Suzuki Ignis confirmed for Australia

Suzuki Australia has confirmed the all-new Ignis SUV will join its line-up from the first quarter of next year.

Revealed at the Paris motor show last week ahead of its European release in January, the diminutive production SUV bares many of the styling touches of the iM-4 concept revealed at the 2015 Geneva motor show.

Likely to also be released in Australia in January, the latest iteration revives a nameplate not seen in Australian showrooms since 2005. A development mule was recently spotted undergoing testing earlier this year.

Under the skin, the pint-sized SUV will be offered in Europe with either two- or all-wheel drive and powered by the option of 1.0- and 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engines, plus a new mild hybrid system dubbed SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki).

The mild hybrid powertrain, already previewed on the iM-4 concept, comprises a 1.2-litre engine, integrated starter/generator (ISG), lithium-ion battery pack and brake energy regeneration.

Thanks to a new platform and a kerb weight expected to be around 900kg, efficiency will be a key selling point for the new model. Suzuki hopes that, and the level of customisation it will offer -- at least in Europe – will woo more youthful buyers.

The Swift will join a facelifted S-Cross due for launch here in the fourth quarter of this year, and this year's new Vitara in Suzuki’s increasingly revitalised Australian line-up.

However, it's unclear exactly where Suzuki Australia will position the Ignis relative to the Jimny (from $20,990) and the S-Cross and Vitara, both of which are priced from $21,990 – below the Grand Vitara (from $25,990).

Suzuki is also preparing to reveal a redesigned Swift light-car in 2017, but the go-anywhere Jimny will have to soldier on for another couple of years, with a replacement not forthcoming until 2019.