I just bought my first zero meter car - WAGONR VXL
About my self - I love cars and enjoy driving. I currently also own a Cultus 2004 VXR CNG and previously owned a 88 Corola and a 2004 SE
First Look - really it is not one of the best looking cars, I did not get the exterior add-on body kit, he box shape design, and the height of the car might cause people to think of it as the love child of a APV and a rickshaw. The Tiny company provided 145mm wide tires are not impressive and neither do they inspire confidence, even the mehran has a 155mm stock tire. I replaced them with yokohama 175mms, as soon as Suzuki offered to replace them if i required with out compromise on the warranty.
Id give the exterior a decent 5.5/10
The interior - It is stunning with regards to any current PKDM in the 1000cc class. The plastics inside are solid, the steering wheels feels pleasant and gauges look nice over its other top-line PKDM competition namely the santro exec and cultus vxr. The interior is very spacious with great leg room (I would think largest amongst the three) , however the seats are a tad smaller and might cause slight discomfort while driving on a long trip, the cultus might have an advantage here over the wagonr. The Driver sits high, with a high visibility in 180 degrees, the front seats are adjustable, and can fit even the tallest of people without compromising alot on the rear seat leg space. The size of the side mirrors are large, something always wanted after driving my previous car, 2004 1.6 SE Saloon Corolla, helping with the overall first feel when you sit at the wheel. The gear stick sits low and feels like the only thing that lies low, while every thing else is reaching for the heavens.
The bonus Is the under seat space under the front left passenger seat... i can think of many things to hide while travelling with my friends 3:D. A little disappointing is the no ash tray and Cigarette Lighter in the car, but i appreciate Suzuki's no support for Smoking and you can easily get ashtray and car lighter for under 400Rs.
I rate the interior a warm 7.5/10, i rate the interior higher mostly on my preference of how spacious it is.
The Drive - The engine starter is pure delight, love how it sounds and then how it brings the engine to life. Once the engine starts you might feel a very slight vibration, it is very normal for a three cylinder car to have them when its cold, however after 2-3 mins of idling it irons out. I believe it should get better as the New engine settles in after some use. Also dont worry about the slight humming for about 3-4 seconds as you turn the ignition on, its the fuel pump priming up for the start. Shifting gears is easy, and can be compared to that of a Swift, better then the Cultus and Santro, as the gear lever contentiously vibrates and gives feedback when it gets the chance. The Pedals are well spaced, and provide ample footspace so you can easily wear large shoes and not accidentally press the brake and accelerator. The car picks up Smooth and feels zippy and torquier then its competition. I think the electric power steering might be overkill, it makes the car very easy to drive, there is zero road feedback, i could not feel it even on bumpy roads. the car initially gave me the false pretense that it was clumsy, but surprisingly it was better then expected, however, the tall blue eyed boy wasn't made to be on a track, so you might want to be careful while trying to take a corner at high speeds, lets just leave it at that. The car brakes very well, although no ABS, even on the wet roads, I did try a 120-0KmPh Stop, and turns out i could do it less then 130 feet with the proper down shift. The car overall suspension is stiff and has body roll, although not sever, but higher than any car in its class, and the car tends to under steer. The interior remains quiet on bumpy roads, the suspension is softer than any current 1000cc PKDM, but still your butt might feel a pothole or two as it is still stiff by all other standards and suffers from the small car - small tire syndrome. There is very low cabin noise, well below my expectations.
It is fun driving this abomination!
Over All Id give Handling 6.5/10, Braking 7.5/10, Comfort 6.5/10, over all drive experience a realistic 6.5/10.
The Engine - The WagonR sports the new K10B engine. It packs a punch for a 1000cc, and quieter, smoother and very fuel efficient. It sits very neatly in the engine bay, and is pretty good looking too. As I mentioned before, This car is zippy, and is way more fun to drive then any other 1000cc PKDM or JDM in Pakistan. I use pure HOBC, and the engine responds with delight and happiness of being fed with the fuel. I have not heard any knocking of sorts, even while trying to accelerate in 5th gear from 40 KmPh.
More Information tomorrow.
Overall, I would give the car a decent 6.5, It is the face of PakSuzuki, And would recommend any one looking for Jap or other PKDM vehicle, go get a WagoR.