The upcoming Maruti Ignis will be produced and exported to all its global markets from a new plant that is to be setup in Sanand, Gujarat. The car is expected to be launched in India, this festive season, and will compete against the likes of the Mahindra KUV100.
Crossovers have enjoyed good success in the past in our market. Many manufacturers have tried to cash in on this name by launching tall boy versions, of their hatchbacks to give it an SUV look and feel. Datsun did this with the redi-GO, Renault with the Kwid, and Mahindra with its KUV100. However, the market is about to get pretty shaken up, as India’s largest car maker eyes this segment with the Maruti Ignis.
The Maruti Ignis crossover was showcased in production ready guise at the 2016 Auto Expo that was held in Delhi. It has a tall boy image with clean character lines, big wheel arches, and gets retro nods here and there to enhance its appeal. The design is fresh and looks quite appealing. The interiors are also quite spacious with ample legroom for the front and rear. The Ignis will also come equipped with a modern dash and a touch-screen tablet like infotainment system. The air vents carry the retro look on the inside.
As for the engines, the international market will get a 1.25-litre K12C DualJet petrol engine which produces 89.7 HP of power and 118 Nm of torque. Meanwhile in India, the Ignis will get the 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine which is currently shared by the Swift and Baleno. The diesel too will be a shared 1.3-litre DDiS unit. As for the transmission, the petrol Ignis will reportedly get a CVT gearbox, and not an AMT. This will ensure better shift quality, and more seamless gear changes but will also increase the cost of the Ignis.
The slightly premium price tag can be expected as Maruti will be selling the Ignis through their NEXA brand of showrooms alongside the Baleno, and the S-Cross. The launch is expected to happen in this festive season and the car will go head to head against the Mahindra KUV100, and may eat into the sales of the Hyundai i20 Active and Toyota Etios Cross. The Maruti Ignis will be produced at the company’s upcoming Gujarat plant, addressing to global demand and will be the second Suzuki model after the Baleno, to be manufactured only in India.
Maruti Ignis CVT
– Maruti will be launching the Ignis this festive season
– The Ignis will go head to head against the Mahindra KUV100
– The car will share the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engine with the Swift and Baleno
– Maruti will sell the car via its NEXA brand of showrooms
Source – AutocarIndia.com
