India-spec Ignis vs global-spec: What's different?

Nexa's newest poster boy - the Ignis - will hit showroom floors on January 13, 2017. The first launch from India's largest carmaker for the upcoming year will be positioned a notch lower than the Baleno

Nexa's newest poster boy - the Ignis - will hit showroom floors on January 13, 2017. The first launch from India's largest carmaker for the upcoming year will be positioned a notch lower than the Baleno. Maruti Suzuki claims that the Ignis is made for the young, and have even roped in renowned EDM DJ - Axwell as the brand ambassador. The car itself packs a lot of promise - funky exteriors, chic interiors, tried-and-tested motors and most importantly, the backing of Maruti Suzuki's after sales network.

But...there are quite a few things different on the Indian-spec Ignis comapred to the global version. Wondering what's gone amiss? Read on:

Dualjet Technology
The Ignis' petrol engine is the familiar 1.2-litre K-Series engine that also powers its siblings such as the Baleno and the Swift. Overseas markets gets a slightly larger 1.25-litre engine with 'Dualjet' tech. Like the term suggests, the engine gets twin fuel injectors, that Suzuki claims not only helps in increasing usable power but also aids fuel-efficiency by optimizing the engine's thermal efficiency.

SHVS
'Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki' or SHVS as it is popularly known, will not feature on the Ignis for now. The mild-hybrid tech features an integrated starter generator (ISG) and a start-stop system, that helps the engine sip fuel a bit more considerately. The tech is already available on cars such as the Ertiga and the Ciaz in India, which house the same 1.3-litre DDiS engine. Notably, even the petrol Ignis gets the fuel-saving apparatus for global markets.

CVT
The Ignis will feature the same automated manual transmission we've seen in the Swift Dzire and the Celerio. Moreover, the automatic will be available with both the 1.2-litre petrol engine and the 1.3-litre diesel. While this is cost-effective and convenient, we wish a CVT (that other markets get) was on offer. The latter is quicker and masks shift-shocks better, which we think would've fit the premium Nexa billing better.

AllGrip All-Wheel-Drive
Believe it or not, the baby Suzuki actually features all-wheel-drive in most markets abroad. If offered, it would've set the Ignis apart in a sea of wannabe crossovers. That said, one might argue that Indian conditions do not warrant an AWD, and the setup ends up making the car heavier and eats heavily into the car's fuel-efficiency.

Side and Curtain Airbags
While it is heartening to see dual airbags and anti-lock brakes as standard across the range, one does feel shortchanged when you compare it to the global-spec car that gets additional side and curtain airbags. Considering Ford has moved the game to the next level by offering 6 airbags on the top-spec Figo, Maruti could've offered it as well.

Nonetheless, the Ignis promises to be yet another blockbuster for Maruti Suzuki. The automaker has time and again impressed us with their impeccable understanding of the psyche of Indian car buyers, dishing out the right kind of products and the right price. Needless to say, we will be getting our hands on the Ignis very soon. Stay tuned to CarDekho for an in-depth review.

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