[lokesharo]

Originally Posted by bottle

We are on the look out for a smaller car for school runabouts and tentatively narrowed it down to Ignis AMT Is this the right time to make a purchase or is any facelift expected ?

Nexa say no discounts for AMT and 2month waiting period since production is stopped and it is on order

I did a test drive of AMT yesterday. I was told that there is a cash discount of Rs. 15,000 and I can try to get more discount once I book the car.
Waiting period quoted for 1 month. No mention of production being stopped.

[bottle]

Originally Posted by lokesharo

I did a test drive of AMT yesterday. I was told that there is a cash discount of Rs. 15,000 and I can try to get more discount once I book the car.
Waiting period quoted for 1 month. No mention of production being stopped.

Thanks i made my booking and got about same amount discount and was told 3 months waiting period to be expected

[vishy76]

We recently traded in our 2017 Renault Kwid AMT for a Maruti Ignis Zeta AMT. I would love to write a detailed ownership review with a dedicated thread, but I don't think I can do justice to my standards at the moment. I will keep this one short and to the point.







What I liked:

• Funky styling inside-out is a breath of fresh air for a Maruti Suzuki
  
• Well equipped for the price it demands in today's market. Power folding & adjustable ORVMs, 15 inch alloys, rear wash and wipe with defogger, touchscreen infotainment with AA and AC, steering mounted audio controls, and the likes
  
• 1.2 VVT is a gem of a motor. One of the best in the business when it comes to small capacity naturally aspirated motors
  
• Quite a tight handler by Maruti standards. Stiffly set suspension helps high speed stability, and steering calibration is largely on point too
  
• Good interior packaging. More than enough space in general with a fairly spacious boot (260L)
  
• Maruti Suzuki's hassle-free ownership experience with more than enough service centres pan India

What I didn't like:

• Rear end is still a love it or hate it proposition. Very polarising
  
• AMT is one of the better ones out there, but can't match a CVT or torque converter
  
• Overall build quality is above average. No safety rating like the Tiago/Jazz/Kiger/Magnite
  
• Stiff ride might not go down well with the conservative folks. Can throw rear passengers around a fair bit at higher speeds
  
• Long term reliability of the AMT is something that remains to be seen. Though Maruti has the most experience in making these now

The total on-road price for the Zeta AMT here in Vadodara came to 8.15L. Got around 22K worth of accessories free, such as roof rails, window visors, mud flaps, mats and a reverse camera (it's unfortunately a bumper mounted cam, so I have asked them to refrain from installing it for now)

Exteriors:

• Very funky and un-maruti like. I absolutely love them though. They give the car a distinct identity.
  
• The front is the best angle to view the car from in my opinion. The new toothed grille, the clamshell like bonnet, the revised fog lamp enclosures and the large headlamps look swell. The halogen units look vanilla though. I would love to retrofit the Alpha's LED projector units later
  
• The side profile looks nice too with the black cladding and the heavily flared wheel arches adding some character. Having said that, the abruptly ending rear does look odd. Special mention to the 15 inch rims. Maruti usually undertyres cars in the interest of fuel economy. No such foolishness here. The black rims look outstanding, but are going to be a pain to keep clean. Additionally, I also foresee lots of chips around the lug nut holes. Will have to get them repainted at some point in time for sure
  
• The rear is where things start to go downhill. The tail lamps look dated. The odd hatch design is off putting and the large plastic insert at the bottom half of the bumper looks odd (it's a lot less conspicuous on the facelift though, now that is has been painted silver)

Interiors:

• The funky theme continues on the inside too. The centre mounted infotainment dominates here. While the protruding bezel gels well with the touchscreen infotainment on the Zeta and Alpha variants, it looks horrendous on the Delta variant which doesn't get a touchscreen
  
• Overall plastic quality is good in some areas, acceptable in others and bad in a few rare cases. Majority of the plastics on the dash and doorpads are of good quality. However, the trademark maruti suzuki power window switch console, and the AMT gear lever which looks like it belongs to an econobox entry level hatch (which it does) are the biggest sore points in my opinion.
  
• The steering is the standard Maruti unit seen on most economy hatches. I would have preferred the round hornpad unit from the Ertiga or Swift here. This car is a departure from the conservative maruti designs after all
  
• The AC vents are small. A touch too small for my liking. Clear case of form over function here. They look old fashioned too on the Delta and Sigma variants without any chrome on the louvres. Another ergonomic sore point is that the centre right AC vent is placed too close to the steering. As a result, you will feel the cold blast of air on your palms directly sometimes
  
• The centre console looks odd with the manual HVAC controls. The console for the HVAC controls itself sticks out like a sore thumb. The outdated recirculation slider doesn't help matters either
  
• Instrument cluster looks great. The needles rest at the 6 o clock position which gives it a sporty look. The MID is a comprehensive unit with a multitude of settings related to the info displayed and even the vehicle itself
  
• The infotainment system is par for the course. It has CANBUS integration with the car, which means it can throw up details like average FE, DTE and even warnings like fasten seatbelt and low fuel. Comes with the usual Android auto and Apple carplay as well. What I don't like is the screen resolution. Seems to be on the lower side
  
• Special mention to the sound quality though. I was surprised to find the car gets 6 speakers. 1 on each door and a tweeter on each A-pillar. From a non-audiophile's POV, I would give it a 8.5/10. I don't find the need to upgrade at all
  
• Overall ergonomics are on point barring the lack of height adjustment for the driver's chair. It seems the seat is set to the highest height by default. This is the only feature I miss on the Zeta
  
• Rear legroom is actually above average for a hatch of this size. What isn't acceptable is the narrow width. Seating three abreast at the back will be a task. Another issue is the rear quarter glass has a weird wedge shaped intrusion. It massively cuts down visibility for the rear passengers

Performance, ride and handling

• Fire up the 1.2 VVT and the first thing you notice is the refinement! It's dead silent at idle with zero vibrations. Switching the air con on does lead to very minor vibrations, but you really won't notice until you go hunting for them
  
• Slot into D and the Ignis starts creeping at around 4-5 kmhr. Although this is a huge upgrade over my Kwid which never used to creep in the first place, the Ignis won't creep even if there is a medium level gradient. The car will either stand still or roll back. Use the handbrake, build the revvs and move on. It's unfortunate the S-presso gets hill hold but the "premium" Ignis doesn't
  
• The AMT does an above average job in the city when driven with a light foot. Shifts from 1st to 2nd are instantly noticeable with succeeding gearshifts being far smoother in comparison.
  
• A minor irritant with this AMT (common complaint with many others) is the fact that it holds 2nd gear whole going over speed breakers at 7-10 kmhr. When you put your foot down, the AMT slips the clutch liberally and gets off the line. This is going to have a detrimental effect on clutch life if you drive with a heavy foot and build the revvs when taking off after a speedbreaker.
  
• Drive spiritedly and the AMT will show it's mediocre side. The gearbox logic is actually well programmed. It knew exactly when to hold the revvs and by how much depending on my driving style.
  
• Unfortunately, the gearbox is limited by the technology of its hardware. Shifts are slow and you will feel them always. Manual mode will help prepare the car for overtakes. One ergonomic flaw is that the manual mode orientation on the gearlever is opposite to what logic dictates. Push the lever downwards for an upshift and upwards for a downshift.
  
• Coming to the 1.2 VVT, I have only one word for it. Excellent! I would buy the Ignis again for this engine alone. The K12B is a jewel of an engine. It is arguably one of the best small capacity NA engines this country has seen.
  
• Low end is average at best. The AMT masks it to a huge extent, though you will feel it in the manual
  
• Mid range (2500-5000rpm) is where the motor starts coming into its stride. There's a very sweet thrum audible inside the cabin as the engine goes up the revv range. Power delivery is strong yet linear.
  
• Top end is also surprisingly good. The engine revvs hungrily to 6200-6300rpm, post which it feels as if you have hit a wall. There's a strong jerk as the ECM abruptly cuts of fuelling. Shame since I feel the K12B can easily max out at 6500-6700rpm. Needless to mention, the engine sounds surprisingly good even at the top of the revv band. It's never boomy or raspy like most of its competitors. Has an extremely likeable note.
  
• The MID has been throwing up FE figures in the region of around 12-15 kml in the city depending on driving style. I would say a figure of 13-14 kml should be easily achievable even if you don't aim for FE alone and just drive sanely.
  
• Ride and handling is again very un-maruti like. The overall suspension setup is on the stiffer side.
  
• At lower speeds, you will feel the underlying stiffness as the car goes over sharp bumps and potholes
  
• As speeds rise, the ride at the front does get a lot better, but the rear remains bouncy. Passengers will get thrown around a lot as the car goes over bumps and potholes
  
• The steering is tuned quite well. The issue where the EPS wouldn't return to centre after making a U-turn seems to have been largely sorted. The EPS also weighs up surprisingly well, though one is always well aware of the fact that it's artificial weight and there's no real feedback from it

Conclusion:

I would want to conclude this short review by answering a very simple question: Would I pick the Ignis AMT again? No. Would I pick the Ignis again? Absolutely yes. The AMT was an indispensable option since the car is used by my mom, but if I had to buy an Ignis myself, I would get the manual. The slick shifting 5-speed manual with the short throws and the light clutch would be icing on the cake paired to the already capable 1.2 VVT.

The Ignis is the dark horse of the MSIL stable. It joins an elite rack of cars (which the S-cross was formerly a part of), which are fairly well made, do most things well and offer great value for money in today's market where car prices have gone bonkers.

[TurboKat]

Originally Posted by vishy76

I would want to conclude this short review by answering a very simple question: Would I pick the Ignis AMT again? No. Would I pick the Ignis again? Absolutely yes. The AMT was an indispensable option since the car is used by my mom, but if I had to buy an Ignis myself, I would get the manual. The slick shifting 5-speed manual with the short throws and the light clutch would be icing on the cake paired to the already capable 1.2 VVT.

Great writeup Ananth. The pros and cons of the car that you have pointed out are absolutely spot on. Wishing your mom a lot of stress-free kilometers with the Ignis.

[Highh5]

Originally Posted by vishy76

We recently traded in our 2017 Renault Kwid AMT for a Maruti Ignis Zeta AMT. I would love to write a detailed ownership review with a dedicated thread, but I don't think I can do justice to my standards at the moment.

The Ignis is the dark horse of the MSIL stable.

Congratulations on the new ride. Your observations were spot on. I was this much close to getting an Ignis Alpha around a month back shade under 8 lakhs on road but then the requirements changed a bit and we got a Tigor in CNG.

This car provides absolute value for money, is readily available and has discounts running as well. In today's world of semiconductor shortages and year-long waiting periods, this car is the only exception.

[Sureshmadhan]

I believe you covered all the points vishy76. If you realize this is the only car in MSIL which is not yet updated recently. The tall boy design and premium it brings in will be likeable by senior citizens and tall members. IMO all IGNIS AMT version should have hill hold so that driving is going to be at ease for members who need seamless driving experience.

[AntPaul]

Originally Posted by vishy76

We recently traded in our 2017 Renault Kwid AMT for a Maruti Ignis Zeta AMT.

The total on-road price for the Zeta AMT here in Vadodara came to 8.15L. Got around 22K worth of accessories free, such as roof rails, window visors, mud flaps, mats and a reverse camera (it's unfortunately a bumper mounted cam, so I have asked them to refrain from installing it for now)

Hi Vishy,

Congratulations on the new ride. I am awaiting the delivery of my silky silver ignis zeta amt next week. It replaces my ever loyal 2006 silky silver esteem vxi which was sold succumbing to mounting social/family pressure and the need for an automatic car in a city like bangalore. It joins my temperamental duster 110ps.

The car was booked on June 3rd week, commanding a 2.5 months waiting period. Strange for a slow moving car. The dealer attributes it to chip shortage for amt.
How much was your waiting period?

Ignis was not even present in my initial shortlist as I never thought of Nexa. It was going to be Celerio, Swift or i10. My heart was longing for the swift as it is essentially 4th generation of the Esteem. But i found the car not meeting my expectations from the name tag and price point in multiple aspects.
I stumbled upon Ignis on a newspaper ad and found it to be most endearing offering after checking out all similarly priced cars from maruti and hyundai. Only gripe I have is the missing hill hold. Won't need ESP (if sanity prevails) as the car will be an urban warrior.

On road price works out to be 8.52 lakhs in bangalore including 4k corporate bonus. No free accessories and insurance from dealer. I opted out of suzuki connect.

I was lead to believe by my Nexa dealer that roof rails are standard on zeta and alpha. Also, there are no MGA mudflaps available for zeta and alpha as it already has the plastic cladding as standard. Can you post a picture of the mudflaps? I have a feeling Nexa pulled a fast one on you on the roof rails by showing it as a free accessory.

The MGA rear camera needs drilling the bumper. Also I find the Alphas camera angle to be better. The MGP camera for Ignis alpha is listed at around 5k at boodmo. But you might need to to purchase seperate wiring harness to connect it from the tailgate to the display. If you want oem looks, try to talk with the dealer about trading in the MGA generic camera for MGP camera from Alpha. I purchased an aftermarket camera for ignis alphas oem mount including complete wiring harness for 3.3K from kwidsolutons/autoshopp website. They also sell the wiring harness separately and will even make custom harness if you provide pictures, at rates cheaper than MGP harness.

Also purchased 3d kagu mats from 3dmatsindia website for 50% discount at 4.2k including shipping. You could check it if you are into 3d mats. They have great offers for mats of slow moving cars.

Thanks.

[Sagarjagga]

Keep a close look on the seats. My Ignis Sigma's driver side seat foam was defective and it got squeezed within a couple of weeks. Maruti is really cutting corners on build quality. They anyhow didn't provide me any resolution and blamed it on me for fitting seat covers from outside. I wonder how the seat cover guy wrecked the foam while I was watching him the whole time!

[wilful]

Originally Posted by vishy76

I would want to conclude this short review by answering a very simple question: Would I pick the Ignis AMT again? No. Would I pick the Ignis again? Absolutely yes. The AMT was an indispensable option since the car is used by my mom, but if I had to buy an Ignis myself, I would get the manual. The slick shifting 5-speed manual with the short throws and the light clutch would be icing on the cake paired to the already capable 1.2 VVT.

The Ignis is the dark horse of the MSIL stable. It joins an elite rack of cars (which the S-cross was formerly a part of), which are fairly well made, do most things well and offer great value for money in today's market where car prices have gone bonkers.

Nice detailed review.
Just one question- while I can understand the AMT shortcomings, can you tell us your view on which one is better - Kwid or Ignis - purely in terms of AMT performance/smoothness?

[archat68]

Originally Posted by wilful

Nice detailed review.
Just one question- while I can understand the AMT shortcomings, can you tell us your view on which one is better - Kwid or Ignis - purely in terms of AMT performance/smoothness?

There is no comparison between Kwid and Ignis. They are two different class of cars. Ignis is far superior in every aspect.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by archat68

There is no comparison between Kwid and Ignis. They are two different class of cars. Ignis is far superior in every aspect.

Thanks. I realize that - but specifically on the AMT gearbox?

[Keeleri_Achu]

Originally Posted by wilful

Thanks. I realize that - but specifically on the AMT gearbox?

The AMT in Ignis is much much better than the one in Kwid. Period.

Kwid doesn't give you any manual control over gear shifts thereby leaving you at the mercy of the TCU logic. You cannot hold gears and I've been left at some borderline dangerous situations during overtakes. Press the pedal more and you get downshift with lag, leave the pedal as is, the system might upshift with the same lag.

Moreover, the general performance of AMT unit is related closely related to the mated engine. The 1.0 from Renault cannot match K10 from Maruti let alone the K12.

In short, I would say the AMT in Ignis isn't perfect. But it's still miles ahead of the one in Kwid.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by wilful

Thanks. I realize that - but specifically on the AMT gearbox?

AMT performance is also superior because the of the 4 cylinder, 1.2 litre engine.

The car that can be compared here is Tiago. But the engine is 3cyl VS 4 cyl in Ignis. Otherwise Tiago is solid competitor to Ignis.

[Rahkehs]

Short Review of my Ignis Zeta MT after 6 Months of use

I was looking for a small car for city use in Dehradun since the roads are narrow and parking vehicle during peak hours could be cumbersome. Shortlisted Maruti Ignis, Tata Punch and Grand I10 Nios; although I had already made up my mind to buy Ignis as I liked it the most, and was looking for certain excuses to eliminate other options.
I got my reasons of finalizing Ignis and eliminating other two, since Hyundai Dealership neither called nor provided Test Drive even after a lot of follow-ups and Tata Punch had a waiting of 4 months.

Nexa Experience was truly awesome; they really treat the customers as Kings/Queens. The Zeta MT model cost me INR 7.2 Lakhs on road with 2 Years Extended warranty and few accessories like Seat Cover & Rain Visor.

Interior & Exterior

I find the Ignis to be a nice-looking little car. White color with black cladding over the entire side profile looks good. The rear is a little polarizing; however with 185 Sections Tyres which I upgraded to, immediately after purchase, the stance has improved a little.
The Interior feels practical with good amount of space for 4 people and lot of place to keep your knick-knacks. The fit and finish although not at Hyundai I10 Nios’s level is generally good. The Infotainment is nice to use and the sound from the 4 Speakers and 2 Tweeter System is surprisingly good.

Drive Experience

It is really a fun to drive car and can be chucked like a scooter in the city traffic. The Clutch is very light with butter-smooth gear box. Although I have driven this car only in city, but I feel this 1.2 L engine would be fun on highways also. This car never feels underpowered in hills, as I once took it to Mussorie with 4 Adults and a kid onboard and it performed well on the inclines. The steering is light and upgrading the tires has made the ride more planted. The car feels comfortable on small potholes and broken roads.

Overall Experience after 2 Service and 2500 Kms

The ownership experience has been good till date. Nexa has been proactive with scheduling of Service, 1st service was done at home by their mobile-van whereas 2nd service was done at their Workshop and the car has got smoother after 2nd Service.
Overall I would say it’s a nice little all-rounder, fun to drive car, with decent build quality and good backup from Maruti after Sales & Service.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by Keeleri_Achu

The AMT in Ignis is much much better than the one in Kwid. Period.

Kwid doesn't give you any manual control over gear shifts thereby leaving you at the mercy of the TCU logic. You cannot hold gears and I've been left at some borderline dangerous situations during overtakes. Press the pedal more and you get downshift with lag, leave the pedal as is, the system might upshift with the same lag.

Moreover, the general performance of AMT unit is related closely related to the mated engine. The 1.0 from Renault cannot match K10 from Maruti let alone the K12.

In short, I would say the AMT in Ignis isn't perfect. But it's still miles ahead of the one in Kwid.

Originally Posted by archat68

AMT performance is also superior because the of the 4 cylinder, 1.2 litre engine.

Thank you for your responses. It's quite obvious from these that the AMT gearbox in the Suzuki is much superior to the one used by Renault in terms of shift smoothness, lag etc.