Maruti XL5: Is It More Than Just A Premium Wagon R?
Maruti XL5 is the upcoming premium version of the popular hatchback, Maruti Wagon R. However, the Maruti XL5 is actually more than that and will come with features not found in the regular Wagon R. The XL5 will be sold via the company’s NEXA outlet, which also sells other high-end cars like Maruti Baleno, Ignis and S-Cross.
XL5 has been spotted testing several times on the Indian roads and there are a number of details regarding the car which makes it more than just a premium Wagon R.
Main Difference Between Maruti XL5 And Wagon R
For starters, the XL5 is much different than Wagon R in terms of exterior. The XL5 is just as tall as Wagon R but is much wider at the base. Also, in terms of design changes, the rear of the XL5 is much more curved than Wagon R as is apparent by looking at the rear glass window which is much smaller and rounded. All of this points towards a redesigned boot.
A wider stance with no change in height will help reduce the roll-over, a problem with which the current Wagon R suffers from. To give you a reference, the XL5 will be bigger in size than the current-gen Maruti Ignis.
The XL5 will also utilize a different wheel size than the Wagon R. As is apparent from the spy pics, the XL5 seems to be making use of 15-inch alloy wheels which are similar in shape with the one’s Maruti Ignis uses. It will also have a bigger ground clearance courtesy of the big tires.
These alloys help in reducing the drag and weight of the car, hence giving it a performance boost.
The XL5 also features longer tail lamps. The length of the lights is comparable to the Maruti Ritz which stretches from the top of the rear window to the rear number plate.
Speaking of the front of the car, it features a totally new hood and bumper. The headlights will consist of DRL LED lights in combination with either Halogen or projector headlamps. From the spy pics, it is clear that two sets of lights will be used.
There have also been leaks of a Maruti Wagon R electric car, however, if they’re true Maruti won’t likely be selling them through their NEXA dealerships. Instead, it will sell them from a different platform dedicated to electric cars.
For the moment, the XL5 will make use of a 1.2 Litre 4-Cylinder K-series engine which will be BS6 compliant. The same powerplant on Maruti Wagon R makes around 82 BHP and 113 Nm of torque. Expect the engine on Maruti XL5 to make the same figures. However, the engine will be tuned to create more power at the lower end to compensate for any extra weight added to the car.
In terms of the interior, expect minimal changes. The XL6, which is based on Maruti Ertiga, features a more or less similar layout of clusters. Most changes in the XL5 interior include the driver’s console, the center console, and the gear stick.
Maruti will completely reveal the XL5 during the upcoming 2020 Auto Expo along with an updated Brezza and Swift hybrid models.
