The Supermini market has been growing at an astonishing rate for the last few years – and as we move into 2018, it’s getting even hotter – mainly thanks to everybody talking about the demise of diesel engines and why we should all buy smaller cars if we want to save the planet.
So, what’s the reason for this sudden hype? Well, buyers are now looking for the smaller cars because we are told they are cheaper to run, and in many cases cheaper to buy. And that’s the nuts and bolts of it basically. But, what I will say is nothing in life is ever simple.
Actually, because we are talking about value for money motoring, I want to introduce you to the rather good-looking Suzuki Ignis – and why after only a few days of driving it, I’m totally convinced that maybe it’s something pretty special.
Power and Efficiency:
The Ignis is powered by a four-cylinder Dualjet petrol engine that produces 90ps at 6000rpm and 120Nm at 4400rpm. 0 to 62 mph is dealt with in 11.5 seconds – moving onto a top speed of around103 mph.
The official fuel economy figures from Suzuki are; 60.1 mpg (combined) with a CO2 rating of 106 g/km – although the best I could get was around 50mpg, but then I was not really trying to get near what Suzuki had said was possible.
On the road:
I like the way the little Ignis handles – but I do feel the suspension is a little bouncy – saying that, when the road gets twisty – it is more than capable of holding its own thanks to a good balance of chassis and suspension. When you think about it, it actually performs rather well and I was really impressed by this. Of course, this means it gives you a lot of confidence into the corners, which in turn makes it quite the drive. Also, when the road gets twisty – you have that wonderful Suzuki ALLGRIP 4-wheel drive system keeping you formally in check. Yes, you heard that correctly, a 4-wheel drive system that does a very nice job indeed of keeping you glued to the tarmac with no muddy fields involved whatsoever.
Design & Technology:
My test car was fitted with decent seating and clever interior accents, which lifts even the most boring of interiors – Not that the inside is boring, but you do sense that the Ignis was set out to be more practical than luxurious. Saying that it’s quite plush and all the dials and controls are easy to use. But, and its a small one, some of the plastics on the inside could have been better quality.
Space – well let’s just say for a small car it has bags of it – along with a decent driving position and plenty of room in the back for most adults to sit in reasonable comfort. The boot is also pretty good, with max luggage capacity coming in around 1,086 litres.
Some of the standard features fitted to my test vehicle included; LED daytime running lights, LED projector headlamps, ALLGRIP 4-wheel drive system, DAB digital radio with 4 speakers, USB, Bluetooth and iPod, driver and passenger front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Program, Hill Hold Control and Hill Descent, automatic headlights, automatic air conditioning, 16” alloy wheels, cruise control with speed limiter and rear parking camera.
To sum up:
Suzuki has done a fantastic job here – and I expect the Ignis to do well as a feature-packed supermini that doesn’t cost the earth.
Standard car price (on-the-road) £15,499 By Anthony Yates
