel retains its large windows and a distinct boxy shape to maximise the interior room. It also features 14-inch alloy wheels for some style.

• The C-pillar gets a black insert for a ‘floating-roof’ effect.

• Towards the rear, it gets a flat and simple profile, with massive vertical taillamps being the most recognisable design detail. You also have a small 'Flex Fuel' badge placed on the tailgate.

• The registration plate is mounted on a recess in the tailgate, with a chrome garnish above it, and there is a black insert in the bumper as well.

• For a closer look at the Wagon R Flex Fuel, checkout our detailed image gallery here.

Interior

Just like the exterior design, the interior of the Wagon R Flex Fuel also remains similar to the standard hatchback.

• The dashboard takes an upright stance and is finished in a dual-tone beige and black colour scheme.

• The touchscreen infotainment system is mounted high up in the centre, and flanking it are slim vertical AC vents.

• You have the AC controls below, along with charging ports and the 12V socket.

• The driver gets a three-spoke steering wheel with audio controls and an analogue instrument cluster with an MID (Multi Information Display).

• Besides this, you have the slim front seats with integrated headrests.

• The rear seat remains one of the most spacious ones among similarly-sized cars, and taller occupants will have no issues with the headroom or the knee room.

Features & Safety

The Wagon R Flex Fuel is a reasonably well-loaded package for its price:

• Infotainment duties in the Wagon R are handled by a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This is paired with a 4-speaker sound system.

• Other features on offer include manual AC, steering-mounted controls, electrically-adjustable and power-folding ORVMs, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, power windows, manual day/night IRVM and inbuilt navigation.

• In terms of safety tech onboard, it gets 6 airbags, electronic stability program (ESP), ABS with EBD, hill hold assist (HHA), rear parking sensors, seatbelt reminders for all occupants and speed sensitive door locks.

Powertrain

• Under the hood is where the Flex Fuel Wagon R gets a completely overhauled engine, which is compatible with up to E100 ethanol-blended fuel.

• While Maruti has not revealed the detailed specifications yet, but this move could result in a slight variation of figures, with the 1.2-litre petrol engine making slightly more power and torque.

• The greener fuel choice could also ensure better fuel economy figures compared to the standard E20 version.

• The Flex Fuel variant shown is equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Launch Date, Expected Price & Rivals

Maruti has not revealed a launch date for the Wagon R Flex Fuel, but it could launch in the coming weeks. It is expected to be priced from Rs 5.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

Being the very first flex-fuel mass-market car on the market, the Wagon R has no direct rivals. However, it can be a greener and future-proof alternative to other entry-level hatchbacks like the Maruti Celerio and Swift, Tata Tiago and Hyundai Grand i10 Nios.