Maruti Suzuki is gearing up
to strengthen its dominance in the Indian car
market by expanding its reach in a variety of compact car
segments. The Maruti Ignis is a crossover type model and is being
promoted as a Micro SUV and it has much at its disposal to offer. The Ignis is
slated to reach showrooms before Diwali. Let’s find out how the Ignis stands
out from others in the compact hatchbacks market.
Design:
The design of the Ignis was
previewed by the Suzuki iM-4 concept at the 2015 Geneva Motor
Show, featuring a quirky crossover styling that is expected to grab attention.
The India-spec Maruti Ignis will feature a chrome-accentuated grille,
slight design tweaks and roof rails. It measures 3,700 mm long, 1,660 mm
wide, 1,595 mm high, has a 2,435 mm long wheelbase and a 180 mm high ground
clearance.
New Exterior
& Interior:
In terms of design, Maruti
Ignis is undoubtedly quite unique. Along with the Baleno, the Ignis will be one
of the very few cars in Maruti to feature a distinctive interior design. The
car has compact dimensions and short overhangs that along with flat body
surfacing and upright styling with most of the elements being in rectangular
shape complement its rugged appeal. Front-end is dominated by large
DRL-equipped headlamps and flat surface grille. The Ignis features dual
section tail lights. All in all, it looks a decent rugged vehicle as well as
unlike any other Maruti Suzuki. It is also the first Maruti to feature a
steering wheel that is not sourced from the Maruti Swift’s parts bin. The Ignis
has a utilitarian floating dual tone dashboard that houses a freestanding
SmartPlay display, and unique HVAC controls. Instrument housing is compact
in size and is neat and easily readable. Making the cabin a more pleasant place
is high headroom and impressive amount of legroom. Equipments on this new
car include SmartPlay infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Keyless entry,
engine start stop button, all four power windows, front airbags, split seats,
auto dimming IRVM, electrically adjustable and retractable ORVMs, DRLs, and
anti-lock braking system.
Engine
options:
Powering the diesel variants of the Maruti
Ignis will be company’s tried-and-tested 1.3-liter DDiS engine equipped with Suzuki’s SHVS mild hybrid tech. Whether
it would be 75 PS or 90 PS is yet to be officially confirmed. The India-bound
Ignis will be available in both petrol and diesel types. A 5-speed manual will be standard in both models, while
a CVT
could be exclusive for the petrol variant.
Chassis,
Suspension & Brakes:
The Ignis is strengthened with
a new high-rigidity platform that has been developed for ‘A’
segment cars. It is fundamentally an advanced version of the Swift’s platform
that supports the Baleno and will serve duty on the new-generation Swift also.
McPherson struts at front and semi-independent torsion beam setup at the rear
form the suspension. Braking power will come from disc and drum brakes at front
and rear respectively.
Competitors:
So far, the Maruti Ignis has only one direct
competitor in the Indian car market that is Mahindra KUV100. However,
considering its size, specifications, and substance it will challenge the likes
of Hyundai i20 Active, Fiat Avventura and Etios Cross too.
Positioning the Ignis is a challenge for
Maruti Suzuki. Going by the package, it should be placed between the Baleno and
Swift but to save the Baleno from being cannibalized we believe that the Ignis
will be positioned at par with the Baleno. A starting price tag of around 5
lakhs can be expected that way, with the range topping variant asking for
around 7.75 lakhs. Maruti had also
confirmed that the Ignis will retail through Maruti’s premium line of NEXA
dealerships.
