Suzuki decides to discontinue WagonR

Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) has decided to discontinue WagonR and Ravi - two of its most popular car variants. As per credible reports, the company intends to halt the production of the aforementioned cars by June 2025. 

Prior to the current suspension order, the company discontinued Bolan and Mehran in 2024 and 2019, respectively, to modernise their fleet. Vendors have revealed the official schedule for WagonR and Ravi, indicating that the production for both cars is slated to drop to zero by the start of the fiscal year (FY) 2025-26.

However, analysts claim that the company has made this move despite the strong consumer demand for Ravi. According to reports, the demand for Bolan was high too at the time of its discontinuation - indicating Suzuki’s commitment to modernisation as opposed to pure profit maximization.

While Ravi has its substitute in the form of the ‘Every' pick-up, vendors have outlined how no alternative has been offered to WagonR by the company. In October 2024, Suzuki started producing Every, which was the same month Bolan was discontinued. This provided consumers the opportunity to switch seamlessly to their other product line.

Until Pak Suzuki offers a substitute, some believe that domestic consumers may gravitate towards purchasing imported WagonRs. Boasting greater fuel economies and features, imported vehicles have been offering greater competition to local automotive manufacturers and assemblers alike.

Pak Suzuki’s motivation behind the shelving of older variants of their vehicles could signal their intention to introduce a newer model of the variant. Reports indicate, however, that this move may spell bad news for several small to medium-sized dealers.

This is because converting potential consumers to customers may prove to be a tough task with new vehicles, especially while the market is facing rising competition.

However, the company’s ‘monopoly’ in the market is unlikely to disappear as the Suzuki models have the largest number of domestic spare parts manufacturers. The availability and price of spare parts in the market are key factors which potential buyers of automobiles consider before inking purchase agreements.

As per reports, the company has sold a sizable number of both variants over the years, with WagonR’s peak production recorded in 2019 at 33,173 units. Ravi’s production peaked in 2016 when the company reportedly assembled 29,825 units of the vehicle.

Many believe that the company should launch an alternative to WagonR before competitors, both domestic and foreign, attempt to capture Suzuki’s market share in the hatchback space.