Suzuki has facelifted the Ignis small crossover, with a new mild hybrid petrol engine standard across the range, a fresh gearbox option, and a lightly revised look.
The powertrain has been updated with a new 1.2-litre petrol engine assisted by a mild hybrid system, which Suzuki says promises better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. Further economy improvements come from increasing the battery size, from 3Ah to 10Ah, over the previous model.
Furthermore, a new CVT automatic gearbox is available as an option on SZ-T and SZ5 trims with two-wheel-drive.
The two-wheel-drive version with the manual gearbox is the most efficient, achieving 55.7mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 114g/km.
On the outside, there have been some minor styling revisions, with a five-spoke front grille and a redesigned front and rear bumper. Inside, there’s a new instrument cluster and new interior accent colours.
Standard equipment includes air conditioning, DAB digital radio, 15-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and rear privacy glass. The SZ-T trim adds a rear-view camera, 16-inch alloy wheels, wheel arch extensions, and smartphone connectivity. The SZ5 adds automatic air conditioning, satellite navigation, rear electric windows, fog lights, and extra safety equipment.
The facelifted Suzuki Ignis range goes on sale this month, although Suzuki hasn’t specified delivery dates just yet.
Efficiency updates for Suzuki’s quirky crossover
This is a mild (hybrid) update with an emphasis on the Ignis’s electrical assistance. The “self-charging hybrid technology” described on the company’s website is simply marketing bollocks (although Suzuki is far from alone in this regard).
In reality, it’s just another example of a mild hybrid unit where a petrol engine gets a bit of electrical assistance to reduce the amount of fuel it needs to get the job done – and the same sort of set-up is being rolled out to almost every petrol car on the market. The Ignis can’t be driven on electrical power alone, so Suzuki’s “Hybrid” nomenclature may be somewhat misleading.
The Suzuki Ignis currently holds an Expert Rating of 70% on The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating scale, based on 19 UK reviews of the pre-facelift version. This update isn’t likely to alter that significantly, so the Ignis will remain a distincitive little city car that looks like an SUV but isn’t really.
Stuart Masson, Editor
Keyword: Pricing and specs for facelifted Suzuki Ignis