[vsrivatsa]

As some of the BHPians are aware I own a 2014 Honda City i-DTEC and have been enjoying my ride (Link). The City ODO stands at 41,500 kms as of today and it has really been an extremely pleasant and niggle free ownership. Prior to the City I owned an Accent CRDi which I sold after clocking about 98,000 kms on it. Across the ownership of multiple cars I have about 145,000 kms of driving experience.

Last year, we also bought a pre-owned Hyundai Eon as a city commuter car with the intent that it would be used by my wife for learning to drive a car. The plan was to use the pre-owned car for learning and once she was well-versed we would buy a new car. Way back in August 2016, I started exploring options for a small car which would replace the Hyundai Eon once my wife learnt driving. The requirements were simple – easy city commuter which can be used by both of us. At this time, we had not set in stone if the car had to be an automatic, however my wife did express that her choice would be for an Automatic Car. This was to ensure that the hassle of frequent gear shifting would not be there given how dense the Bangalore City Traffic has become.

Now starts, the journey of small car exploration which finally ended with the Suzuki Ignis Automatic.

Renault Kwid AMT:
While on a trip to Mysore in late August 2016, I did a test drive of the then newly launched Kwid 1.0 Liter Manual. The car felt small and handy and the 1.0 Liter engine seemed an appropriate fit for the car hunt that had just begun. My wife insisted that we wait for the launch of the rumored Kwid AMT with dial based gear shift or Easy-R. Finally I got to test drive the Kwid AMT sometime in late November 2016. As I had not much exposure to Automatics, during the first test drive I could not gather much impressions but we at least finalized that the car we buy would be an Automatic variant. I did my test drive of the automatic at Renault Silkboard and was happy with the overall test drive experience.

While all the reviews on YouTube from various Auto Magazine vendors were positive about the Kwid, TeamBHP opinion about the Kwid AMT was overall negative. Given all this information overload from Team-BHP, I decided that I needed to explore few more cars before I zoom in on the Kwid AMT. The main weaknesses of the Kwid were the lack of a Manual Mode, ABS & dual airbags. The plus as everyone agrees is the extreme good looks of this mini-Duster. The looks of this car are so impressive that it is easy for one to overlook all other weaknesses and go ahead with the car. There is absolutely no competition for this car in the aesthetics department at this price point. The AMT in the Kwid does come in the Top spec variant and is also available on one lower spec variant. Given the weaknesses called out, the other test drives began.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio AMT
The Celerio was the next stop. When I visited Maruti Suzuki Showroom in Banerghatta Road in December, they did not have an Automatic available for Test Drive. I looked at the display car, spoke to the Sales Rep and came back. The Sales Rep promised to arrange for a Test Drive at home. At this time, the car search came to a pause for a month as we welcomed a new member into our family in December – a baby boy I called the Sales Rep again only towards end of Jan 2017. The car came home and both I and my wife did a test drive of the Celerio AMT. The Sales Rep also called out that there was a 20K Cash Discount available on the Celerio as well. Exchanged a couple of posts on TeamBHP about the Celerio and we were seriously considering the Celerio.

However things moved slowly as we were getting adjusted and enjoying the new addition to the family and parenting. Another month passed and we heard the Tiago AMT was going to be released. The slow pace of our car hunt had provided us an additional option!

Tata Tiago XZA – Easy Shift AMT
In March, we started exploring the Tiago and started with the test drive of the Tata Tiago. I was happy that there was a better looking option as compared to the Celerio AMT. Though not as attractive as the Kwid in my opinion, the Tiago was another great looking car in its own right. The fully loaded XZA variant seemed quite attractive with all the bells and whistles such as Alloy Wheels, Fog Lamps, Reverse Sensors and the icing on the cake – “Harmon Kardon” Audio System with 8 speakers! The first test drive was done and the gear shift experience of the AMT was better than the Kwid but still had a lag. At this point of time, I requested for one more test drive of the Kwid and confirmed that the Tiago gear shift was certainly better. The gear shifts on the Kwid not only have a lag, there is also a noise as if there is something going wrong.

As for the Tiago, Another key point to note, the rear bench of the Tiago is far from optimal, Tata should provide better rear seats, the legroom does seem to be there but the seat is too narrow to my liking and I don’t think the rear passengers would be happy in long highway drives.
In my opinion the AMT of the Tiago is on par with the Celerio – the fact that the AMT units for both are sourced from Magneto Marelli also adds up to that logic. The Sports mode makes the shifts a little bit better as well.

When Tata Motors released the Tiago AMT, they hiked the price of the Tiago across the range and the OTR of the Tiago AMT stood at 6.71 L Bangalore. This was a whopping 50K more than the Celerio top end as the Celerio came with a 20K cash discount as well. Given this high pricing in Bangalore – made me look a segment upward at the Ignis. Had the Tiago been priced another 20K to 25K lower, I possibly would have gone ahead with the Tiago and not even considered the Ignis (I hope TaMo folks are reading this!)
The Tiago still felt like a very close call when compared to the Ignis. I toggled between Tiago and Ignis and did multiple test drives of both cars from different showrooms in Bangalore. Also exchanged notes on TeamBHP on the Tiago AMT and the Ignis threads. Prerana Motors and Concorde both were prompt in providing test drives at home. During the test drive provided by Prerana Motors, the Tiago AMT had a malfunction which dented by confidence level in going with the Tata Brand. More here: URL

At this point of time, I also did a brief test drive of the Grand i10 as well just to ensure I cover the Hyundai car as well which I have briefly covered in the next section.

Grand i10 Automatic
Did a spur of the moment test drive of the Grand i10 Automatic in Blue Hyundai near Gandhi Bazaar. The drive experience was excellent, the torque converter setup combined with the four cylinder engine felt the best automatic that I had driven of the lot. There was no lag and the car felt peppy. However, the pathetic mileage figures reported on team-bhp and the lack of the ABS in the Automatic variant was a drawback. Hyundai offers ABS only in the top spec variant and there is no automatic in the top end variant. Given these factors, Grand i10 was immediately dropped.

Before I move to the Ignis, I would like to post a comparative matrix which I had compiled about most of the automatics in the price range for reference – hope this is of use to other BHPians treading the path of Automatics.

Comparison of Automatic Small Cars


Automatic Cars - A Comparison - Click on Image to Enlarge

Special Call out to Maruti Suzuki For Safety Features
One should really appreciate Maruti for providing Safety Features all across all variants of the Ignis. I hope we reach the day soon when all manufacturers do the same. Even on the Celerio, Safety features can be added in the O variant. As voiced by many on TeamBHP, safety should not be compromised. If I go back to the cars I called out in comparison, the following would be the drawbacks from a safety aspect:

1. Renault Kwid AMT - No ABS available, Driver Side Airbag Only
2. Hyundai Grand i10 Auto - ABS not available in Automatic (Reference: 2017 Facelift, earlier edition I believe had ABS+Auto option). Dual Airbags available on Sports trim but Single airbag on the Magna trim
3. Tata Tiago AMT - ABS available on XZA. Note: However, their Safety Pack offered on the Tiago range misses out on ABS. Anyone buying a lower variant cannot have ABS.

And the Winner of the Grand Finale – Suzuki Ignis AMT


The Chosen One - Suzuki Ignis Delta AMT Petrol

The price hikes made by Tata brought the Tiago close to the Ignis Delta variant territory. The price difference was only 30K and for the 30K, I would be moving a segment up and also be getting a 4 cylinder engine. I did the Test drive of the Ignis around the same time as the Tiago in the March and April timeframe. NEXA folks did not oblige for a test drive at home during the weekends. This was the opposite of Tata. Tata folks used to say do not come to the showroom, we have only one automatic variant per dealer and we will bring the car to your home.

I did the first test drive of the Ignis in NEXA JP Nagar. The test drive experience was good, the car felt more powerful and smoother as compared to the Tiago without doubt. The only question though was the thought of investing 30K more on a base + 1 variant – the Delta variant as compared to the top end of the Tiago.

Repeated test drives between the Tiago AMT and the Ignis AMT in a crisscross manner to get more clues on which car felt better. The Ignis had the 4 cylinder engine, smooth AMT shifts, better ground clearance and better rear seats going for it. Another advantage was the 15 inch tires and the Ignis was going to come for sure with Bridgestone Ecopia tires. In case of the Tiago, this would be one from multiple brands and getting a tire from a better brand such as Bridgestone depended on luck.

I requested NEXA JP Nagar to provide a test drive at home for my wife during a week day. The NEXA JP Nagar Sales Rep promised and when it was time for the test drive, he called and said he will not be able to make it. I repeated test drives of the Ignis at NEXA Koramangala and NEXA Electronic City. The NEXA Electronic City Sales Rep seemed very inflexible said everything listed on the pricing sheet was mandatory from accessories worth 9.3K to the Extended Warranty etc. Decided not to buy from NEXA Electronic City even if I were to decide on Ignis.

My intention in doing multiple test drives each time from a different NEXA Showroom was three-fold – one was to ensure I am confident about the choice and the second aspect was to get some clues on waiting times. Third aspect was to see if I can get the Sales Reps to offer any free accessories or discounts. [The 30K price difference was without including even the basic accessories which was priced at about 9.3K for the Ignis.]

By this time we had finalized on the color of the car – it would be Berry Red in case we went with the Tiago and it would be Uptown Red in case of the Ignis. The comparison was going neck to neck, when the malfunction with the Test Drive vehicle happened on the Tiago which I reported in the earlier section as well. A few of my colleagues also advised that the Tiago would not fetch a good resale value as compared to a “Maruti”. This tilted the decision now more in favor of the Ignis. Further, my wife also provided some key and critical inputs. I was giving too much weightage to the HK Audio System of the Tiago. My wife's point was that we were buying a car and not a Home Theatre and hence weightage should be given more for the driveability factor than the frills such as the Audio System.

Most NEXA Showrooms so far had quoted a two month wait period for the delivery. I went to NEXA Museum Road and had a better test drive experience as compared to the other NEXA showrooms. The Sales Rep or Relationship Manager as they call them at NEXA seemed very confident of delivering the car the same month. As the NEXA JP Nagar guy had not turned with the test drive for my wife, I requested one last test drive at home and my wife also gave the green signal for the Ignis.

On the same day this test drive happened the NEXA JP Nagar guy called and asked about the test drive. I told him I had finalized on the Ignis and was planning to book the car. He offered free accessories and apologized for missing the test drive as promised. I quickly called NEXA Museum Road and negotiated for the accessories which they had to agree to as I already had the offer from NEXA JP Nagar. Did a bank transfer of 11K and booked the Ignis Delta AMT in Uptown Red color on 03 May 2017. (Later, at the time of delivery the RM did tell me that I was the first guy to get accessories free on the Ignis from their showroom!)

The Relationship Manager (RM) promised delivery of the car within a month maximum. They also offered the same variant of the car in Tinsel Blue or White for immediate delivery as they had ready stock. We decided to stick to the color choice and decided to go with the one month wait. Our car hunt had ended, we had finalized and actually booked the Ignis Delta AMT!

The NEXA Delivery Experience
Post booking, the RM was supposed to confirm the delivery date within a week. A week passed and nothing happened. Then the RM called and said the Red color Delta variant was not allotted by Maruti and they had not accepted the order as yet and offered the Tinsel Blue color option which they had readily available. We did not accept the option and insisted that they keep their 1 month commitment and deliver the Ignis in Red Color.

Finally around 20th May, the RM called and broke the good news that the car had been allotted. Half hour later I received the allocation details over email stating that the car had been allotted. Post allocation, the RM promised delivery within 2 weeks as the car was going to be transported from origin to Bangalore. During this period the RM kept me updated of the progress and shared with me the VIN number of the car as well which I decoded and found to be May 2017.

The car arrived in the Nelamangala stockyard 28th May. I requested for a visit to the stockyard but was denied saying it is against the security policy of NEXA. Alternately the RM said he would allow me to inspect the car in the showroom itself prior to the car going for registration to which I agreed.

Finally the delivery date was set to Saturday, 03rd June 2017. I visited NEXA Museum Road once more and finalized on the accessories. I added Fog Lamps, Body Cover, Rear Speakers and Door Visors. I was given a discount of 10% on the accessories as well. I had planned for Reverse Camera + Display Monitor as well but the price quoted by NEXA was too high at 9.4K. Similar combos had been offered by TaMo for 5.5K, so decided to give it a skip and plan to have them installed later from outside NEXA. [I know the warranty would be a risk but I guess I will take the risk]

The D-Day arrived and I reached NEXA Museum Road at around 11-30 AM. Had to wait an hour as there was the delivery of a Baleno which was planned before mine. An interesting incident happened during this wait. I observed one of the other Sales Reps. at NEXA Museum Road who looked familiar. After a while the guy saw me and he walked up to me and introduced himself and asked if I remembered him. He was the same guy who had been my Relationship Manager when I purchased the Honda City from Dakshin Honda in 2014. In fact mine was the very first 2014 Honda City to roll out of the floors of the Dakshin Honda, Lavelle Road dealership in Bangalore. What a coincidence that he was again present when I was going to take delivery of another car that too from a completely different brand!

Post this the car was brought to the delivery bay and cleaned. The RM explained to me all the features of the car. The accessories manager came and showcased the accessories installed. Finally they brought a bouquet of flowers, Cake and a box of Ferroro Rocher chocolates and the RM handed over the keys to the car along with a coupon for 7 liters of Petrol. Post the cake cutting was done and after we eaten a bit, the NEXA folks promptly packed up the cake for a takeaway as well. I must say the Cake was fresh and tasted really good!


NEXA Museum Road: Pratham Motors


Car Getting ready in the Delivery Bay


The NEXA Experience

I would rate my NEXA Museum Road experience highly (9.5 on 10). The Relationship Manager Mr. GopalaKrishana was extremely responsive and shared the requested information promptly. He was also transparent in the way he shared information about any issues that he was facing during the allocation phase.

The car hunt and purchase had ended and the ownership phase has started…Let us now get into a detailed review of the Ignis Delta Automatic

Exteriors & Build Quality
The exteriors of the Ignis if described in one word would be "unconventional". Most online reviews used the word "quirky" to describe the external appearance of the car which means that it is a deviation from the usual or a peculiar design. The car looks good from the front and side views.


Front View


Side Profile

Its the rear view which is an eyesore. Not sure why Maruti messed up the rear design. All they needed to do was copy the Brezza Design and create a miniature version of it. But they messed it up. In spite of the odd rear, the car overall is still a head turner. Stop at a signal light and you are sure to get some glances from the other commuters.


Rear View of the Car - The Rear is acceptable in this angle


Full Rear View: Oh No!...

Keeping the aesthetics apart, coming to Panel Gaps and Paint quality, I would say that is done well and on par with the competition in this segment. In terms of Build Quality, for people go by touch and feel this would not make them too happy as you can poke using your hand and the surface does not feel strong. However, I trust in newer technology and believe the Ultra High Tensile Steel used should make it a safe car. I would rate the Ignis 07/10 for the Exterior Looks department with the score being lowered on account of the horrible looking rear side. Also note that the black cladding on the wheel arches and the sides is not provided for the Delta Variant but can be added by means of an Exterior Styling Kit from Nexa. However, at the time of delivery this was not readily available at NEXA and they said it was not in stock.

Also, Maruti provides a lot of customization options for the Ignis. There is also a roof wrap option available in a contrasting color for Rs.10,000/- from NEXA itself. For the Uptown Red color, the recommended roof wrap would be Black. Given that I started with the Kwid and already moved up by several segments to buy the Ignis I was not keen on spending more money on Accessories...

Another thing to note is that Maruti does not have any of the usual badging on the Ignis, the Delta variant is not called out anywhere on the exterior and neither is there any badging for the AGS (Auto Gear Shift) on the car.

In Car Entertainment (ICE)
The Delta Variant comes with the same Audio Head Unit as the Zeta variant. Unlike the top end Alpha trim this is not a Touchscreen. It does come with the relevant features though such as USB playback of MP3, FM Radio, Bluetooth Connectivity and a CD Player as well. The Audio Unit is easy to use and suffices for music listening or radio listening.


Audio System of the Delta Variant


Audio System with Illuminated Dials

Maruti provides Steering Mounted Controls in the Delta trim also which makes it convenient to change FM stations or forward to a different song by flicking a button the steering wheel itself without having to take the hand off the steering wheel. Again I appreciate Maruti for providing this option on all trims except the base trim since it is not possible to add Steering Mounted controls as an accessory.

However, the Delta variant does not come with rear speakers by default. I had the rear speaker added as an accessory from NEXA itself for 2,500/-. The fitment was done in the door itself and this has greatly enhanced the overall audio experience in the car. Unless the rear seats are going to go unused, I would recommend this as an add-on for the folks going in for the Delta variant. The accessory rear speaker was Pioneer Branded and comes with a 1 year warranty as well.

The Audio System also has lighted controls which glow in the dark - this makes the system look more premium than it is in the dark as compared to daylight where it looks a little dull (not glossy).


Steering Mounted Controls with Night Illumination


Bluetooth Display while on a Phone Call

The Bluetooth connectivity was easy to use. I was able to pair my Android Phone (LG G4) easily with the system and make and receive calls from the Head Unit. Based on my tests, the person on the other side reported that the clarity of audio via Bluetooth was very good.

Air Conditioner
The Delta Variant comes with an old fashioned air conditioner controls. There is nothing special or attractive about them but they get the job done


Air Conditioner Controls


Rotary AC Vents

The Air Conditioner can be switched on with a toggle type AC Button on the console. The effectiveness of the AC can be termed as average. It takes its time and for people who really like to get chilled it would require setting to higher settings such as Level 2 or 3. There are no rear AC vents which some of the cars in this segment provide. Overall I would rate the AC performance at 7/10.

Interiors & Storage Spaces
The interiors of the car comprise of a dual tone dash which has black and white. The interiors of the car feel roomy due to the tall SUVish design of the car. The front seats offer good amount of thigh support and fit snugly.


Excellent Visibility from the Driver's Seat

The Delta trim comes with Fabric interiors in Black which are a good match to the cabin. The Steering offers Tilt Adjustment and I was able to find a comfortable seating position w.r.t. to the Drivers seat easily. The Driver seat itself does not get any Height Adjustment. That feature is reserved for only the top spec. Alpha variant. The view of the road from the front seats is good, however the IRVM could have been wider. Also, the visibility from the IRVM is also limited given the design of the rear windshield.


IRVM


ORVM

The ORVMs are wide enough and offer a good view of what's in the rear. The Delta Trim does not come with Auto Folding Mirrors but Maruti does provide the Electric ORVMs which means the mirrors can be adjusted from inside. A rotary knob is provided on the Driver side door handle as can be seen from the below picture. Again, given that this is available on the Delta Trim, I would say that Maruti has been generous.


ORVM Controls on Driver Side Handle

Maruti should have avoided the usage of White near the dash area - with usage this is bound to get dirty and extremely hard to maintain. Same with the excessive usage of white on the front doors as well. The rear doors have white only on the door handles.


Well laid out cabin with Controls placed in a usable way

The Cabin is provided with Theater Dimming lights which switch on when the vehicle is unlocked and gradually fade out when the vehicle is locked. This is a nifty feature during the nights. Surprised to find a feature of this nature in the delta trim. Once again appreciate Maruti for this.

The rear doors also come with bottle holders and one can easily fit in half liter water bottles in these.


View of the Rear Door


View of the Rear Window

The view from the Rear Side Window is good and paired with the higher seating position, the experience of the rear passenger is a good one.


Bottle Holder in Rear Doors

Coming to the rear seats, I would say these are much superior to the Tiago. My parents who are both senior citizens and medium build were happy with the higher positioning of the rear seats and said the seats were comfortable for them during the 4-5 km ride that they sat in it for. However the rear seats may seem to be on the smaller side for adults with a hefty build. The rear seats maybe good for two adults and a child, fitting a third adult would be a squeeze and not ideal for long journeys. Overall for the segment in which this car is positioned, I would rate the interior space, seating and facilities at 8.5/10 given that this is a base + 1 trim.


Information Display and Speedo

The Information Display provides various features which include the Range, two Trip meters, Instantaneous and Average Fuel Economy etc. The Speedometer is well lit but I did not like the meter markings in it. Although there is sufficient space available, Maruti has completed the 0 to 200 marking in just a semi-circle itself or a little more. The downside of this closely spaced speed marking is that the markings are not spaced apart well.

As this is a car expected to be driven in the city, if one is driving in the lower power band between 10 to 40 kmph, its hard to figure out the speed at a quick glance and one has to move the eye balls quite low. One may get used to it, but I have seen better more ergonomic speedometers.


Information Display showing Right Door as Open

On the positive side, the Information Display also has information regarding the specific door which is open including the boot. This is something I do not have on my Honda City also - it makes it easy to close the specific door open. Great feature! There are sufficient storage spaces in the car but the main Glovebox could have been bigger. The car provides a charging socket in the front which can be closed by means of a flap.

The Information Display also provides a lot of other information such as Average Fuel Consumption Per Liter, Two Trip Meters, the ODO Meter, the average speed and the total driving duration. Looks like Maruti has included more than what one could ask for!

[vsrivatsa]

Let us now continue on to the other aspects of the car such as the Headlights, Fog Lamps and the Horn.

Headlights and Fog Lamps, Horn
The headlights of the Ignis are quite large and uniquely styled. Although the top end comes with LED Headlamps, the Delta trim gets the normal headlights.


Ignis Headlight

I have found the headlights sufficient for night driving. The throw of the beam and the illumination offered is good enough for night driving conditions. The Delta trim does not come with Fog Lamps, I went for the Fog Lamps as an additional accessory for about 4,500/-. I think the quality of the Fog Lamps are excellent and add to the illumination offered by the headlights.

Just to give an idea of how the headlights perform, I am including pictures of the beam from the headlight in low beam and high beam. I am also including the pictures with the addition of Fog Lamps as well.


Ignis Lighting

Another extremely useful feature provided by the Ignis is the Lights On Warning Indicator. If you remove the car key when the Headlights are on, the Information Display shows the message as Lights On and also makes beeping sound. This will avoid incidents where the headlights are left switched on when one leaves the vehicle.


"Lights On" Indicator

The Horn of the Ignis is loud enough and will serve the regular scenarios in day to day traffic which require its usage. Although I do try not to overdo it, in today's traffic situation and the "amazing" driving styles of the various other folks on the road it does become a necessary evil.

Ride Quality and Suspension, Braking & Tires

Ride Quality and Suspension: City Driving:
The ride quality of the Ignis is slightly on the firmer side at low speeds. However its tuned well and one can manage to go over small road bumps in the city at 15-20 kmph without having to slowdown. However, riding over similar bumps at higher speeds such as 40 kph would result in the rear side being jumpy. Given the handsome 180 mm of Ground Clearance of the vehicle there was no issues of any type of bottoming out or underbelly scraping in any of the scenarios that I covered so far

Ride Quality and Suspension: Highway Driving:
The quality of drive improves at higher speeds and driving at 60 to 80 kmph the vehicle feels extremely comfortable. The car is extremely stable at higher speeds of 80 to 90 kmph as well and feels like one can easily do triple digit speeds with ease. I avoided going beyond 90 kph for now due to the run in period. At 90 kph, the NVH levels are controlled and the vehicle feels very refined.

Overall I would rate the the car at 9/10 for the Ride Quality and Suspension setup.


15 inch Bridgestone Ecopia Tire

The Bridgestone Ecopia tires are decent in terms of the grip given that the Ignis comes with 15 inch tires, but the noise levels are on the slightly higher side. The braking response of the vehicle is confidence inspiring and good. The fact that the vehicle comes with ABS + EBD is an additional feather in the cap for the Ignis. Given that Bridgestone is a good brand, I plan to retain the original tires itself. In the case of my 2014 Honda City, I had received MRF tires and had replaced them with upsized Michelins. For the Ignis and its size, I feel the tire size seems apt and hence there is no plan to upsize the tires.

Given that the car is new, I have not yet tried speeds over 90 kph as of date. Will be providing updates in future when I do true highway outings sometime in the near future. Also, given that this is the delta trim, the wheels are steel rims and not Alloy Wheels. One benefit of this configuration is that all 5 wheels including the stepney would be uniformly steel rims which possibly allows for better wheel/tire rotation options.

Note: The car came with over inflated tires from the Showroom at 43 PSI and this was brought down to the appropriate setting a day later when I checked. This seems like a common practice and I would recommend everyone who buys a car to get the tire pressure checked and corrected immediately after the delivery.

Engine and The AGS (Auto Gear Shift) Experience
Maruti likes to call its AMT as AGS which stands for Auto Gear Shift for short. I have used the terms AGS and AMT interchangeably in this post as they mean the same thing.

The Ignis AGS comes in both Petrol and Diesel options. Given that this was going to be the second car meant for City runabouts, we had decided on the Petrol only. Hence I did not test drive or evaluate the Diesel AGS variant of Ignis. The Ignis comes with the tried and tested 1.2 Liter K12M Engine from Suzuki. This is the same engine which powers a whole set of cars in the Maruti Stable which include Swift, Baleno and Dzire. During the comparison with Tata Tiago, the key advantage of the Ignis was the 4 Cylinder Engine. The engine is very smooth and the refinement levels are good. For people who want to understand more on the pros and cons of 3 Cylinder vs 4 Cylinder Engine I would refer them to an existing thread available on team-bhp on this topic here : Engine Options

Engine Performance - City Driving:
The car does well in the city driving scenario except for the gear shift from the first to the second. However, this is possibly more due to the AMT Mechanism rather than the engine factor. The acceleration at lower speeds is quick and peppy and once you are in second gear and beyond the car quickly races ahead to higher gears. The car reaches the top gear (5th gear) at around 50 kph and pulls well. Given this short gearing one can expect to be in the top gear within city limits also if some patches of empty roads are found within city limits.

Engine Performance - Highway Driving:
At the time of compilation, I have not yet done a true highway outing, this analysis is more based on driving on toll roads within Bangalore city (Ex: Bangalore Elevated Tollway) that kind of simulate a highway driving experience. Once you are past the second gear, the gearing is quick and the vehicle reaches the top gear around 50 kph. The engine pulls comfortably all the way to reach speeds of about 90 kph. I cannot yet comment on speeds beyond this as I am yet to touch 3 digit numbers due to the run in period. Overall happy with the peppy performance of the engine and the NVH levels of the petrol engine as well. Another point to note is that with the short gearing one would touch the top gear with a speed of 50 kph quite easily on a highway. Beyond this the AMT should not have any work since one is already in the top gear, overtaking on highways at speeds beyond say 70 kph should be confidence aspiring as one is already in the top gear and hence there is no risk of gear shifts.


View of the Petrol Engine Bay


Cladding Provided even for the Petrol Engine Bonnet

Coming to the topic of AMT, I would rate the AMT Experience as the best "AMT" experience among the current crop of cars that come with it. If we exclude the Torque Converter setup of the Grand i10 and the CVT options available in the higher segments and restrict our comparison only to Automated Manual Transmission category alone then without doubt the AMT on the Ignis is the best of the lot and I would give it a 9/10 rating.


AGS Gear Shift Unit

Only the shift of gear from the first to second has a noticeable lag and the rest of the shifts are fairly smooth. The downshifts are even better. The availability of the Manual mode means that in tricky situations such as a uphill climb or overtaking, the driver can take control of the car and drive it like a Manual Car. The creep function comes in handy in traffic situations where the car will move ahead slowly. I found the reverse gear bit tricky and will take time getting used to, the acceleration on the reverse is quite high and one has to use a light foot when in the reverse gear. Also, the car does need a reverse camera for sure as rear visibility from the cabin is not that great.

Fuel Efficiency
I would say it is too early to comment on the Fuel Efficiency of the car and I would cover this aspect after I have sufficient real world data. The ARAI certified Fuel Efficiency for the AMT Variant is 20.89 kmpl. In my expectation if the fuel efficiency is in the range of 14-15 kmpl for city driving and in the 16-17 range on highway drives - I would be satisfied. Keeping my fingers crossed at this time on this topic. At the moment, as I write this ownership report the MID is diving a readout of 14.0 km/L for distance of about 120 kms which included 90% City Driving and 10% of Highway/Tollway driving.

Summary of Likes

1. The proven Maruti Suzuki Badge with low cost of ownership, trusted After Sales Service Support and assured resale value.
2. Trusted and Proven K12M 4 Cylinder Suzuki Petrol Engine, very Refined and Smooth as compared to the competition, availability of AGS option in multiple lower trims.
3. Safety Features across all Variants - Dual Airbags, ABS+EBD and ISOFIX Child Seat Fixtures.
4. Tall Boy Stance, Mini-SUVish eye catching Appearance, 180 mm of Ground Clearance.
5. Equipment levels are decent even for the Delta variant which is just one level above the base: All Safety Features included, Audio System with Bluetooth, Steering Mounted Controls, 15 inch Bridgestone tires, Central Locking, Power Windows for all 4 doors with Bottle Holders, Tilt Adjustment for Steering, Electrically controlled ORVMs, Theatre Dimming Lights in the Cabin, Feature Rich MID with lots of drive/mileage statistics and useful warning indicators.

Summary of Dislikes

1. Rear Appearance of the car is horrible. Maruti should have re-used the Brezza design - it was an easy thing to do.
2. Wait Times on delivery - had to wait a month for the Car to arrive.
3. Pricing overlaps with the Baleno. In our case, we wanted a small car - otherwise for just a little bit more one can get the Baleno which is much larger and roomy.
4. No Cash Discounts were offered - we Indians feel extra good when we buy something that comes with discounts. It makes the buying experience somewhat special and gives a feel good factor of having got a "Good Deal".
5. Usage of White Color tone in the Interiors and the Door. C'mon guys, how do you expect me to keep it clean?

Conclusion
I would like to thank TeamBHP and the vibrant community of BHPians for providing extremely valuable guidance during this journey of buying the car and in decision making

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[swami69]

Congratulations ! a very nice writeup supported by pictures. All the very best on your IGNIS and happy driving.

Swami

[starter]

Nice review there Srivatsa. Congratulations on the Ignis.
Any specific reason the Brio was not in your shopping list?

[aabhimanyu04]

Interestingly, none of the dislikes mentioned here are a real deal breaker. Looks, colour, space etc. are things that are to taste.
your mention on suspension setup being stiff is such a relief to me. I did not like the softer ones on the Baleno at all.

well written review buddy

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

Summary of Dislikes[list=1][*]Rear Appearance of the car is horrible. Maruti should have re-used the Brezza design - it was an easy thing to do.[*]Wait Times on delivery - had to wait a month for the Car to arrive.[*]Pricing overlaps with the Baleno. In our case, we wanted a small car - otherwise for just a little bit more one can get the Baleno which is much larger and roomy.[*]No Cash Discounts were offered - we Indians feel extra good when we buy something that comes with discounts. It makes the buying experience somewhat special and gives a feel good factor of having got a "Good Deal".[*]Usage of White Color tone in the Interiors and the Door. C'mon guys, how do you expect me to keep it clean?

[Cooltronics]

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

The car arrived in the Nelamangala stockyard 28th May. I requested for a visit to the stockyard but was denied saying it is against the security policy of NEXA

Excellent purchase and TD comparison. Many of us are in the same boat contemplating an Automatic hatch back as 2nd car for family - especially in a city in like Bangalore and your experience really helps.

However, I am surprised that RM did not allow you to visit the stock yard in the pretext of "Security Policy" and devoid you of pre-delivery check. I feel this would soon start becoming an unspoken norm to cover up any issue that dealership want to hide because more and more people are getting aware of such pre-delivery check list.
Since your's is a new hot selling car and freshly minted, you should not be worried

Wishing you stress free driving in the days to come

[audioholic]

Congratulations on the car! The colour and the car looks very nice and ignoring the rear, I liked the ignis. IMO, please consider upgrading to alloys or wheel caps of a different car. The current design looks bad and changing it will greatly improve the side profile of the car. For the funky design of the car, even black wheels will be more suitable compared to the wheel caps.

But on the interior front, I am happy to see that the Delta variant is also decently loaded compared to the other cars of Maruti where the lower end variants are stripped down of creature comforts. However just one last suggestion from my side - Get rid of the steering cover and get a nice leather one stitched. That will look more premium compared to the current one you have installed. Have a happy time with the car!

[vishy76]

Congrats on the car sir!

It's very good to see that the Delta variant has actually been equipped very well by Maruti. I had this perception that the Zeta was the most VFM variant.

Beautiful colour too.

Enjoy her for miles to come!

Regards,
Vishy

[anshuman_v]

Srivatsa, excellent write up - you have really put in a lot of effort. Rating the thread 5 stars for your effort and the details. Wishing you lots of lovely miles on your Ignis!

[vsrivatsa]

Originally Posted by swami69

All the very best on your IGNIS and happy driving. Swami

Thank you for your kind comments!

Originally Posted by starter

Any specific reason the Brio was not in your shopping list?

Thanks! Primary Reason was that the Brio was beyond the planned budget - hence I did not test drive the Brio. The On Road Price of the Brio in Bangalore is 8.32 L. I had already jumped a couple of segments and already exceeded the planned budget hence stuck to just the Delta variant of the Ignis. Overall in my opinion people in Bangalore get a bad deal price wise. For the same price as the Delta, I could get a Zeta in a place like Delhi

Originally Posted by aabhimanyu04

your mention on suspension setup being stiff is such a relief to me. I did not like the softer ones on the Baleno at all.well written review buddy

Yes - the suspension is on the firmer side. I did do a drive at 100 kmph today for a short distance and the vehicle seemed extremely stable and planted at the three digit speed as well.

Originally Posted by Cooltronics

I feel this would soon start becoming an unspoken norm to cover up any issue that dealership want to hide because more and more people are getting aware of such pre-delivery check list.

However, the Dealer did agree to have me visit and see the car prior to inspection at the ShowRoom itself and he promised that if I did not approve, the car would not proceed with Registration. Based on my earlier interactions, I did get the feel that he was being quite transparent and hence decided to agree to his constraints.

Originally Posted by audioholic

wheel caps, steering cover

The next immediate accessory planned is the Reverse Camera. Can you recommend me a good Accessory Shop in Bangalore for the Reverse Camera? I checked online and found that Edge Car Accessories in HSR Layout has very good reviews and thinking of it but not yet finalized. And yes agree to your other comment as well, the Delta does have the "must have" features.

Originally Posted by vishy76

I had this perception that the Zeta was the most VFM variant.

Yes, Maruti has really provided all the "must haves" in the Delta and kept the the "nice to haves" in the Zeta.

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

Rating the thread 5 stars for your effort and the details.

Thanks so much

[Dry Ice]

Wonderful review! And congratulations!

Well, until, it becomes a common car, don't worry about the ungainly rear-end. That is a problem for the people following you! lol!

Having driven the Tiago/Alto/Celerio AMTs, I agree with your observations about this being better than others. And that is due to the bigger engine I guess.

I like how your wife helped you to clear the thought process.

The only reason I haven't picked up the Tiago yet, is because even though the features are best-in-class, the heart - engine is severely lacking. It is kinda opposite with Ignis, it has a good heart, but skimps on features.

Enjoy the ownership, looking forward to more updates.

[Boomerang]

Congratulations! I love the colour you chose. Yes, the rear of the vehicle could've been better. Worry less, you learn to like it. that's the plus of ownership.

Enjoy and drive safe.

[docmech]

Fantastic review, I am in the same boat as you. I have enjoyed your comparison chart.
Did you not consider Wagon R AMT?

[imp!]

Congratulations on the new addition to the stable!

How would you compare the Ignis to the Swift Dzire? specifically the AMT to the 4 speed torque converter in terms of mileage and long term reliability? I'm helping someone chose between the Ignis, Dzire and Baleno (which may not be considered due to budget) and these are questions I need to address for them. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!