[megazoid]

What does one do with a nexa blue Ignis with a tank full of fuel in the belly?

That it is a lovely little car is evident from the sheer numbers seen on our roads. Small, eager, easy to drive with a slick gearbox make it a great city car. But what about the highway? Would it be able to comfortably transport four adults with luggage on a road trip?

Well, we got to experience exactly that over three days as we drove over some splendid and some terrible roads over those three days. We were four in the car with luggage. The pace even though not rapid was rewarding and working the gearbox and revving the engine higher up the band brought in the eagerness as expected. Three digit speeds arent too difficult to reach but the acceleration past 120kmph isnt very brisk. Perfectly understandable for a small capacity engine without forced induction. The tires are 175 section and feel inadequate at higher speeds as well as under braking. The brakes themselves feel wooden and fade quickly when used heavily. What was most upsetting however was the behaviour in crosswinds. The car tends to float and you lose nerve rather quickly.

A morning scene unfolding


Scaling heights


Peeping sun


All is not bad though. The ground clearance is massive and it can clear any obstacle with ease. Be it speed humps or rutted roads, the car can just sail over them but the passengers tend to get knocked around quite a bit as the ride is busy and choppy, especially at the rear. However the engine and gearbox are an absolute joy to use and one can drive the car for long periods without feeling frustrated. Passing vehicles is extremely easy and the size makes it very easy to pull off some tight moves without drama.

Quitessential Hampi


Man and machine


What does one say when you are greeted by these views.



Our car is relatively new and has only a shade over 2000km on the odo. The engine hasnt opened up fully and needs some more time to settle down. I didnt bother to look at the fuel effeciency as it is still early days with the car. It swallowed four cabin sized bags and some camera gear without any difficulty and has more useable space than a Jimny's boot.

foggy morning


But the fantastic part of the car is that I could take it anywhere and everywhere. The parking spots were tight and the roads at places were so bad that other cars were planning detours while we chugged on without a care although with misaligned organs inside our body. Our speeds too werent bad and the engine could easily be revved higher for power. Just didnt want to work it that way till the 3000km mark.

Wish these lasted forever


rally stage


The halogen lights are strictly average. Need to upgrade to the LED projectors that comes in the higher variants. Did I mention that ours is the lowest variant and has only skeletal content so far as features go. The IRVM does not have a way to dim the glare from behind. That is a sore miss from a functionality point and presents a risk too for the occupant. Someone listening?

Unless some legislation comes in like it did for airbags, such illogical ways of differentiating variants will remain.

Hampi is a fabulous location for a road trip. We got some good sunshine and great weather and had a whale of a time moving around the ruins and eating at the popular places. The sunrises and sunsets were fabulous and the vibes just great. The roads to Hampi are in great shape and is a joy for motoring. We decided to take a different route on the way back knowing fully well the road conditions werent ideal. It was the little suzuki that allowed us to indulge in such hairbrained thinking.

The Ignis felt completely at home during the trip and was perfectly suited for exploring the capital of the erstwhile Vijayanagara empire. All in all, a very enjoyable trip.

All picture credits to Shivali. Thank you for the time.

Sun about to show itself


a bygone era!

[ampere]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

Amazing pictures Megazoid! Warm winter mornings are just perfect!

[Dr.AD]

One more fantastic travelogue from you, @megazoid! Loved this one.

The way you describe your driving experiences is very poetic - I could feel like I was driving that Ignis. And I could vividly imagine how much fun that would have been. And the photographs are amazing as always. Thanks for sharing this story and the photos.

Hampi is my favorite place and any weekend when I have no other plans, I just tend to drive to Hampi at the last minute. And those sunrises and sunsets have never disappointed me. It is a magical place. Great to see some of that magic from the photos you posted.

At the same time, your poetic description of driving fun in Ignis makes me feel a bit sad too - it makes me miss my original "Dusty", my manual SX4. That car had the same characteristics you mentioned. Just rev the engine and use the slick gearbox and the driver can have all the fun they want. I sorely miss that car now after reading this.

Once again thanks for sharing this. So many memories and emotions awakened by your report. Loved it and looking forward to more travelogues from you guys, as always!

[itwasntme]

Lovely crisp travelogue and the Ignis looks delightful! Waiting for the inevitable fatter tyres, alloys and the ritual lowering.

Which routes did you take to-and-fro, how is the general heat during the day, and finally was it very crowded?

[chaitanyakrish]

Amazing and well composed photographs. Loved them !!

[Ashtoncastelino]

Originally Posted by megazoid

The halogen lights are strictly average. Need to upgrade to the LED projectors that comes in the higher variants. Did I mention that ours is the lowest variant and has only skeletal content so far as features go.

AFAIK, It's not a straightforward task to swap from halogen headlights given in the lower variants to the top variants since the connectors are different unless you are able to source connectors that can act like create a safe bridge, I would advise against it. Better to plonk in Projector fogs since the looks will be OEM and moreover the wiring is easier. You can check with Blaze India for the IPH LED Projector Fogs.

Originally Posted by megazoid

The IRVM does not have a way to dim the glare from behind. That is a sore miss from a functionality point and presents a risk too, for the occupant. Someone listening?

You can get this IRVM from Boodmo which will give you at least manual Day/Night switch feature. Its again a direct swap into your Ignis.
Part Number- 84703M75J11-6GS
Link

Awesome shots by the way ! Keep em coming

Regards
Ashton Castelino

[megazoid]

Originally Posted by Ashtoncastelino

I would advise against it. Better to plonk in Projector fogs since the looks will be OEM and moreover the wiring is easier. You can check with Blaze India for the IPH LED Projector Fogs.

Thanks for the suggestion. Will explore this option. I replaced the instrument cluster with a new one that had the tachometer console. Now have to also find the connector kit from the console to the trip/bightness control switch. I have the switch but no connector.

You can get this IRVM from Boodmo which will give you at least manual Day/Night switch feature. Its again a direct swap into your Ignis.
Part Number- 84703M75J11-6GS
Link

Have ordered one from this link. Thanks.

Originally Posted by chaitanyakrish

Amazing and well composed photographs. Loved them !!

Thank you.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Lovely crisp travelogue and the Ignis looks delightful! Waiting for the inevitable fatter tyres, alloys and the ritual lowering.

Which routes did you take to-and-fro, how is the general heat during the day, and finally was it very crowded?

Couldnt stop smiling reading this. Yes,few things have to be done to make it more difficult to drive.
Onward
Devanahalli - Dodballapur-dabaspete-chitragurga-hospete-hampi
Back
hampi - bellari - joladarasi - anantpur - Devanahalli

Very minimal crowd and superb weather too. It gets warm during the day but not uncomfortable at all.

Your blue missile will be perfectly at home in these surroundings. Any plans coming up?

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Hampi is my favorite place and any weekend when I have no other plans, I just tend to drive to Hampi at the last minute.

it makes me miss my original "Dusty", my manual SX4. That car had the same characteristics you mentioned. Just rev the engine and use the slick gearbox and the driver can have all the fun they want. I sorely miss that car now after reading this.

Thanks AD. We discussed your Hampi drives during the journey. An absolute peach location for car photography. A manual was so enjoyable on this drive. Atleast one in the garage could be a manual.

[nerd1200]

Amazing writeup @megazoid! The K12B is indeed a spritely motor, paired to the slick manual tranny I can only imagine how fun it is.

Beautiful photography, puts Hampi in a somewhat different light. Loved them!

[Phantom 510]

One mod i would like to suggest is to try fitting a set of adjustable rear headrests or purchase the entire seat back along with headrests of the higher variants from the service centre itself. It would certainly improve the comfort and safety of the rear occupants. And the money spent would be worth it IMO.

[Amrit@wheels]

Amazing trip, some very tastefully clicked pictures. Ignis is a very fun to drive car. I wish my Swift had as much ground clearance as Ignis. On a side note, don't go for projectors from the top trim, it's mostly bling and effective only in pitch dark conditions. Get a wiring harness and 100w Philips Rally bulbs for a cheap but effective solution. Projector fog lamps provide the best price to performance ratio and fit like a glove.

[ex-innova-guy]

Absolutely stunning pictures Megazoid! Must admit the car looks really lovely on those steelies. :-)

[megazoid]

Originally Posted by ex-innova-guy

Must admit the car looks really lovely on those steelies. :-)

Thanks. Yes the steel wheels look good with this color.

Originally Posted by Amrit@wheels

I wish my Swift had as much ground clearance as Ignis. On a side note, don't go for projectors from the top trim, it's mostly bling and effective only in pitch dark conditions. Get a wiring harness and 100w Philips Rally bulbs for a cheap but effective solution. Projector fog lamps provide the best price to performance ratio and fit like a glove.

Thanks. The projector fogs are a good option. Will decide on something soon. Surprised that you find the swift short on ground clearance.

Originally Posted by Phantom 510

One mod i would like to suggest is to try fitting a set of adjustable rear headrests or purchase the entire seat back along with headrests of the higher variants from the service centre itself. It would certainly improve the comfort and safety of the rear occupants. And the money spent would be worth it IMO.

I agree. It is a good suggestion.

Originally Posted by nerd1200

Beautiful photography, puts Hampi in a somewhat different light. Loved them!

The polo will look very pretty there

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by megazoid

Couldnt stop smiling reading this. Yes,few things have to be done to make it more difficult to drive.
Devanahalli - Dodballapur-dabaspete-chitragurga-hospete-hampi
Your blue missile will be perfectly at home in these surroundings. Any plans coming up?

2023 turned out to be all plans and no execution for us . Hopefully 2024 will better with Goa, Hampi and HYD on top of our lists as of now. With our location in North BLR, the newly completed STRR from Devanahalli to Dobbspete is heavenly. Makes the trek to Tumkur Road a complete joy. Will follow your onward route when we do set out.

Originally Posted by Phantom 510

One mod i would like to suggest is to try fitting a set of adjustable rear headrests or purchase the entire seat back along with headrests of the higher variants from the service centre itself. It would certainly improve the comfort and safety of the rear occupants.

This is a superb idea if technically possible within a reasonable cost. The rear seat headrests are invaluable to avoid whiplash. Do check this out ASAP.

Originally Posted by Amrit@wheels

Get a wiring harness and 100w Philips Rally bulbs for a cheap but effective solution. Projector fog lamps provide the best price to performance ratio and fit like a glove.

Explore buying the Valeo foglamp enclosures + Osram LED 50w 4300K bulbs, like a bunch of XL6 folks have done (including me). Plug and play as far as I know and total outlay ~10K. The upside is superb throw/spread low down which will illuminate narrow lanes, culverts, drains, corners and shrubbery without bothering oncoming vehicles.
Refer: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5643442 (Brique - My Auburn Red Maruti-Suzuki XL6 (Alpha MT))

Totally agree with not bothering with the higher variant headlight unit swap. For the main beam you can check out the same Osram bulbs depending upon compatibility and VFM.

[Amrit@wheels]

Originally Posted by megazoid

Surprised that you find the swift short on ground clearance.

Swift 163mm vs Ignis 180mm. Sure the Swift rides better on tarmac but Ignis tackles bad roads better.

[shankar.balan]

What fun! And what a nice choice to make in the little Blue Ignis with Steel Wheels.
Indeed it is an extremely cute and attractive little car.
The photographs are lovely and I enjoyed as always reading your thread!