One thing that I did notice during my test drive was that the Ignis (with a much higher ground clearance) didn't actually feel as good as the commanding driving position of my Lounge. Possibly an optical illusion but I actually prefer the Panda in that respect. Engine-wise, I like both of the 4 pot non-turbo engines but the Suzuki is naturally quicker through the gears and does have some character. Mind you, I'm also a big fan of the Panda's 1.2 and find it powerful enough for most of my needs. Occasionally I do get caught out joining my local dualled A road (steep uphill) from a standing start and I suspect that the Ignis will be better in that respect.
I'll also miss the funky steering wheel on the Panda (plus the gear stick placement) although the Ignis has a couple of nice quirky things going on internally. The infotainment screen is average but does have Android Auto, but the Panda's smartphone holder does the job almost as well.
Actually, the two cars are very similar in many ways and I might not have changed had I originally gone for a Trekking or 2WD Cross, but neither were available locally at the time.
I'd better list some plus points for the Ignis before I start getting depressed!
Well, it's my preferred colour orange, larger boot, decent ground clearance, reversing camera and a bit nippier. So I guess that you could call it a marginal upgrade from my Lounge, but only time will tell if it's as much fun to drive.
I know that it's impossible to justify the financial hit but it was an itch that I just had to scratch. Silly really but I think that it will turn out ok.
And, I'll definitely post a better review once I've done a few miles in the new car, warts and all
