Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, Japan, Chevrolet, GM, Suzuki
Wish You Were Here: Japan's Chevrolet MW
If it was sold here, it could give the Scion xB a run for its money. it's boxy, it's cool, and it's Japanese-branding has credibility. The vehicle I'm talking about is the Chevrolet MW, a rebadged Suzuki Wagon R.
From the looks of things, the MW is positioned as an upmarket compact wagon -- the leather seats and snazzy take on the Wagon R interior are the visual indicators that this is the case. The regular Wagon R and the slick-looking Wagon RR variant make do with the cloth seats generally found in the cars that make up this segment.
The upmarket nature is also on display underhood. Suzuki's M13A 1.3L 4-cylinder rests in the MW's engine bay. It's good for 88 horsepower and is hooked up to a 4-speed automatic. The Wagon Rs are kei cars so they must make use of Suzuki's 660cc 3-cylinder in either normally-aspirated (50 hp) or turbocharged (64 hp) form.
The interior is pretty flexible, with the folding seats and numerous storage nooks that are par for the course in these types of Japanese mini-wagons.
The MW is a neat little package that we'll sadly never see here. First off, the Wagon R is a right-hand-drive car. Secondly, GM has sold off most of its stake in Suzuki anyway, and each automaker seems to be heading in its own direction. To that effect, Suzuki has announced it will cease importation of the Chevy Trailblazer and Optra (Forenza) Wagon.
Too bad, this is one Chevy-badged import that would likely have connected with people here in the U.S.
In the world of automotive forbidden fruit, the Chevrolet MW is a tempting little apple, indeed.
Update: Reader PaulN points out in the comments that the Wagon R is available in LHD as well. The Opel Agila is a Wagon R rebadge. Hope springs eternal! Thanks for the correction, Paul.
(More Pics after the jump)
[Source: Suzuki Japan (translated)]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Howard Kerr 8:13PM (7/09/2006)
Wow, Alex....what drugs are you on? The ONLY way this could give a Scion xb a "run for it's money" would be if it was priced WAYYYY lower than the xb. The 84 horsepower engine would be what? about the least powerful engine available in any car currently sold in the U.S. and it is way too narrow to be comfortable transport for average sized Americans.
"....the Chevy MW is a tempting little apple".....NOT.
And no folks, I'm not a Scion/Toyota lover or Chevy basher...I am, however, a realist. What about you Mr. Nunez?
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pauln 8:29PM (7/09/2006)
Wrong about the right hand drive only. The Wagon R has been sold by Suzuki as well as by Opel (Agila) in Europe for the past two generations. It always got good reviews in auto Motor ans Sport, which I read, and I developed a latent interest in the car. It's a bit smaller than the Xb, but not that much; really quite roomy. I think in the current market, it could sell in the US, especially since Suzuki is now going alone. Priced right, it could offer an attractive size/price/efficiency package.
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K 8:32PM (7/09/2006)
Reminds me of an astro gone terribly, terribly, wrong. Let's hope for GM's sake that the new alliance pulls through :S
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Brent 8:37PM (7/09/2006)
Coming from a Scion xB owner... that thing is straight up FUGLY. Horrible front-end and just weird... at least the xB is clean in its appearance. The only nice thing about it is the leather interior.
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Eric L. 8:50PM (7/09/2006)
Woot!! A mini Astro! The Astro went terribly terribly wrong when GM decided to sell it for nearly 20 years unchanged. I have no problems with GM using Asian or European designs for their cars - the stigma of buying an American car with American design for Toyota/Honda fans would be alleviated with some fresh styling from abroad.
BTW, the xB replacement is already sold in Japan and it looks slick - same boxy shape but rounded front end with some *angry* headlights. I love it.
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Redhead Stepchild 9:11PM (7/09/2006)
I love it, that would be a great little job for runing around town and making short trips. What kind of gas mileage does it get, and how much does it cost. Great looking interior.
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naggs 9:40PM (7/09/2006)
they should just bring the wagon RR R (yes there is such a model)
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Underdog 9:54PM (7/09/2006)
What is that thing protruding from the steering column and why is it so long and hockey stick-like? New passenger shift feature maybe? Kick start? Dunno.
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Bob-o 10:08PM (7/09/2006)
This is a K-car. The Scion xB (nor xA) is not since they're both too large to fit the definition. Different market, Autoblog...
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Rastus 10:09PM (7/09/2006)
In the event of a frontal crash...I'm wondering what will go first...your knees or your face. Looks like either one has all but 3 inches of travel.
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flow 10:28PM (7/09/2006)
The previous model was sold briefly in Ausralia. It was too small, too cramped and too slow. Even as I believe the cheapest car available at the time, it just didn't sell... And that's in Australia, where the Smart is sold. Never a chance to make it to the US at all.
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Dan 10:45PM (7/09/2006)
Considering the content of other recent stories, I think that GM should sell this car in China as the "Buick Superior" :-)
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Richard Warren 11:22PM (7/09/2006)
If this had a a Scion, Toyota, Nissan, any Korean badge you'd be drooling over it and telling us what a wonderful idea it was.
However, it says Chevy and it's ugly, underpowered any excuse for bashing, it shows boys, it shows.
What's ugly? The F**King Scion lump box I parked next too at the store today. Grandma stuffed into the back seat of the one today looked miserable, but I sure the boom box impressed her. As I heard some folks point and laugh as it left the parking lot sort of summed it up.
#8 that would be the shift lever.
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Poopy Head 12:52AM (7/10/2006)
Anyone that buys these things are one or more of the following four things:
Foreign, Poor, Lacking taste, or Blind
I'm sure most Scion xA and xB buyers are at least two of the above.
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taipeileviathan 12:52AM (7/10/2006)
don't feed the troll...
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mike 1:36AM (7/10/2006)
i agree with #13 .. just because it has a Gm badge it becomes ugly and all negative thing u American bashers are .. you all think aisan cars are all superior in all aspects and that no american cars make to your list... though i agree it needs reworking done its not anywhere far from being as ugly as ur scion xb is .. if u look at the interior is superior to that of ur xb its clean and pretty well laid out but alas its GM and GM only make bad cars (at least in your own American bashing world)
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PJ 1:49AM (7/10/2006)
I'm pretty impartial as brand loyalty goes, and I'd say that this would not be desirable in the U.S. no matter what badge was stuck on the hood.
For one thing, as other commenters have mentioned, this vehicle is in no way comparable to Scion's xB. The Suzu-- er, Chevy MW is all of 139 inches long and 52 inches wide, for starters. The xB is 155 and 67 inches, respectively, making it an entire size class larger. Americans wouldn't buy anything much smaller than an xB...
Beyond that, it generates 88 horsepower (versus the Scion's 103), and doesn't offer a manual transmission. That adds up to nearly 13 seconds to reach 60 MPH, which is pretty much unacceptable to most Americans.
Most importantly, the MW looks like an upended refrigerator. Even the xB boasts better proportions and more attractive detailing (headlights, grille, et cetera).
And even if someone thought it was "cute," the bottom line is that this vehicle hasn't received many (if any) meaningful updates since the late 1990s. Aside from the leather seats and rich-looking Chevy steering wheel, the interior is crude, boxy, and flimsy. I hardly think Chevy missed the boat by keeping this aging mini-appliance out of American showrooms...
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SGraf 2:32AM (7/10/2006)
I'm pretty sure that this thing looks like the Astro on purpose. It seems that the Astro van enjoys a kind of a cult status over in Japan, with owners who take great pride in pimping their vans out with all kinds of interior and exterior upgrades. Smart move by GM... but they should bring it here as well!
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epp_b 2:35AM (7/10/2006)
It looks like one GM's big-ol' vans was put in a trash compactor.
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PJ 4:01AM (7/10/2006)
Incidentally, mike and Richard, you can let go of any perceptions of anti-GM bias. This vehicle is pure Suzuki, having been designed in the '90s with zero GM input. The only things Chevy contributed to the MW are the badges in the grille and on the steering-wheel hub.
It's as much a GM vehicle as the "Buick Excelle" mentioned in a previous AB post...
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