Suzuki Ignis review
In this review
Cost & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
There’s very little difference in the list price and PCP finance deals of like-for-like Ignis, Volkswagen Up, Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10 models, but in our favourite SZ-T trim the Ignis is fractionally cheaper as a cash buy. A diesel Dacia Duster is available for around the same price, offering much more space. The Ignis Allgrip model’s closest rival, the Fiat Panda 4x4, is quite a bit pricier, while a four-wheel-drive Duster with a diesel engine is also more expensive than the Ignis Allgrip.
Our fuel economy testing on a non-hybrid front-wheel-drive Ignis produced a real-world average of 50.9mpg – not quite the official figure of 61.4mpg but still pretty good. The hybrid, on the other hand, produced a real-world average of 59.6mpg, making it the most economical car we've ever tested. That's no small feat.
And the good news doesn't stop there. Comparatively good CO2 emissions help to keep company car tax palatable, while resale values are predicted to be strong by city car standards. However, servicing and insurance costs are relatively high when considered alongside smaller city cars.
SZ-T is the best-selling trim, and it’s easy to see why. It adds 16in wheels, a rear-view camera and the clever sliding rear seats to the entry-level SZ3 model’s front electric windows, DAB radio, Bluetooth, four-speaker stereo and air conditioning. All in all, it represents the best value in the range, and if you wish to add a few distinguishing features, there's also the Adventure styling package.
That said, going for SZ5 gets you standard automatic emergency braking (AEB), pushing the Ignis’s Euro NCAP score to the maximum five stars. On models without AEB, that rating drops to three. You can add AEB as an option to lesser trims, though, but it is expensive.
Unfortunately, no reliability data is yet available for the Ignis. However, Suzuki performed brilliantly in our most recent reliability survey, coming fourth out of 32 manufacturers tested.
All versions come with an immobiliser and security deadlock on the doors.
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