The Suzuki Wagon R+ is a car you instantly love or loathe! - I love mine!
When I told my best mate I'd bought a pre-owned one to replace my ageing Proton Persona he said 'Well you've never bought a decent car before, so why should you break the habit of a lifetime'.
I felt his comments ... Read review
Advantages: Inexpensive, functional, maximum use of space Disadvantages: Just look at the photograph
The Suzuki Wagon R+ is a car you instantly love or loathe! - I love mine!
When I told my best mate I'd bought a pre-owned one to replace my ageing Proton Persona he said 'Well you've never bought a decent car before, so why should you break the habit of a lifetime'.
I felt his comments were a bit harsh, but I could understand where he came from.
You see - the Wagon R+ is a bit like a Camel - the old joke ... ...
Take the overall design.
In Japan, there was a law passed recently which drew up a maximum specification for a 'small' car - high population density and overcrowded roads meant there simply wasn't the space for huge gas-guzzlers
Rather than wield the 'stick' of congestion charging and taxing drivers out of existence, they offered the 'carrot' of lower motoring costs for 'small' economical vehicles.
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The Suzuki Wagon R+ is a car you instantly love or loathe! - I love mine!
When I told my best mate I'd bought a pre-owned one to replace my ageing Proton Persona he said 'Well you've never bought a decent car before, so why should you break the habit of a lifetime'.
I felt his comments were a bit harsh, but I could understand where he came from.
You see - the Wagon R+ is a bit like a Camel - the old joke being that it's a horse designed by a committee.
Take the overall design.
In Japan, there was a law passed recently which drew up a maximum specification for a 'small' car - high population density and overcrowded roads meant there simply wasn't the space for huge gas-guzzlers
Rather than wield the 'stick' of congestion charging and taxing drivers out of existence, they offered the 'carrot' of lower motoring costs for 'small' economical vehicles.
The car itself is very 'boxy'.
However it has an especially high headroom (I'm 5'8" and could wear a top hat inside), most of the inside space is given over to the passenger compartment (consequently the engine bay and boot are a bit cramped)
Interior trim is fairly Spartan, and feels a bit 'plasticy' but everything is fairly well laid out, the electrics and engineering are faultless, as you'd expect from a Japanese car.
The 1.3 litre engine is surprisingly responsive - probably having a lot to do with the lightweight construction of the car, and the power steering makes parking a breeze.
In town, it's perfectly suited to the 'urban cycle' - quick off the mark, handling isn't spectacular but perfectly adequate.
If you want to do the ton on the motorway, speed limits not withstanding, this probably wouldn't be your first car of choice, but it can hold 70 on a dual carriageway without too much trouble.
My primary purpose for this car is to do the 'school run' in the morning - my preferred method of transport on a personal level is by motorcycle, and this car was sufficiently cheap to consider buying, and with the money left over, buy an older 'big engine' bike (more on this in a future review).
The other purpose I want to put the car to is to go to the local rubbish tip, the rear seats (which have fairly solid backs) fold down perfectly flat, and provide a more than adequate surface to transport my junk on the one way trip to the landfill site!
Whilst performance is relatively modest, this is more than made up in terms of fuel frugality - I filled the car up a fortnight ago, with about £27 of unleaded, and over 230 miles on the odometer, I've still got a third of a tank left - that - by my reckoning, suggests it's managing the low forties in terms of MPG.
It does look a bit peculiar though!
I have a bit of a back problem, I find climbing in and out of salon cars a bit of a hassle (it's the twisting and trying to stand up thing which I have bother with) The Wagon R+ is ideal for me - the seat is virtually waist-level so rather than having to step down into the car, it's just a case of shuffling sideways to get in or out.
I have restricted movement of my left elbow, and given the choice, would have liked the gearlever to have been another two inches longer, but other than that, everything is in pretty much the right place.
There's a lot of things which could be said to be 'missing'; no sunroof, aircon, the radio was nothing spectacular (replaced that with my Sony unit - reviewed previously) however there are a couple of uncharacteristic 'extravagances' including motorised wing mirrors, and roof bars.
I park my car in a fairly narrow driveway, and find I have to 'pull in' one of the wing mirrors to get through the gate - whilst the car 'looks' small, in fact it's wider than my wife's Honda Jazz.
The styling LOOKS like a small car, in fact it's got an a*se like a cow!
If you want a relatively cheap tin box, with a wheel at each corner, and don't have a lottery winner budget to run it on, want moderately inexpensive insurance, and the satisfaction of knowing it's a straightforward no-nonsense well engineered bit of kit, the Wagon R+ is an ideal, if les than obvious choice.
A word of caution.
Like many new cars, the keys are 'chipped' - when I picked up this particular motor from the dealer they only had one key, I found I could only get replacements from the dealer (a LOT more than the fiver or so from my local key bar) and have had to try and blag an extra one! (I'll review this in the future once the issue is resolved)
Putting that irritation to one side, in terms of providing cheap, reliable and versatile transport on four wheels, you could do a lot worse!
I doubt many people would aspire to such a vehicle, but in terms of what you get for what you pay for, there really isn't anything to complain about.
(anyone who's interested in my old Proton, it's on Ebay at the moment)
Advantages: Easy for less mobile people to get into Disadvantages: No steering wheel control for the radio
...cars I decided on the Suzuki Wagon R+ Special. Initially it wasn't even on my list of cars to try but I decided to test drive it on the recommendation of a friend who has had several happy years of motoring with hers, and also because the garage happened to be near to one that I had decided to visit anyway.
So what is so special about the car that swung it?
SAFETY FEATURES * both the driver and passenger have airbags fitted as standard. * the front ... ...have arm rests, not common in a car of this size).
* it has a pedal release system on the pedals to help reduce leg injuries in the eevnt of an accident and also a collapsible steering wheel.
SECURITY FEATURES * the car comes fitted with central locking as standard and also an anti-hijack facility so that in the event of somebody near the car when you come to get in, then you are able just to open the driver's door. * an immobiliser is fitted as ...
Festa 26.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Wagon R+ 1.3
Advantages: Roomy, economic, eminently practical. Disadvantages: No alarm(!!!), high boot sill.
On his TV show, Jeremy Clarkson described the WagonR as "a wendy house on wheels". Fortunately, we don't all subscribe to the vroom-vroom culture - in fact a surprising number of us don't really want to be 18 years old all our lives.
It is, of course, a question of horses for courses. I wouldn't care to habitually drive from John o'Groats to Landsend in the WagonR, but then that isn't something I do too often. As a paid-up member of the arthritic-old-gits ... ...and quite the most practical car I've ever owned. Easy to get in and out of, a joy to park, and visibility I miss when I get into an ordinary saloon car. And at the price, even some of its minor deficiencies can be lived with. The only major deficiency as far as I'm concerned is the lack of an alarm system. Against that, not too many cars at this price have twin airbags and power steering.
What I find amazing (though possibly typical) is that for ...
mccawber 11.01.2001 (12.01.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Suzuki Wagon R+ 1.3
Advantages: Great town car, cheap insurance group, cheap tax, cheap to run, no problems since owning it, nice little MPV. Disadvantages: Ugly, lack of leg room in back, not ideal if you are going on a long journey.
...being the owner of a Suzuki Wagon R+.
For my driving purposes it is ideal; I am a student and drive to my college daily, about 5 miles away from my house. I do not go very far very often, which is lucky -- driving long distances in the Wagon R is not very comfortable. This comes down almost entirely to the seating, which is stiff and board-like. For the driver and front passenger the room is fine, it's perhaps a little on the narrow side but no ... ...a Vauxhall Agila with a Suzuki badge, while the older version is much more boxy and has been referred to rather harshly as 'the fridge on wheels'. The 'street cred' driving this car is low, but if you look past that you've got a lovely little car, it's cheap in every way you can think of, insurance, fuel consumption, tax, and servicing is never very much.
Another huge plus of this car is that it is ideal for those less agile drivers as the seating ...
MrSains 05.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Suzuki Wagon R+ 1.3
Advantages: Low insunance group, excellent mpg, great performance, practical, spacious Disadvantages: No mugaurds or mats as standard
This car has got to be the best value for money ever, with most of the best safety devices, and even more comfort ones. I like the high driving position, (enabling you to see over hedge rows, you get a better view of traffic comming in the opposite direction) it feels like your driving a range-rover, but it doesn't have the same body roll!
With very little overhang, it is so easy to manouvre!
The gutsy little 1.3 16 valve engine, quite hapily revs ... ...capable of doing more than that!
The ineterior is really spacious, (its hard to believe that such a small car has so much space inside), with practical out-of-the-way spaces to put things, such as the trays under the front seats!
This is a great little car, and the 1.3 litre engine certainly out preforms the 1.2 vauxhall powerplant in the equivalent vauxhall car, the agilia, both in performance and economy! ...
ADM 25.10.2000
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Suzuki Wagon R+ 1.3
Advantages: Easy to drive, ample boot space, easy for the older generation to get in Disadvantages: Take one look at it, seat belts in the front are extremely short
...cars now-a-days and finds the Suzuki just the right height to gently place her bottom on the seat and swing her legs in. It has also been briliant for moving her big granny armchair when she comes to stay. I can totally understand the attraction to this car when you're getting on in age as it is not full of confusing technology and you can comfortably chug along at 40 where ever you go. I would not recommend buying this car as your only means of ... ...on any long journeys. For a quick whiz around town it is ideal. I have to admit I don't really like this vehicle but my parents have had it for 5 years now and have never had anything go wrong with it - quite incredible, you can't say that about too many cars!
If you are still thinking about buying one of these beauty's after reading this review then here is a bit more interesting information. The fuel consumption isn't great at 32 mpg and each ...
Sydney315 18.07.2006 (19.07.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Suzuki Wagon R+ 1.3
Value for Money
Road Handling
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Advantages: Zooms at 120kph Disadvantages: Swings and vibrates at high speeds
I have been driving this car over a year and will really recommend you this car.
First of all it is a low range car.It runs on unleaded petrol and is a tall body car.
The air conditioner is amazing and cools my car within 90 seconds flat.The other reason why I chose this car is its heater,Its one of the best heaters available in cars.
There are additional features steering lock and also a good storage space.Even if you store your stephanie still you have place to keep 3 huge bags.Safety wise it has seat belts for every person that would sit in a car.The power steering eases the drive.
The wheels being small the car does not stick to the road and swings a bit after you reach speeds of 120 kilometres per hour.Also there are no safety bags available.There is little leg space for the back seat.Its a bit cramped.The looks are a bit tacky as ...
