2000 SUZUKI Wagon R 1.0L 5MT (53 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Suzuki designed the Wagon R for the Japanese market, brought it to Europe, and built it in its Hungarian factory on the same assembly line with Opel/Vauxhall Agila.

The three vehicles were a fine example of badge engineering combining Suzuki kei-car experience and Opel’s drivetrains. Since the Japanese carmaker didn’t have the same dealer network as GM Europe, the joint venture worked excellently, and the three brands combined sold over 400,000 units from its first generation. In 2000, the carmaker introduced a facelifted version. As usual, only the front fascia and the badge on the steering wheel were different.

While the exterior design was rather dull, customers mostly bought the Suzuki Wagon R for its practicality. The small MPV was ideal for crowded city transportation thanks to the low fuel consumption it offered. While other carmakers offered city cars in a 3-door configuration, the Wagon R’s extra two doors helped rear passengers’ ingress and egress.

Inside, the cabin was fitted with good quality materials. Everything was well laid out. Its controls were intuitively placed and easy to action, while the black on white gauges was easy to read. The carmaker didn’t offer a wide choice of options for the interior, but in that segment, most customers asked just for cloth upholstery.

Suzuki offered the Wagon R with a choice of two engines: a 1.0-liter or 1.2-liter gasoline, the latter developing 75 hp. Both versions were paired to a 5-speed manual transmission.