According to company sources, the Suzuki Wagon R will be phased out in Pakistan in 2023.
Although the automaker has yet to officially end production of the Wagon R, it is expected that production will end by the end of the current fiscal year.
The decision was made primarily because Pak Suzuki imports Wagon R CKD parts from Indonesia, where the vehicle was discontinued last year. Because of the relatively high demand, Suzuki Indonesia was only supplying parts to Pakistan.
However, because demand for new vehicles in our country has plummeted due to rising prices, higher car financing costs, and the depletion of the masses’ purchasing power, exporting a limited number of kits of a discontinued model makes little sense for Suzuki.
As an immediate replacement for the Wagon R is not planned, Pak Suzuki is likely to stick with the Cultus (Celerio) hatchback in the 1.0L segment. Although it has displayed a new Wagon R model at this year’s Pakistan Auto Show (PAPS).
According to sources, the company will also say goodbye to the ageing Bolan minivan in Pakistan sometime in 2023 and replace it with the Suzuki Every, as previously reported.
The Wagon R was introduced in Pakistan in 2014 as a replacement for the 1000cc 5th generation Alto.
It was based on the second generation Maruti Wagon R, but it was routed to Pakistan via Indonesia, where the hatchback was known as the Karimun Wagon R.
It had a difficult time gaining traction in our country at first, as the Wagon R was able to outsell the average sales of the 5th generation Alto in FY2016-17—nearly 3 years of its presence in the market.
Whereas its total sales for the first three years were less than that of FY2016-17.
Wagon R sales in Pakistan have also been very disappointing in recent years, particularly since the launch of the 8th generation Alto 660cc in mid-2019.
Wagon R had a hopeless year in 2020, recording its lowest-ever sales multiple times. It reached a high in FY2018-19, selling 32,614 units per month on average.
To read our blog on “Suzuki’s Fronte 800 model from the 1960s,” click here
