Suzuki Ignis review: tiny SUV delivers value for money

It’s not much bigger than a hatchback and won’t win any traffic light drag races but this baby softroader has the rugged looks to stand out from the crowd.

The Ignis is lacking safety equipment. Picture: Supplied.

The toy-like Ignis is the titchiest SUV you can buy. Here are five things you should know about the range-topping GLX.

You won’t find a cheaper new SUV

The Ignis is to Sports Utility Vehicles what cream buns are to a healthy diet: it’s a tough sell. A finger’s width longer than a Kia Picanto city car, this skinny 2WD Suzuki seats only four in GLX guise and its boot just about swallows two slabs of beer. But it’s cheap. Most car brands have done away with bare bones entry-level models, ignoring budget buyers. The antidote Ignis is a carry-over from simpler times. You drive-away a manual GL for $23,490, or our better-equipped GLX with CVT auto gearbox is on the road for $26,490. Cheap indeed for today.

Make no mistake, this is a budget micro SUV

Now six years old, the Ignis’ interior feels elderly. The doors and dashboard are scratchy hard plastic, the steering wheel adjusts only for height, there’s no central armrest, digital speedometer, parking sensors or rear air vents and the reversing camera’s basic. Then you recall the cheapie price and appreciate the inclusions: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto through a 9-inch touchscreen, keyless start, navigation, cruise control and climate control. It’s a skinny fit inside, but its block-like body allows generous headroom front and rear. Having only two back seats mean the bases are pleasingly wide, but legroom’s tight and the Ignis’s rear design and mini windows bring claustrophobia. It’s best as a couples-only city car.

The Suzuki Ignis is the smallest and cheapest SUV on sale. Picture: Supplied.

It struggles on the open road, but is a hoot in town

Young and young-at-heart urbanites will have a blast. The Ignis’s funk-filled toy-like appearance snares stares, while titchy dimensions sees it slip into tight parking spaces and U-turn on a dime. As there’s only 905kg to move, its 66kW/120Nm non-turbo four-cylinder has enough guts, but the CVT auto’s a weak link. It’s slow to respond and occasionally jerky. You need to favour gentle rather than hefty throttle prods for it to behave well. A turbo motor, or zestier mild-hybrid (as found in other markets), would be welcome. A 180mm ground clearance qualifies it as an SUV but its top heavy design and thin bicycle-like tyres equals body roll and squealing rubber if you corner keenly. Wind noise aside, it cruises well on the highway, but takes and age to reach 110km/h.

It’s a fun car ripe for accessorising

Remember when cars were fun? Fluoro graphics, go-faster stripes and vinyl stickers? Well, Ignis accessories are bringing back the 80s. Sure, you can get practical things such as roof racks or a bonnet protector, but how about a “Mountain Design” body decal set, where craggy peaks scale half the side of this little Suzuki? Perplexing, really, for a titchy SUV with the off-road ability of ice skates. The grille and side mirrors can be colour coded, or try red, orange, blue or white side body stripe stickers. Inside, orange or titanium can garnish the dash, centre console and door grips too. Funky metallic colours add $595, but striking Khaki, Ivory or Burning Red hues up the fun.

Starting from less than $20,000 drive-away, the Suzuki Ignis is a great little transporter. Picture: Supplied.

It’s cheap to run, but safety’s below par

Our 500km test returned a superb 5.6L/100km in town and 4.6L/100km on the highway, drinking cheapest 91RON fuel. Annual (or 15,000km) services cost only $1685 for the first five. Sadly, it’s one of the least safe new cars on sale. It’s untested by ANCAP but scored a now-expired three-star Euro NCAP rating in 2016. There’s no auto emergency braking (a mandated feature from March 2025), blind-spot monitor or any lane keeping aids, while braking performance isn’t great due to rear drums and those skinny tyres.