Name: Suzuki Ignis Review
Item: Suzuki Ignis
Author: Gumtree.com

The Suzuki Ignis was first launched in 2000 then discontinued just a few years later. The relaunched Ignis landed in 2017 and is a kind of cross between a city car and a miniature SUV. In the great Suzuki tradition of making diminutive off-roaders, this little car has the option of four-wheel drive should you ever need it. Engine choice is made simple as there’s just a 1.2-litre petrol unit on offer. It’s a capable motor though, and it gets a battery-powered boost from a mild-hybrid system.

Check out the Suzuki Ignis model page to find out more.

What we think about the Suzuki Ignis

The Suzuki Ignis makes a fairly good-value alternative to the city car competition and has a unique appeal.

Pros

Surprisingly spacious

Fun to drive around town

(Mostly) low costs

Cons

–

Euro NCAP three-star safety rating from 2016

–

High insurance groups

–

Ride can be bouncy

The Suzuki Ignis is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol unit capable of delivering up to 65 mpg. You can choose from the SZ3, SZ-T and SZ-5 trims; the base trim offers a bench seat for three in the back, but that becomes two separate seats in the higher trims.

Driving performance of the Suzuki Ignis

Our Driving Rating7 / 10

Thanks to its small size and low weight, this little Suzuki feels nippy around town. Of course, load it up with passengers and luggage and things slow down. Despite its height, the Ignis corners well, though the steering isn’t the most responsive. Where the steering is useful though is when it comes to parking, with a nice tight turning circle that helps with fitting into small spaces. While bumpier than a true city car, the ride comfort is more than acceptable for a car in this category, and it mostly soaks up larger bumps without issue.

Safety and reliability of the Suzuki Ignis

Our Safety Rating7 / 10

The Suzuki Ignis was awarded a three-star safety rating by Euro NCAP in 2016. That’s hardly a stellar score, but that said, it’s mostly down to the lack of safety tech like autonomous emergency braking (AEB). In fact, the score for safety assistance was just 25% while crash testing for child and adult occupants received a much more impressive 79%. In terms of reliability, Suzuki has an excellent reputation in this regard, so it’s not something you should lose sleep over.

Under the bonnet of the Suzuki Ignis

Our Engine Rating6 / 10

The 1.2-litre petrol engine generates 83 bhp and 107 Nm of torque, giving it a 0-62 mph time of 12.7 seconds and a top speed of 103 mph. Those numbers may not seem breathtaking but they’re up there with the city car competition, and the Ignis feels much sprightlier than these numbers suggest. There is the option of an automatic CVT gearbox which actually shaves 0.3 seconds of the 0-62 mph time, but the manual ‘box feels better. Unusually for this type of car, four-wheel drive is an option too.

What you'll find in the Suzuki Ignis

Our Design Rating7 / 10

The Ignis has a head-turning design that feels simultaneously modern and old-school. It sits quite squat with a broad-looking body, flared wheel arches and a wide-eyed front end that nods towards ruggedness while still managing to feel cute and quirky. The front and rear cut away abruptly, adding to its unique styling – and also making parking much easier! It will certainly appeal to those looking at funky city cars like the Volkswagen Up! and Fiat 500.

Comfort and interiors in the Suzuki Ignis

Our Comfort Rating7 / 10

Considering its size, the Ignis feels surprisingly spacious, accommodating four adults in relative comfort with impressive amounts of headroom and legroom. You can get three in the back if you go for a model with the rear bench seat, but it gets pretty cramped. The boot is a useful size too at 264 litres or 1100 litres with the seats down. The cabin is a pleasant place to be and, though far from luxurious, it does feel well constructed.

What features you'll find in the Suzuki Ignis

Our Features Rating7 / 10

The infotainment system comes with Bluetooth connectivity and a 7.0-inch touchscreen. This isn’t exactly the best screen you’ll ever see and the user interface feels clunky. Unless you’re going for the base trim, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, and we’d certainly recommend getting them. As well as smartphone integration, the SZ-T adds stylish 16″ alloys and, if safety is a concern, the SZ5 trim comes with automatic braking assistance.

What fuel efficiency to expect from the Suzuki Ignis

Our Fuel Consumption Rating7 / 10

The mild-hybrid 1.2-litre petrol engine on the Suzuki Ignis offers a combined fuel consumption figure of 55.7 mpg. Of course, if you choose the automatic gearbox, that drops by around 4 mpg, and you’ll suffer the same 4 mpg loss if you opt for the four-wheel drive system too. CO2 emissions are a respectable 114 g/km, rising by approximately 10 g/km with the auto ‘box or AllGrip four-wheel drive. These numbers compare favourably to the competition.

Running costs of the Suzuki Ignis

Our Cost Rating7 / 10

Tax-friendly CO2 emissions, good fuel economy and the expectation of reliability add up to a positive picture on the costs front. Warranties from new are fairly standard and servicing or maintenance costs are unlikely to be high. There is a spanner in the works though, and that’s insurance groups. No Ignis has a lower group than 15 and they end up as high as 21. If you’re likely to be seriously affected by insurance premiums, it makes sense to get a quote before you buy.

Our verdict of the Suzuki Ignis

4 / 5 Gumtree rating

No other city car can also pull off being a mini-SUV, combining smooth urban driving and parking with surprising ability on more rugged roads.

Suzuki Ignis Review