Maruti Suzuki Ignis possible India launch on January 13

Maruti Suzuki is expected to go on a product offensive in 2017 and the first one in line is the Maruti Suzuki Ignis. The Ignis is a sub-compact crossover SUV and the launch date is tentatively around January 13. The Ignis will be sold through the Nexa dealerships along with the S-Cross and the Baleno.

The Ignis is an all-new product and from the looks of it, the new Maruti gives us a peek into the future scheme of things. For example, the interior is not an aggregation of bits and pieces from the existing part-pool, but an entirely new design philosophy. Being a premium Nexa product, it will be loaded with display screen for infotainment, LED DRLs, Projector headlamps, height adjustable driving seat, steering mounted audio controls et al.

Under the hood, the 1.2-litre petrol that currently powers the Swift and Swift Dzire will be deployed. The 1.2-litre four cylinder petrol engine develops 83bhp of power and comes mated to five-speed manual gearbox. The Ignis will also get the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine. Mated to a five-speed gearbox as well, the diesel will be available in the 74bhp tune rather than the 90bhp as seen in the Brezza. It will also feature the five-speed AMT setup as seen in the Dzire to suffice the diesel-automatic demand.

As for the pricing, we expect Maruti to price the Ignis close to the Swift but at a marginal premium for its SUV credentials. The Ignis will be the volume generator for Nexa and will compete with the likes of the Mahindra KUV100.