Maruti Suzuki Ignis Coming Mid January; More Details On New Ciaz and Baleno RS Emerge

It’s been one of the biggest car stories to follow all year and we finally seem to have some confirmation on the saga that surrounds the Maruti Suzuki Ignis micro-SUV. Sources close to the company have informed us that the car will see the light of the day in India latest by January 15, 2017 and will follow in the footsteps of its hugely popular elder cousin, the Vitara Brezza. The biggest talking point on the car is the automatic transmission that will be offered with both the petrol and diesel mills. The gasoline motor will come in four different manual variants (Sigma, Delta, Zeta, Alpha) while the oil burner is all set to get three of them (Delta, Zeta and Alpha). The AMT, though, will only be available in the Delta and the Zeta (scroll down for complete list of variants). We also have some dope on the 2017 Ciaz and the Baleno RS; read on to find out…

Ignis

Showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in Delhi earlier this year, the Ignis will stay true to its concept, featuring LED projector headlamps along with daytime running lights (DRLs) and LED tail lamps. We also have confirmation on the fact that the car will sport six colour options and dual-tone colour options (only in the top trims), along with matching door handles, centre console panels etc, just like its UK-spec version. To further enhance its youthful appeal and customisability, the car will also come with Maruti’s iCreate customisation program that offers different accessory packages. 

On the inside, the Ignis will come with all the gizmos and tech that it offers in its European avatar. Apart from a dual-tone layout and accent colours, the car will feature a touchscreen infotainment system from the Baleno– equipped with Andriod Auto and Apple CarPlay. But this will be available on the range topping Alpha variant only, the Delta and Zeta variants will be equipped with 2-DIN systems. Moreover, the car will get a cavernous boot in addition to sliding rear seats with reclining seatbacks.

As mentioned earlier, the Ignis will come with both petrol and diesel powerplants under the hood. The former will be the familiar 1.2-litre motor (K12B) from the Baleno and the Swift, that can churn out 84.3PS of power and 115Nm of torque, while the latter is the 1.3-litre DDiS190 (Fiat’s Multijet) that is good for 75PS and 190Nm. Apart from the 5-speed manual, the car will also offer a five-speed AMT transmission that it will share with the Alto K10 and the Celerio. 

In terms of pricing, the Mahindra KUV100-rival will be positioned below the Baleno, so expect a price tag of around Rs 5 lakh for the base model, going up all the way to Rs 8 lakh for the top-end automatic. There is still ambiguity over whether the car will be sold through the Nexa retail chain as latest evidence has suggested otherwise. 

Variant List:

Petrol: Sigma, Delta, Zeta, Alpha 

Diesel: Delta, Zeta, Alpha 

Petrol AMT: Delta, Zeta 

Diesel AMT: Delta, Zeta 

2017 Ciaz

Our sources have also confirmed that the new Maruti Suzuki Ciaz will break cover in April next year and will be retailed through the company’s premium sub-brand Nexa. Against popular perception, the car is expected to remain mechanically unchanged – with the 1.4-litre VVT petrol unit and the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel – as the updates will be more cosmetic in terms of new alloy wheels (only on the Zeta and Alpha variants) and electrical ORVMS on all variants. 

Talking of features, the Ciaz will be updated with electrically foldable seats, dash-mounted infotainment system and reverse camera on top variants and glass antenna on all models. The reversing camera will be mounted on the dash on the Zeta variant but on the Alpha variant, the feed will display on the infotainment screen. Notably, features like a panoramic sunroof and DRLs will remain absent on the new Ciaz. Expect the price to remain largely unaltered from the current-gen Ciaz.

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Baleno RS

Another one of the models that was showcased by Maruti at the 2016 Auto Expo was the Baleno RS, a sportier version of the Baleno hatchback. All set to be launched in February next year, the RS tag will be available only with the Alpha variant of the popular car. 

On the outside, the car will get a body kit with underbody spoilers while tyres and suspension will be borrowed from the Alpha variant of the standard Baleno. At the heart of things will be the 1.0-litre Boosterjet direct injection turbo engine that will churn out 102 horses with 150Nm of torque. Transmission duties will be handled by a five-speed manual gearbox as the automatic transmission will be missing from its powertrain. 

Money-wise, the car could demand a premium for the extra features with a sticker price of an additional lakh being talked of.