2017 Suzuki Ignis

Why the Suzuki Ignis is the ultimate everyday hero

An unassuming multi-purpose city car that’s greater than the sum of its parts. We reluctantly hand back the keys after three months behind the wheel

The Suzuki Ignis slipped into our lives in a quiet, friendly sort of way late last year. I can’t remember the details of its arrival except that a helpful driver dropped it off in our locked-down Gloucestershire driveway one happy afternoon early last November.

It was the first fruit of a request that I had put to Suzuki’s people to try a few of their cars (it pays to stay up to date in our racket). We started with the slightly off-the-wall SZ5 4x4, because I’ve always liked affordable cars that do a lot with a little and especially stand apart from the mainstream rather than making up the numbers in some amorphous ‘sector’.


Suzi 1.jpgSuzi 2.jpgSuzi 3.jpgSuzi 4.jpg
 
One grand difference - would you buy this range-topping hatchback or entry-level SUV?

  • Do you prefer features, or are you after the best value for money?
  • Both models come with up to 200 000km of mechanical warranty cover.
  • Manual or AMT auto gearbox? You'll have to choose between a clutch or a robotised manual transmission.
It can be challenging to decide what to buy in the compact car segment. Say you have around R250 000 to spend on a new vehicle, your first new car, and you wanted to ensure you get the best value for your money. You can buy numerous vehicles under this price point, but we thought we'd pose an exciting scenario to you, using the Suzuki brand as a point of reference.

At the time of writing this piece, a brand new range-topping 2022 Suzuki Ignis 1.2 GLX auto hatchback will cost R247 900. The company's slightly larger entry-level crossover, Vitara Brezza 1.5 GL manual, costs R248 900. With only R1000 separating these two genuinely good vehicles, it begs the question, do you want spec and style, or do you want to future-proof your purchase? Let's tuck in.

We'd pick the Suzuki Ignis 1.2 GLX

While having more space and a larger engine in the Vitara Brezza is lovely, the Suzuki Ignis is our choice in this battle. Even though this particular car is fitted with an AMT automatic gearbox, which could be deemed too jerky at low-speed, the overall packaging, the presence, and the way it drives make it a great purchase if you must have something new and you're buying a vehicle for the first time.

Both models come with good warranties (five years or 200 000km), and Service Plans are available to tack onto the purchase price, so you pay for future services upfront to secure those costs now.

So if you had R250 000 to spend on a new Suzuki this year, would you go for the fancy range-topper hatchback or the no-frills soft-roader SUV? Let us know which one you'd pick in the comments section, or please send us an email here.

https://www.news24.com/wheels/offro...topping-hatchback-or-entry-level-suv-20220121
 
I had one of these has a rental once, that auto box is the worst ever, it reminds me of the auto boxes that Toyota had in the 80s
 
I had one of these has a rental once, that auto box is the worst ever, it reminds me of the auto boxes that Toyota had in the 80s
Came looking at this thread specifically to find out about the AMT gearbox. Sounds like it's pretty bad, damn! It's not a traditional auto from my understanding, it's an automatically actuated manual gearbox.
 
Came looking at this thread specifically to find out about the AMT gearbox. Sounds like it's pretty bad, damn! It's not a traditional auto from my understanding, it's an automatically actuated manual gearbox.
I had driven the car for a week, I wont recommend that car to anyone, would rather look for a certified pre owned car on the used market than one of these brand new.

It feels very economically made and the panels looked weak. Not something I would want to be in a crash with,
 
In almost all case an AMT tranny = crap.

Cars like this is torque converter or GTFO. There is a reason why an AMT is used at this price point as opposed to a torque converter auto.
 
In almost all case an AMT tranny = crap.

Cars like this is torque converter or GTFO. There is a reason why an AMT is used at this price point as opposed to a torque converter auto.
Thanks for the info, I've never driven an AMT yet. That pretty much rules out most of the smaller Suzukis for me, they generally use AMT instead of torque converter autos. Hmmm.
 
Thanks for the info, I've never driven an AMT yet. That pretty much rules out most of the smaller Suzukis for me, they generally use AMT instead of torque converter autos. Hmmm.
I test drove a Swift GLX with an AMT box and hated it. I do however think its something to get used to and once you get there then you might not look back. But for me test driving a car to buy is about first experience since I am not test driving the car for a full week or 2 so I said hell no to an AMT.
 
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