Suzuki Ignis gets Jeep look

The Suzuki Ignis compact SUV has been given a nip and tuck inside and out for the 2020 model year, and it'll be in Aussie showrooms in May.

Featuring a new Jeep-inspired slotted grille up front and a flagship model with SUV-inspired rugged bits, such as pumped-up wheel-arches and silver skid plates, the new model could also benefit from the fitment of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) for the first time.

Pricing and spec has not been confirmed but it's likely the two-variant model line-up, GL and GLX, will continue. Current pricing places the Suzuki Ignis at the budget end of the new car spectrum, between $16,000 and $19,000.

The new 2020 Suzuki Ignis will offer a number of driver assistance features, including lane departure warning, surround-view cameras and the fitment of AEB (with pedestrian detection).

The latter has been absent from Australia's Ignis and is viewed as a purchasing impediment for first-car buyers – and their parents who often their vehicle.

Without this technology, any new vehicle sold in Australia is unable to attain a five-star ANCAP safety rating. The latest Ignis has not been crash-tested and hence has no independent safety rating in Australia.

Other changes to the 2020 Suzuki Ignis include a few interior tweaks, such as an updated infotainment touchscreen and subtle trim changes, like new seat upholstery options.

In Japan an all-wheel drive version of the Ignis is available but it's unlikely to be offered in Australia, as the model is tailored chiefly for cold climate markets.

The Ignis is expected to soldier on with its meek 1.2-litre non-turbo four-cylinder engine (66kW/120Nm) that favours fuel economy (4.7L/100km) over performance.

The Asian brand offers a mild-hybrid powertrain for the Ignis in Japan but it's unlikely to be offered in Australia.

The general manager of Suzuki Automobiles in Australia, Michael Pachota, recently poured cold water on Suzuki hybrids arriving here in the short term.

While the small SUV segment was one of the few vehicle categories to grow in 2019, sales of the Suzuki Ignis fell by 25 per cent last year to 1074 units.

Suzuki has had great success with first-car buyers via the Swift small car. The Vitara small SUV is also a strong seller for the brand.

Despite being super-affordable (the Ignis GL is priced at $15,990 for the manual, the GLX at $18,990 for the auto), the quirky small car has failed to capture the imagination of Aussie buyers -- something that can't be said of the Jimny 4x4 despite limited stocks and price increases for the small 4x4