Suzuki Ignis bags Good Design award, makes European debut at Paris Motor Show

The new Ignis, Suzuki Motor Corporation’s new compact crossover, had its European premiere today at the 2016 Paris Mondial de l’Automobile (Stand 511, Hall 1.0). The Ignis will go on sale in the UK and Europe in January 2017 and also in India. 

Earlier today, Suzuki Motor Corporation announced that the Ignis has won the Good Design Award 2016 hosted by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion) in Japan. The Ignis, launched in February 2016 in Japan, is based on the concept of ‘Functional and stylish mini crossover’ that not only can be used conveniently in daily usage, but also for outdoor activities. At the end of August 2016, sales of the Ignis were approximately 18,000 units in Japan.

India sales through Nexa channel

The Ignis, which was displayed at the 2016 Auto Expo in New Delhi, is a compact crossover – it’s tall, and peppered with SUV cues here and there, most prominently the big wheel arches. There’s beauty in proportions. The nose is beautifully composed, with an integrated grille-and-headlight cluster, the roof rails and wheel arches are very SUV-like, and the rear is retro-styled, in reference to the Suzukis of yesteryears.

While the car may be all-new, expect it to be powered by a modified version of the 1.2-litre K-series petrol engine that currently powers the Swift and the Baleno, as well as the 75hp 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. It is likely it will be offered with an automatic option, though the automatic gearbox will be a CVT and not an AMT.

The Ignis might be compact from the outside, but is surprisingly roomy on the inside. The seats are space-efficient, rear legroom is good (made better by the space created under the front seat), the dash is neatly designed and features a modern tablet along with a retro air-con controller, and the steering is all-new, as opposed to the Swift steering found in most Maruti cars today.

Maruti Suzuki India will bring the Ignis to its Nexa showrooms early next year, which indicates a premium positioning and a long feature list. The launch was initially scheduled for the upcoming festive season but has been pushed back due to capacity constraints at the carmaker's plant mainly due to the surging demand for the Vitara Brezza SUV and Baleno hatchback.