Suzuki Ignis – A city car is one designed small spaces. Ignis is a reasonably priced car for the beginner, downsizer, or fiscally challenged.It comes GL and GLX, with our car being the GXL.
Outside
It has the face of an angel. LED projector lights eject brilliant light at night. The wheels are 16” alloys on GXL and 15” on GX.
It has has a couple of buttons on the doors for smart entry, and another button on the dash to start. That’s dead posh that is.
The handsome exterior has been updated with new grille, lights, and colours.
Inside?
There is tons of room, but only for short trips. Luggage is 264L.
Rear passengers are tight, but those up front are far better off. Seats feel small for larger people. Remember, you’re only going to and from work, so it isn’t so bad.
The driver has a an extra lever for height.
There is a surprising amount of headroom, but I wouldn’t mind the doors being just a touch higher.
If you get a chance, have a look at the floor coverings in the front, where felt-like fabric is just pushed in to place. It is scrunched up over the wheel arch like a crumpled chip packet.
The plakky bits are hard to touch and while it feels a trifle cheap, it also feels like it will outlast Cliff Richard.
What about the goodies?
There is a generous touch screen with navigation and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on all models.
You get dusk sensing headlights on GLX, but wipers are manual. Climate control is fully automatic, but limited to a single zone.
Cruise control is also manual, and comes with a speed limiter.
Safety gear is limited. Ingis Scored just 3/5 stars on EuroNCAP.
There is no: active cruise control, lane departure, or blind spot monitor etc. You need these at a minimum for 5 stars. Yaris has all this, but costs many more monies.
You still get 6 airbags, hill hold, ESC, ABS and a brace of ISOFIX points, well, 2 of them anyway. There are 2 child seat anchorages, with all this topped off by a quite decent reversing camera.
What’s Ignis Like to drive?
Ignis has a compact 1.2L Duojet 4-cylinder. It produces 66kw and 120Nm, and is coupled to either a CVT or 5 Speed Manual. GXL has CVT only. This particular automatic has the little engine screaming at the slightest hint of the need for power.
Suzuki claims 4.9L/100k, but we managed 6.8l/100k at best.
Ride is ok most, but the Macpherson Strut front end is tethered to a Torsion Beam rear end. Add to that, a set of rear drum brakes from the 19th century, and you’re in no doubt that your cheap city car is exactly that.
The cabin is fairly quiet, but with frequent protests from the engine, things can get a bit raucous.
Despite the modest power, and cheap cabin, Ignis is so much fun, because it is so nippy. You dart in and out of traffic like a cat on carpet.
Ignis is a mere 3700mm in length, and 1660mm wide. It makes parking incredibly easy
Is Ignis Worth the Money?
Ignis is not the kind of car that makes you want to jump for joy. Having said that, Ignis never complains, and never lets you down. It is cheap enough not to be precious, and cheeky enough to cute and fun.
Despite the slightly disappointing 3star EuroNCAP, you don’t mind paying 20 grand for it. Private buyers get 5 years of warranty with unlimited K’s, or 160,000 K’s if you insist on being an Uber driver.
I love the looks and would be very happy to have one as a cheap run-around.
