2020 Suzuki Ignis Review: GLX

You can't help but love this car. The 2020 Suzuki Ignis lives up to the brand's new slogan "For Fun's Sake" better than any other model in the lineup.

I mean it's twofold. On the one hand, it's a charming take on fun car design, but on the other hand, it's a choice that can logically be ignored unless you're looking for something "different."

For example, a Suzuki Swift or a Suzuki Baleno would be the best urban hatchback, and a Suzuki Vitara is just a bit of a stretch if you're buying something like that under the pretense that it looks a bit like an SUV.

So why should you buy Ignis? Just because it's fun? Is that reason enough? I hope this review answers those questions.

Suzuki Ignis 2020: GLX
Safety Rating	-
engine's type	1.2L
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	4.9l / 100km
Landing	4 Places
Price from	$12,400

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

The Suzuki Ignis is a leader in the city car segment and is priced to compete with the Honda Jazz and Kia Picanto. You can also consider the aforementioned Swift or Baleno.

The base model Ignis GL costs $16,690 plus travel expenses for the five-speed manual model, or much more for the GL CVT car ($17,690 plus travel expenses). You are likely to see offers with drive-outs at or below these prices. It's hard to bargain.

This GLX model is slightly more expensive, with a list price of $18,990 plus travel expenses. That's a lot more expensive than its closest competitor (assuming it's not exactly an SUV), the Kia Picanto X-Line car ($17,790XNUMX).

As a top model, the GLX gets a few extras that the GL doesn't have, such as 16-inch alloy wheels. (Image: Matt Campbell)

As a top-of-the-line model, the GLX gets a few extras that the GL doesn't, such as 16-inch alloy wheels instead of 15-inch steel wheels, a chrome grille, LED headlights and daytime running lights instead of halogen, keyless entry. push-button entry and start rather than a regular key, a six-speaker stereo rather than a four-speaker audio system, rear privacy glass, and single-zone climate control.

It's on top of the standard 7.0-inch touchscreen media box with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, USB connectivity, cruise control, power windows, leather steering wheel and cloth seat trim.

Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10

Here's some gibberish straight out of a Suzuki Ignis brochure. “This is a small car that makes a big impression. It's a light SUV with lots of space... It's like nothing else."

Nailed him.

It doesn't look as silly now as it did a few years ago. In 2018, Peter Anderson reviewed the GLX model in gray with a number of edgy orange design elements. The orange model I had this week wasn't as flashy, but it still drew attention.

It's up to you to decide whether you like the hamburger-style headlights in the form of masks. (Image: Matt Campbell)

It's up to you to decide if you like the hamburger-mask-style headlights, the weird Adidas-style inserts in the metal C-pillar, and the way the saddlebag-style rear thighs jut out of the body line. I think this is one of the most interesting cars on the market.

You'll get a black roof if you opt for the red paint, and you can choose to have a black roof (or not) on the white version of the Ignis. Other colors include the orange you see here, gray and blue (actually more aqua than blue). Metallic paint adds $595, two-tone paint adds $1095.

If only the Ignis matched its looks with a more convincing driving experience. (Image: Matt Campbell)

While this type of vehicle is ideal for urban environments, the Ignis actually measures impressively for rough roads: ground clearance is 180mm, approach angle is 20.0 degrees, acceleration/turn angle is 18.0 degrees, and departure angle is 38.8 degrees.

It doesn't look like anything, but not everyone will like it. What about interior design? Check out the interior photos to see what you think.

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

For such a compact car, the Ignis has a surprising amount of room inside.

Let's talk about dimensions. Its length is only 3700 mm (with a wheelbase of 2435 mm), which makes it one of the smallest cars on the road. It also measures just 1660mm wide and 1595mm high, but the packaging efficiency is excellent.

It should be noted that the top-end GLX model tested here only has four seats. The base GL car has five seats. Really, who would use all three rear seats in a car this size? Probably not many people, but it might matter if you have a child and prefer it to be in the middle: there is no middle seat in the GLX, although both have dual ISOFIX points and top tether points (two in the GLX, three in GL).

Rear space is great if you're not too tall. (Image: Matt Campbell)

However, the feature of the rear seat on this specification is that it can slide back and forth to give you more trunk space if you need it, and the seat backs recline towards them as well. Boot space is claimed at 264 liters with the seats up, but it increases significantly if you move them forward (up to 516 liters we believe - though the information provided by Suzuki is not very clear), and the maximum boot capacity is 1104 liters with the seats. . down.

Rear space is great if you're not too tall. Headroom is a bit cramped for a person of my height (182 cm), but legroom is plentiful and legroom is exceptional. And since it's a four-seater in this spec, it also has plenty of shoulder room.

If you have children, the doors open almost 90 degrees, making loading and unloading easy. But if you're an adult, just be aware that headroom is limited and there are no ceiling-mounted rails in the back.

In terms of amenities, there are bottle holders and a single card pocket in the back seat, but no fold-down armrest with cup holders.

There are a few more storage options up front, including large door pockets with bottle holsters, an open storage section behind the handbrake, a pair of cup holders in front of the shifter, and a small storage box up front, as well as a dash-mounted small item slot.

What draws the most, however, is the design: the two-tone dashboard makes the Ignis look much more expensive than it really is. It also has an element of customization: depending on the body color, you get either orange or titanium (grey) interior color on the dashboard, air vent surrounds and door handles.

This is a good place to be.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission?  

Under the hood of the Ignis is a 1.2-liter four-cylinder petrol engine producing 66 kW (at 6000 rpm) and 120 Nm of torque (at 4400 rpm). These may be modest numbers, but remember that the Ignis is tiny and only weighs 865kg in its heaviest version.

You can get it with a five-speed manual if you buy the base trim, or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) for both classes. We'll get to how it behaves in the driving section below.

Under the hood of the Ignis is a 1.2-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with a capacity of 66 kW. (Image: Matt Campbell)

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How much fuel does it consume? 8/10

The official combined fuel consumption figure is just 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers for automatic versions, while the manual claims a savings of 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers. It's amazing.

In fact, you can expect to see a little more than that. On the test - mainly when driving around the city - we saw a return of 6.4 l / 100 km.

What is it like to drive? 6/10

If only the Ignis matched its looks with a more convincing driving experience – unfortunately, it's far from the best in its class when it comes to road behavior.

Sure, its tiny 9.4m turning circle means it'll make a U-turn while most others will have to make a three-point turn, but while city streets should be this little guy's prerogative, the steering lacks consistency and agility - weighing in. unpredictable, which offsets its small turning radius to some extent, and is a bit hard to gauge at higher speeds.

Bumpy city streets can be uncomfortable too. Because the suspension is quite stiff, the Ignis often pushes when it comes to bumpy roads. There are sections around my area where the streets have been taken apart and rebuilt, and I was stunned by the lack of composure shown by Ignis in this situation.

While this type of vehicle is ideal for urban environments, the Ignis is actually impressively sized for rough roads. (Image: Matt Campbell)

When driving fast on highways or even just city streets with smoother surfaces, there's less to whine about when it comes to driving. In fact, in such cases, it seems to be a more solid car than it actually is.

The brake pedal feels spongy and slow to respond, and it nearly caught me off guard once or twice - though I'm sure you'll get used to it if you have a car.

The 1.2-litre engine is ready, but somewhat sluggish, though a lot of that has to do with its powertrain. There are people who hate automatic CVTs, and if this is your only experience with such a transmission, then it's easy to see why.

The way this CVT behaves is like the old days, before they had clever solutions to help them feel more like a regular automatic with staggered "shifts". No, this is nonsense. It's hard to judge how the transmission will respond when you push with your right foot or even at light or medium throttle. This is the biggest detractor of this car.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

5 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 5/10

This section of the review is not very pleasant to read, mainly because this part of the market has changed rapidly since the launch of Ignis in 2016.

The Ignis has not passed the ANCAP and Euro NCAP crash tests. So it's hard to say how he will behave in the event of an accident.

And unlike some of its competitors, Ignis doesn't have cutting-edge technology that could prevent a crash. There is no autonomous emergency braking (AEB), no pedestrian and cyclist detection, no lane keeping assist, no blind spot monitoring, no rear cross traffic alert…nothing.

Well, nothing. The Ignis has a reversing camera in both classes, as well as two ISOFIX anchor points in the rear seat (as well as three top cables as standard and two top cables as top).

The airbag cover consists of two front, front side and full-length curtain airbags (six in total).

Where is Suzuki Ignis made? The answer is Japan.

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10

Suzuki has a five-year/unlimited mileage warranty plan for private buyers, and is limited to five years/160,000 km for commercial operators.

The brand has recently turned its attention to short service intervals, allowing the Ignis (and other models) to do maintenance every 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever comes first.

There is a limited price maintenance plan for the first six years/90,000 km. The cost of the first service is 239 dollars, then 329, 329, 329, 239 and 499 dollars. So you will get an average of $ 327 per year for maintenance, which is not too bad.

The Ignis does not have a roadside assistance program.

Verdict

Fun? Yes. Damage? This is also yes. If our testing had a criterion of "deep attractiveness", Ignis would get 10/10. Personally, I really like it, despite the fact that there are much better options. If you're like me, it may not matter - you can forgive his shortcomings, because otherwise he is very likable.