2001 Suzuki Wagon R+ GL 1.3

Summary:

Good value shopper, average performance elsewhere nothing to write home about

Faults:

Door central locking with key, affected by weather, needed lubricant.Eventually needed replacing under warranty.

Drivers electric window winder had to be replaced, under warranty.

Windscreen rubber surround came unstuck.

One spark plug had spark-over causing misfire.

Front wheel alignment out.

Front tires replaced under warranty, because of severe dangerous wear on one of them.

The automatic works well, but has poor speed on a long hill, causing the engine to race.

General Comments:

This car is most reliable, never fails to start, always the tacho is rock steady on idle.

Good visibility all round when rear head restaints are removed.

Being 6ft 3 tall the head clearance is great, the pedal position is good.

The brakes are very efficient, steering also.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th November, 2003

27th Jan 2005, 09:29

We ran a 2001 Wagon R+ for 78,000 miles and loved it, having traded for a cheaper Kia Picanto, we miss it.

Problems over 78,000 miles; tracking out and destroyed 2 front tyres, dealer would not contribute-reading these reports this seems a common fault that others have had sorted under warranty. Dash clock failed. Door locks replaced. Stalled far too easily, especially when reversing uphill-enormous revs needed. Reverse difficult to engage. Very expensive service at 54,000 miles- over £500 with cambelt and brakes. Awful fiddly radio. Many great features and good spec with air-con, elec windows etc, good visibility, excellent rear seat fold down mechanism and easy to use in town. If Suzuki hadn't been so mean on the trade-in we'd have had another. Considering it was a small engine town car and covered over 78,000 in just three years it was very dependable.

21st Sep 2005, 10:56

Further to the above comment, we missed the Wagon R so much that we have traded the Picanto in for a new 1.2 model Wagon R. They seem to have improved many parts- standard air-con, ABS, EBD, hard back shelf etc, but the back seats are very laid back and not upright. We'll see if it as reliable as the last one...!

2000 Suzuki Wagon R+ R+ 1.3

Summary:

Does what it was designed to do

Faults:

Door locks have been very temperamental: locking or unlocking the driver's door locks or unlocks the other doors only when the 'central locking' system feels like it.

General Comments:

If you are the sort of person for whom this car was designed it is a great buy; if you are after street cred go elsewhere. Mine has been used to lug all sorts of DIY stuff around and it makes a great 'taxi': very easy for older people to get in and out. I find mine a nice easy driving car around town and on motorways: I almost never drive on twisting rural rides where its height might make for less than optimum handing.

One major gripe (I wrote to Suzuki about this on the previous model) is that if you are tall (I am 6'3") you cannot see most of the speedo and the warning lights.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th April, 2003