A new urban tribe is being formed on the roads with Maruti Suzuki’s Ignis

Words by: Hani Mustafa    Photos from: Flywheel

India has one of the largest youth population in the world. That means there is immense potential for an incredible business of any commodity that attracts and impresses the new generation. But it is not as easy as you think. The product should be stylish, trendy, sporty and above all, it should easily shake hands with their small pockets. It takes a lot of effort to incorporate all these features into a product and Maruti has succeeded in capturing the minds of youngsters in India with their latest. Maruti Ignis is again the result of Maruti’s decision to follow the Japanese Tall-Bird design. The car looks extremely unique and different from any of its siblings. It is, in fact, stylish and sporty, to fulfill the expectations of the new generation.

First Impressions

From the face of it, Maruti has adopted a brand new design and trend which is evident on the new attractive grille that is attached to the headlamp unit. The top-end variant gets the LED Daytime Running Light which makes the front look beefier. The grille also has an attractive chrome treatment that gives it a premium feel. Huge air vents along with powerful fog units stand out on the front end. In simple words, the Ignis has many minute but stylish details all around. Along the edges of the hood above the front wheel arches, there are small air-vents which are again a sporty element. The wheel arches have been given some muscle to prove that it can be called a handsome man too. The Ignis comes with 5 twin-spoke, 15” alloy wheels and the best thing about the wheels is that for the first time Maruti alloys will look all-black. This matches well to all the sporty elements on the car, especially the new striking colors. Of all the stylish lines on the side profile, the most attractive one is along the C-Pillar, something that we haven’t seen on any Maruti car. The rear looks a little less modern to my eyes with the shape being a little awkward, but that is for a purpose. You get a 65 litre huge boot space on this small car. The tail lamps are large and really Maruti-like. The black treatment on the rear bumper is the only sporty thing at the back.

Feature to Function

The dashboard, unlike any other Maruti, has a fresh design. Like the exterior, it gets a lot of trendy details on it. The dashboard, sharp and straight, with a proper display screen, now looks premium, versus what we normally see on Maruti cars. The center console gets two configurations. The top-end variant will get a climate control system which is very similar to what we see in Mini Coopers. Whereas, the lower variants will get normal rotary knobs, common with the Maruti Cars. The steering is three spoke with steering mounted controls. The meter console is clear and colorful and you have the information screen on the right side of the console. The AC vents too have been placed very well. Maruti has the latest infotainment system that lets you mirror your phone on the screen, and has a convenient navigation. The sound system too is exemplary in the Ignis. The space inside the Ignis is in plenty due to the tall-bird design. Front seats are height adjustable, comfy and cushiony. Though the rear seats accommodates 3 passengers, it lacks enough thigh support. The interiors as a whole has improved a lot in quality. The color of the exterior can be seen reflected here. The Maruti Ignis has all passive and active safety features added to it.

A Driven Performance

The Ignis is powered by a 1.2 litre petrol and 1.3 litre diesel engine. The diesel variant generates 75 BHP of power and 190 Nm of torque while the petrol engine churns out 83 BHP of power and 113 Nm of torque. You also have two gear box options in the Ignis – a 5-Speed Manual and AMT. Having tested all the variants, the remarkable fact is that there are extensive improvements on the AMT when compared to other Maruti siblings. It’s quicker in its shift, and in petrol you get a slightly sporty exhaust note. Maruti claims that the Petrol engine will deliver a fuel efficiency of 20kmpl and the Diesel engine is more economical, delivering 26 kmpl. The suspension is tuned in such a way that it provides less feedback to adverse road conditions. NVH levels now having been improved a lot, engine noises now entering the cabin even on diesel is comparatively low hence, providing a refined feel while in the car on the move. Steering is light and feels easy to handle on any road condition at any speed due to the Ignis being more rigid now, thanks to the new platform.

The Ignis is available in four trims – Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha, all available in six color options for the exterior with three options for the roof colour on the top-spec trims. You can customize your Ignis with a wide range of decals, trims and accessories. The Ignis will rival against Ford Figo, Tata Bolt, Hyundai Grand i10 and Mahindra KUV-100 in the market.