Suzuki Ignis review
The funky Suzuki Ignis mixes crossover looks and city car dimensions with interesting results
The Suzuki Ignis is a real breath of fresh air in the city car class, offering desirable crossover-style looks and a distinctive character that sets it apart from rivals. Love or hate the exterior, you have to accept that there’s little else at this price with so much personality.
The Ignis also sticks to Suzuki’s usual traits of offering tonnes of equipment for not an awful lot of money, and despite the dinky dimensions it’s actually very versatile and spacious. It’s light, and feels agile and nippy around town, but the market’s best small cars are both more comfortable and more composed to drive.
About the Suzuki Ignis
The Suzuki Ignis is one of the quirkiest cars for sale today. It combines the Japanese company's small-car expertise and 4x4 know-how into one package. While the name is a blast from Suzuki's past (most notably on the rally-inspired Ignis Sport), the current Ignis is a car that trades on its style, as it really stands out from the crowd.
Supposedly inspired by the Whizzkid coupe of the late 1970s, the main talking point is the raked rear windscreen and the design of the C-pillars. Combine this with the chunky wheelarches and distinctive front end, and there really isn't any other car on the road that looks like the Ignis.
It's hard to pinpoint any direct rivals, because the Ignis mixes city car dimensions and sporty SUV styling so well. If you're looking at an Ignis, then you might consider a Fiat Panda Cross model, or a small 4x4 such as the Dacia Duster.
The VW up! is still available as a more traditional city car alternative, although the closely related Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii are now only to be found on the used market, along with the parts-sharing Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo. The Korean pairing of the Hyundai i10 and the Kia Picanto are also strong contenders, with the former providing decent comfort and the latter model a sportier edge.
Some might feel the Ignis lacks a little interior quality, with some cheap trim on show in the cabin, but when you think how much you’re paying, it’s entirely forgivable. Four-wheel drive, and a super-frugal hybrid variant, means there are plenty of strings to this little Suzuki’s bow.
A facelift in 2020 saw Suzuki introduce some subtle exterior styling tweaks for the Ignis, as well as extra onboard tech and a modified version of its 1.2-litre hybrid powertrain. Hybrid technology is standard across the range, and now includes a larger-capacity battery pack and revised belt-driven starter-generator to help improve overall efficiency.
Three trim levels are offered in combination with the front-wheel-drive, five-speed manual model: SZ3, SZ-T and SZ5. Opt for the CVT automatic version and you miss out on the entry SZ3 specification, while the 4x4 AllGrip, five-speed manual variant only comes in the top SZ5 trim.
How much does the Suzuki Ignis cost?
Suzuki's recommended retail prices (RRP) for new Suzuki Ignis models are as follows:
- SZ3: Starting from £15,859
- SZ-T (Manual): Starting from £17,949
- SZ-T (CVT Automatic): Starting from £18,949
- SZ5 (Manual): Starting from £18,949
- SZ5 (ALLGRIP 4WD): Starting from £19,949
For nearly new or used 2024 models, prices range approximately between £15,750 and £18,950, depending on mileage, trim, and condition.
Engines, performance and drive
The Suzuki Ignis pretends to be a shrunken SUV, but it’s actually one of the lightest cars you can buy in Britain - base models weigh in at just 895kg, which is lighter than a two-seat Smart EQ fortwo coupe.
The Ignis feels agile and nimble as a result of that low weight and short wheelbase, meaning it's certainly a world away from most heavy crossovers. It’s a delight to drive around town, with the small size, upright driving position and excellent visibility making it perfect for threading through tight gaps.
However, it lacks the sophistication of rivals once you head out onto the open road, with slow and vague steering reducing the fun factor when speeds increase. Body roll is noticeable despite an initially keen feel, while a number of conventional city cars tackle bends with more composure.
The ride is also a bugbear. The Ignis is softly sprung, taking the edge off speed humps, but it gets caught out easily by sharp bumps, which thud and crash through the cabin. Road noise is quite pronounced, too, while noticeable wind and engine noise mean it isn’t the best city car for longer journeys.
A facelift in 2020 brought in an updated hybrid system, with a larger-capacity battery pack and a revised belt-driven starter-generator to improve efficiency. Suzuki also modified the 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, introducing a new fuel injection system, an updated variable valve timing system, a variable displacement oil pump and electric piston cooling jets.
Engines, 0-62mph acceleration and top speed
Your engine choice is limited if you want an Ignis. To keep costs down, Suzuki offers just an 82bhp 1.2-litre four-cylinder ‘Dualjet’ petrol engine, coupled with a mild-hybrid system for economy-minded buyers.
Around town there’s plenty of poke to get you about, with a slick gearshift letting you keep it on the boil. 107Nm of torque isn’t an awful lot, however, so on motorways and up hills you’ll need to rev it hard just to keep up with traffic. It’s noisy when you do so, too.
There's only a few tenths splitting the model range in terms of sprinting ability: the entry five-speed manual version manages 0-62mph in 12.7 seconds, with the CVT automatic a little quicker at 12.4 seconds. The all-wheel-drive SZ5 model is the slowest of the bunch, taking 12.8 seconds from to reach 0-62mph.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
The Ignis shares the familiar Suzuki family trait of being good value for money. And even looking past the attractive list prices, it should prove cheap to run. The entry SZ3 manual model is capable of up to 58.0mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, while opting for the CVT automatic still sees fuel economy of over 52mpg. The top-spec SZ5 (five-speed manual) version returns 52.4mpg.
These figures should be achievable in real world driving - when we tried the previous 1.2-litre, non-hybrid variant we found it easy to exceed 50mpg under normal, everyday conditions.
CO2 emissions are decent, too, starting at 110g/km for the entry SZ3 model, through to 122g/km if you choose a CVT auto version. Another bonus is that repair bills for the Ignis are likely to be roughly in line with the rest of the Suzuki range – and not very expensive.
Insurance Groups
For a small, low cost city car, the Ignis isn’t all that cheap to insure. One factor to blame on that is the three-star Euro NCAP safety rating (rising to five stars for models with the enhanced safety pack). Insurance groups start from group 15, rising to group 21 for the SZ-T manual version.
In comparison, the Dacia Duster is in group 13, while a 99bhp Kia Picanto in top-spec GT-Line S trim is in group 11.
Depreciation
Residual values for the Ignis are competitive compared to rivals in the city car class. After an average ownership period of three-years and 36,000-miles, it should hold onto around 51 per cent of its original value, whereas a Kia Picanto can only manage around 46 per cent. The Hyundai i10 is slightly ahead with around 54 per cent of its original list price retained after 36-months of motoring.
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Interior, design and technology
Key to the Suzuki Ignis’ appeal is its styling. Unlike the boxy old Ignis, today’s model brings a fresh and distinctive approach to small car design, ushering in a crossover-style look that stands out next to rivals.
From the front, the Ignis looks narrow and has a bold bumper and grille design, surrounded by a chrome strip and with U-shaped LED running lights on higher spec models. Side-on, you start to see the crossover influences in the stretched wheelarches and body cladding although, interestingly, you need to choose SZ-T models and above to receive those and roof rails. A Super Black Pearl Metallic roof can also be selected to contrast with one of four optional metallic body-colours or the standard solid Fervent Red.
The rear is where the retro influences lie, with the steeply raked window line and slits in the C-Pillars designed to hark back to Suzuki’s ‘Whizzkid’ city car of the 1970s. The inside is far more conventional, but still more striking than many city car interiors. The two-tone effect for the upper and lower dash brightens things up, as does the body coloured door pulls and centre console plastic. The central screen juts out from the top of the dash, yet the graphics are dated and that lets things down a bit.
Another problem is the materials used. You can tell where Suzuki has made weight savings, particularly with the tinny-feeling doors, but this is forgivable given the price and kerbweight. A lot of the cabin plastics are hard and scratchy, and the seats aren’t very supportive – a number of rivals feel more grown-up inside. It’s all solidly put together, though, and mostly feels built to last.
The Ignis was facelifted in 2020 with exterior styling tweaks that included a new five-bar radiator grille, revised front and rear bumpers and new skid plates, while the cabin now features a new digital instrument cluster with a black and white surround.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The first UK examples of the Ignis came with a fiddly aftermarket Pioneer infotainment system, but the current SZ-T and SZ5 models now include a 7-inch infotainment display. The SZ5 includes integrated sat-nav, too.
Unfortunately, the screen is not the easiest to use. It often takes a couple of prods to respond to your inputs, while the graphics are low-res and a bit cheap looking. The volume slider on the side of the screen isn’t very user-friendly either.
Practicality, comfort and boot space
Take one look at the tiny dimensions of the Ignis, and you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s not very practical. But you’d be wrong - Suzuki has done a great job of squeezing the maximum amount of space available from the slim bodywork.
The key thing that helps to make the most of the Ignis’ space is the sliding rear bench seat, which is standard on SZ-T models and above. It can be moved forward and aft up to 165mm to allow buyers to choose between rear legroom and boot capacity. The seat backs recline, too, while storage is decent, taking the form of big door bins, two central cupholders and a split glovebox.
Visibility from the driver’s seat of the Ignis is very good, mainly thanks to the high-up driving position. It’s a characteristic taken from larger crossovers that will please city dwellers, and makes the Ignis very easy to thread between traffic.
Dimensions and size
The Ignis is 3.7m long and 1.6m wide, making it a fair bit longer and slightly wider than both the Celerio and rival city cars like the Skoda Citigo. It’s surprising given the Ignis is meant to be less practical than the Celerio, but it translates into a good amount of space for occupants.
Legroom, headroom and passenger space
We’ve yet to try an Ignis without the sliding rear seat bench but with it fitted, four average-sized adults will find a surprising amount of legroom and even decent headroom – impressive given the car’s sloping roofline. The two-position reclining backrest also makes things more comfortable.
Obviously, if you slide the seats forward to prioritise boot space, legroom is reduced, while the Ignis’ slim width means there’s little hope of carrying three passengers in the back, especially because there are only two seatbelts in the back. Still, the same can be said for other city cars.
Boot space
The Ignis’s boot space for models without the sliding rear seat is a sizeable 267 litres, although it’s worth remembering that the capacity changes to 204 litres if you opt for the four-wheel drive model. You can fold the back seats to increase that space to 1,100 litres, which is also a very good size for the class. In comparison, a Kia Picanto has a 255-litre load capacity, and the Hyundai i10 252 litres.
Reliability and safety
The Ignis didn't feature in our latest Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, while Suzuki finished in a disappointing 21st position (out of 29 brands) in the manufacturer ratings. The Ignis should be a reliable car, as it shares so much tech with the rest of the Suzuki range.
It helps that the little Suzuki is relatively simple mechanically. The hybrid is far less complex than other petrol-electric models on sale, although the same can’t be said for the electrical systems, as top-spec models in particular come loaded with kit.
Entry level Ignis models suffer at the hands of Euro NCAP’s stringent testing regime. The SZ3 scored three stars when it was tested in 2016, mostly because it lacks standard safety equipment and driver assist systems. SZ-T models and above see that increase to five stars as a suite of driver aids is thrown in. All Ignis models get front, side and curtain airbags as standard, however, and Euro NCAP’s ratings for adult and child occupant protection are good.
Warranty
As with every Suzuki, the Ignis comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. That’s in line with most of the industry, although brands like Hyundai and Kia offer five and seven year warranties respectively. Suzuki’s strong reliability record means you shouldn’t spend too much time back at the dealer with problems.
Servicing
Suzuki offers its Service Payment Plans to help manage the cost of scheduled maintenance, while the manufacturer also provides its 3 Year Plus Servicing programme which covers vehicles over three years old with either a fixed one-off payment or via a monthly payment plan.
