Maruti Suzuki Ignis: Five Segment Firsts

The Maruti Suzuki Ignis is proving to be a hit among its prospective buyers even before its launch. Bookings for the 'Premium Urban Compact' began over a week ago and, already, waiting period for the car stands anywhere between 8 and 12 weeks depending on the variant you choose.

What sets the Ignis apart is the long list of features it offers. We pick out a few that no one yet offers in its segment.

1. LED Headlamps

When you first look at this car, your gaze will most likely wander along the massive uni-grille and rest on the LED DRLs. But the LED equipment of the Ignis doesn’t end there. The Ignis will be the most affordable hatchback in the country (by a huge margin of around Rs 18 lakh) to adorn LED headlamps. The next hatch, without a luxury badge, to have LED headlamps is the Volkswagen GTI, which is retailed at a hefty ex-showroom price of Rs 25.99 lakh. This feature though, will only be available in the top-end Alpha Variant. Rest assured, though, you will have bright times ahead. 

2. Touchscreen Infotainment System

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Targeting millennials’ need to stay connected, Maruti has equipped the Ignis with a 7-inch floating display on top of the dashboard - something normally found on high-end luxury cars. This display runs Suzuki's SmartPlay infotainment system which packs Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink. Also, the infotainment system doubles up as the display for navigation and the reverse camera. Quite impressive for a car which will most likely cost you less than Rs 8 lakh. Though the Kwid offers a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment screen in its top variant, it missis out on smartphone connectivity options like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink.

3. Dual-Tone Exterior Colours

Maruti is offering the Ignis in two-tone paint schemes in the top two variants - Uptown Red with a Midnight Black roof, Tinsel Blue with a Midnight Black roof, and Tinsel Blue with a Pearl Artic White roof. This not only makes the car look cool but also lets customers personalise their car. 

4. Diesel With Automatic Transmission

After a lot of demand, Maruti has finally answered the call of Indian car buyers with an affordable diesel automatic hatchback. The AMT transmission on the Ignis is available with its two mid-variants – Delta and Zeta. The AMT is not only paired to the diesel, but is also available with the petrol engine, in the same variants. Maruti Suzuki has equipped the Delta and Zeta with AMTs to keep the automatic variants affordable. So, if you are looking for a hatchback which gives you the fuel efficiency of a diesel with the convenience of an automatic transmission, the Ignis is the one for you.

5. 15-Inch All-Black Alloy Wheels

Where most hatchbacks in the country make do with 13 or 14-inch wheels, the Ignis features sturdy 15-inch alloy wheels. These wheels are painted black in the top-of-the-line Alpha variant and give the car a prominent SUV-esque stance. 

Not only in terms of features, the Ignis has also created a lot of buzz for being one of the only diesel automatic hatchbacks in the country. It has a 1.3-litre diesel engine from the Swift which makes 75PS of power and 190Nm of torque. Mated with the 5-speed manual or the AMT, the diesel claims to return a mileage of 26.80kmpl. The petrol, on the other hand, is a 1.2-litre unit producing 83PS of power and 113Nm of torque. The claimed mileage for the petrol-manual and petrol-automatic combination is 20.89kmpl. 

The Ignis will be launching in India on January 13, 2017. We expect Maruti to price it on the lines of the Swift; perhaps, cheaper. Expect the base variant of the Ignis to have a sticker price of Rs 4.5 lakh.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Ignis Variants Explained