i may not get another cross now, just seen a 2017 suzuki ignis, i quite like it but i cant find a 4x4 up to now
1.2 petrol with 4x4 sounds ace


http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/suzuki/ignis

Funnily enough I saw one just this afternoon and thought it looked good, although at the time I didn't know quite what it was. Won't tempt me out of the Panda just yet, but it's likely to be a good alternative for someone who still thinks Fiats are unreliable!

Odds are the mechanicals will be very reliable, though I'm not entirely sure which 4x4 system they've implemented (I suspect it's the viscous coupling from the Swift 4x4). As far as I know this is Suzuki's first foray into hybrid electrics outside of Japan, so time will tell. I have to say, they've managed to keep the weight down extremely well (base spec starts at around 800 kilograms, which is amazing) which should make it a hoot to drive and cheap to run. If they throw in some of the smart electronic brake-controlled differential management from the Vitara it could also actually be half decent off the beaten path.

The front looks great, then it all goes downhill for looks once you see the back!

From the side, it looks like it's been chopped with something else, almost as if they've given the back the profile of the Pontiac Aztec

It's a no from me!

I used to think the same, but the back has grown on me. The rear 1/2 is meant to be bit of a throwback to the old SC100/Whizzkid

The back is ugly imo. It supposed to be a style nod back to the Suzuki Whizzkid. I'm not sure why as this was hardly a classic design, and it's rear was a bit of kludge necessitated by the rear engine. Putting it on a car which is supposed to have mini-SUV looks and the result is weird. But at least it's distinctive.

I do question Fiat's decision to drop the Panda Trekking at a time when other manufacturers are jacking up small hatches, adding skid plates and roof bars to give their cars that rugged look. (e.g. Ford's 2017 Fiesta, Dacia Sandero Stepway, Opel Karl (Viva) Rocks). 90% of these have no special off road ability beyond a few mm more ground clearance - and yet they sell. In the larger classes Crossovers are displacing MPVs and most sold are 2wd, as I'm willing to bet most Ignises will be.

Fiat are swimming against that trend. The discontinued Trekking may have looked expensive against the Ignis, but that was because of the TwinAir or Multijet premium. A 1.2l Trekking would have been competitive.

TinyTurbo said:

The back is ugly imo. It supposed to be a style nod back to the Suzuki Whizzkid. I'm not sure why as this was hardly a classic design, and it's rear was a bit of kludge necessitated by the rear engine. Putting it on a car which is supposed to have mini-SUV looks and the result is weird. But at least it's distinctive.

I do question Fiat's decision to drop the Panda Trekking at a time when other manufacturers are jacking up small hatches, adding skid plates and roof bars to give their cars that rugged look. (e.g. Ford's 2017 Fiesta, Dacia Sandero Stepway, Opel Karl (Viva) Rocks). 90% of these have no special off road ability beyond a few mm more ground clearance - and yet they sell. In the larger classes Crossovers are displacing MPVs and most sold are 2wd, as I'm willing to bet most Ignises will be.

Fiat are swimming against that trend. The discontinued Trekking may have looked expensive against the Ignis, but that was because of the TwinAir or Multijet premium. A 1.2l Trekking would have been competitive.

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Perhaps the move was due to the aging design of the FIRE engine and the mere possibility it may fail to meet future emissions requirements. That, and they would likely have to design a new 4x4 transmission to fit the other fiat range of engines like the multi/twin-air or multi-jet if they were to carry on the Trekking

I'm having a hard time grasping the machinations of Fiat financials. The Fire engine line wouldn't be able to meet new emissions regulations so they came up with two cylinder engines (TA) that could for the entry level, camless Multiair engines for the mid and upper ranges, and Multijet has been chugging along as ever. The TA, with it's small size and scale of profitability due to mass production, should have been undercutting rivals pricewise in every car it was put. They already put the engineering into pairing everything up with suitable gearboxes, chassis layouts and drivelines (including 4x4 in both the Panda and 500X) so any number of combinations should be possible. Instead, they're still hoping people who can't afford Mini price points will keep coming back to the 500 line, while everything else pretty much withers. The new Tipo undercuts all of its "rivals" because it's more of a replacement for the Linea than the Bravo whereas now it's being thrown into the market slice that was previously occupied by the Bravo. It simply can't compete with the Focus and Astra, not when posh extras like a glass roof aren't even available to increase profit margins. If Fiat wants to continue to compete in the small cheap car market (the bread and butter of their finances), they're either going to have to reverse engineer an Ignis and a Sandero to see how to compete on price (which is the likely scenario since they have most of that market covered in South America with their cheaper cars) or they'll have to step up their game and come up with a new modular platform that they can milk in every segment and definitely not drag the 500 name through the dirt anymore (unlikely).

brickfoot said:

The front looks great, then it all goes downhill for looks once you see the back!

From the side, it looks like it's been chopped with something else, almost as if they've given the back the profile of the Pontiac Aztec

It's a no from me!

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I agree. The front look good but ugh to the rear. The reviews seem to suggest a hard, bouncy ride, a trait of the Suzukis I have owned, a Jimny and Vitara and thre Jimnys I have driven in Greece. Also if the best Suzuki can do is a five speed box I'm afraid it won't compete with my 6 speed and sporty Panda 4x4.

In my experience Suzuki are loath to offer discounts in comaprison with Fiat which tend to come with low finance and discounts. Agreed this may be illusory but I wouldn't mind betting that a top spec Ignis is no better or cheaper than a Panda Cross or Panda 4x4.

The rear looks like a pitched turd!

I wouldn't relate any of it to Japan either, it's as Japanese as a Chicken Bhuna!

It's from Maruti Udyog (Maruti Suzuki), which 50% Indian and built in New Delhi.

Very weird looking car. The Celerio also looks kind of OK from the front, then you get to the side and then to the rear and...wow!:yuck::yuck::yuck: Half a job Bob must have been in charge of the design!

Having said that, I have a Suzuki dealership about 5 minutes walk from my house so I will reserve judgement until I see one in the flesh.

Lots of Suzukis around this part of the world unsurprisingly. The Swift still looks great even though it is the best part of 12 years old now. The Baleno looks very odd too, although not completely hideous. Fairly indifferent to the Vitara and S-Cross, both seem popular enough round here.

Saw one of these on the road today in white. Although it stance looked like an incontinent dog quietly tiptoeing away from an awkwardly placed 'accident', I was happy to see it was actually Panda-sized.


Looking at the website (designed for 12 year olds) it does seem to come in a ravishing orange colour, which might help it. A fair range of colours generally, unlike some we know


Not expensive, but not cheap either, really, which its heritage ought to make happen.


I imagine they'll need to stock plenty of spare glass for the disappointed thieves that are unable to pull the apparently-velcroed tablet.






EDIT


Just been on Autotrader:


1. The 10 inch tablet has a 6 inch screen and 4 inch frame. Kinda 2010-retro.


2. Flame-orange on the website is not flame-orange on Autotrader. More like breakfast-parked-Korma orange.


I'm going to pass.

AB100 said:

its stance looked like an incontinent dog quietly tiptoeing away from an awkwardly placed 'accident'

Flame-orange on the website is not flame-orange. More like breakfast-parked-Korma orange.

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There are some images which, once seen or read, can never be unseen.

I'm reminded of Clarkson's comment about the rear end of the Chrysler Crossfire. I've never been able to look at one without thinking about it. IMO the Bentley Continental GT suffers from the same unfortunate affliction.