Report - Third-gen Maruti Wagon R diesel with 7 seats under development in India

Will rival the Datsun Go+.

Engineers of Maruti-Suzuki and parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation have started work on the third generation Maruti Wagon R, which will hit showrooms in mid-2017, according to the Financial Express. The next iteration of the 'tall boy' hatchback will in fact be a mini MPV, sources told the publication.

Codenamed 'YCA', the new Wagon R will get a third row of seats much like the concept showcased at the 2013 edition of the Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS). Yet, the car will measure below 4 meters in length to take advantage of excise duty benefits. It will target annual sales of 200,000 units per annum, and rival cars like the Mahindra Quanto and the upcoming Datsun Go+.

Work on the new Wagon R has already started in India, and once the car is launched, it could also be exported to Indonesia, a source told the newspaper. Currently, the Ertiga is exported to Indonesia by way of CKD kits, while the company is also shipping some parts for the Wagon R.

Power for the new Wagon R will come from petrol and diesel engines, the latter being another first for the car. Despite drop in petrol prices, diesel continues to lead the market, especially in rural areas that account for 30 percent of total sales.

Also read: Maruti Wagon R sales cross 15 lakh units

The new Wagon R MPV will be just one of several all-new segments Maruti will be entering by end of this decade. The others include compact crossover, mini SUV, LCV, premium hatchback and premium MPV.

Competitor: Datsun Go+
Expected Price: INR 4-6 lakhs, ex-Showroom
Launch date: 2016-17

[Source - Financial Express, Images: Okezone, Kompass, Dapurpacu]