Maruti Suzuki has introduced its first flex-fuel car in the Indian market. It is the country's first mass-market flex-fuel passenger car, and its headline ability is that it can run on ethanol-blended petrol ranging from E20 all the way up to E85, with the company having tested it up to E100. By comparison, the regular WagonR is offered mainly with petrol (E20) or CNG options.
Why Flex Fuel Matters
The point of this new car is not just to add another variant. The flex-fuel version is meant to push eco-friendly fuel use, support the country's farmers and cut down our dependence on imported oil. In other words, its impact runs from the environment straight through to the economy.
How Much the Price Differs
For most buyers, the first question is the cost. The flex-fuel version is built on the top ZXi+ MT base, which makes it pricier. Its ex-showroom price starts at around ₹7.24 lakh. The regular WagonR, on the other hand, sits in the ₹5 to 6.5 lakh range. So choosing the flex version means spending a bit more.
Design: Barely Any Change
Look at the two models from the outside and they appear almost identical. The flex-fuel WagonR carries the same tall-boy stance, the same floating roof look (with a blacked-out C-pillar), vertical taillamps and 14-inch wheels as the standard car. The only real difference comes down to the fluorescent badging and side decals. The car measures 3655 mm in length with a 2435 mm wheelbase, while the width has been slightly increased. Both remain easy to park.
No Change Inside the Cabin
Step inside and you will not feel any difference between the two cars. Both get a beige-black dual-tone cabin, spacious seating for five, and good headroom and legroom. The 7-inch touchscreen, steering-mounted controls and manual AC are common to both. Boot space stands at 341 litres. The flex version brings no extra changes to the cabin.
Features and Safety
Both cars come with a 7-inch infotainment system (with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support), power ORVMs and tilt steering. Since the flex-fuel model is based on the top variant, some premium features come as standard, although the basic comfort level is the same in both. On safety, the flex-fuel car gets 6 airbags, ESP, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, hill hold assist and a seatbelt reminder as standard. Worth noting, the regular WagonR also offers variants with 6 airbags.
Engine and Performance
The biggest technical difference is hidden inside the engine. The regular WagonR comes with two engine options, a 1.0L (68 PS) and a 1.2L K12N (90 PS, 113 Nm), available with both MT and AMT gearboxes. The flex-fuel version uses an upgraded version of the same 1.2-litre K12N engine, reworked to handle the corrosive effect of ethanol. It gets new components such as special injectors, a fuel pump, lines, an ECU and an ethanol sensor. Its power and torque are slightly better, but mileage can drop on a high ethanol blend (the ARAI figure is 25 kmpl in petrol mode). One key point is that the flex-fuel car can only be bought with a 5-speed MT, whereas the regular 1.2L also offers an AMT option.
