MADRID – Suzuki sets a 2017 sales target of 8,000 units in Spain and Portugal, a 25% year-on-year increase, including the newly introduced Ignis compact CUV.
Juan Lopez Frade, general manager of Suzuki Iberica, hopes to sell 1,000 units of the Ignis, which has just reached showrooms in the region, over the coming 12 months. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2016 Paris auto show.
“Ignis’s design not only inherits elements of the Suzuki Cervo and Vitara first generations, but of the previous Swift, too,” the Japanese automaker says. A next-generation Swift is to be introduced in Spain and Portugal in late spring, followed by a Sport version in late autumn.
The Ignis is powered by a 90-hp Dualjet 1.2L gasoline engine that can be combined with Suzuki’s Smart Hybrid Vehicle system to add 4 hp and improve fuel efficiciency. The technology is based on an extra 3-kWh-capacity battery charged with regenerative power from acceleration and braking.
While the hybrid powerplant can be paired only with 4x2 traction, a Dualjet 1.2L engine can be combined with front-wheel-drive or Suzuki’s Allgrip Auto all-wheel-drive system that automatically distributes torque to the front and rear wheels when it detects the front ones are losing traction, increasing safety especially on slippery pavement.
The Suzuki range features a 5-speed manual transmission, while the 4x2 Dualjet also can be paired with a 5-speed robotized Auto Gear Shift gearbox).
Inside the Ignis, the dashboard is dominated by a 7-in. (17.5-cm) touchscreen that includes a navigation system found in high-end Suzuki models such as the Vitara and S-Cross, and offering connectivity systems including Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Mirror Link.
Two cameras permanently monitor the distance between the Ignis and other objects and “read” the highway stripes. Advanced software analyzes the shapes of these objects to recognize whether they are other vehicles or pedestrians. This way, the driver-assistance system can perform three different functions: braking assistance through both cameras, lane-departure warning and zigzag warning.
The Ignis range is offered in GLE and GLX equipment levels: In addition to the onboard computer, and heated front seats, the GLX version adds LED headlights, navigation function, speed control with limiter, automatic climate control and keyless start.
