Getting in and out of a car shouldn’t feel like a yoga pose—and Maruti Suzuki seems to agree. In a thoughtful move towards inclusive mobility, the country’s largest carmaker has introduced a swivel seat option for the WagonR, aimed at making everyday travel easier for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
The innovation marks a significant step in bringing accessibility into India’s mass car market. Instead of reinventing the car, Maruti Suzuki has done something far more practical—it made the seat smarter.
Designed to rotate outward, the swivel seat allows easier ingress and egress, reducing strain and restoring independence for passengers who need a little extra support. Importantly, this is achieved without replacing the original OEM seat, ensuring safety and structural integrity remain uncompromised. Installation takes about an hour, and the seat comes with a three-year warranty, making it both convenient and reassuring.
The initiative draws inspiration from Suzuki Group’s global philosophy, ‘By Your Side’, and aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 10, which focuses on reducing inequality. In simple terms: mobility should work for everyone, not just the most flexible among us.
The swivel seat is being rolled out as a pilot project in 11 cities, across more than 200 Maruti Suzuki ARENA dealerships. Customers can opt for the seat either while buying a new WagonR or retrofit it into an existing one. Given the WagonR’s status as one of India’s top-selling cars, Maruti Suzuki is effectively making accessibility mainstream—not niche.
Partnering with Bengaluru-based startup TRUEAssist Technology Private Limited under its startup incubation programme with NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore, Maruti Suzuki has blended large-scale manufacturing expertise with agile innovation. The result is an assistive mobility solution that feels less like an add-on and more like a natural extension of the car’s design.
The WagonR’s iconic Tall Boy stance, with generous headroom and legroom, further complements the swivel seat, making the humble hatchback an unexpectedly strong ally in inclusive design.
Commenting on the initiative, Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said the swivel seat would make daily travel more comfortable and dignified for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. He added that offering this feature on a high-volume model like the WagonR helps reach a wider audience, reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering the ‘Joy of Mobility’ to as many people as possible.
TRUEAssist founder Naina Padaki echoed the sentiment, noting that integrating assistive technology into a mass-market favourite like the WagonR could help inclusive mobility reach millions of families across India.
The swivel seat kit has been tested and certified by ARAI, complies with all required safety norms, and is installed without altering the vehicle’s structure or core functioning—because safety, after all, shouldn’t take a back seat.
In an industry obsessed with screens, horsepower and connectivity, Maruti Suzuki’s latest innovation is refreshingly human. Sometimes, progress isn’t about going faster—it’s about making the journey easier to begin with.
