New Suzuki Ignis crossover due in 2017

Whether it’s funky or ugly depends on your point of view, but the new Suzuki Ignis takes an unquestionably bold approach to standing out in a crowd - and it's done just that during its outing to the Paris Motor Show.

Even by the standards of the crossover SUV sector, where designs are increasingly eye-catching, the new Suzuki 4x4 looks radical. It's a baby urban-chic SUV, and that abruptly cut-off rear end apparently picks up the design theme from the Suzuki SC 100 ‘Whizzkid’ Coupe of the 1970s.

• Paris Motor Show

Suzuki unveiled its new crossover contender at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, alongside a more off-road focused version badged as the Ignis Trail Concept. 

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The new Suzuki Ignis was previewed by an earlier concept at the 2015 Geneva motor show called 'iM-4', and the productioncar is set to go on sale here in the UK some time in 2017. Its showing at the 2016 Paris Motor Show gives us another chance to see the cute city car in the metal.

The new Ignis will join the Suzuki Celerio city car at the lower end of its range, because it’s a small A-segment vehicle that has little in the way of direct competition apart from the Fiat Panda 4x4. Like the Panda, the new Suzuki will be offered with both two- and four-wheel-drive, but that doesn’t make it a replacement for the Suzuki Jimny off-roader.

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The current Jimny (which has been on sale since 1998 and sells around 1,000 units a year in Britain) will soldier on until at least 2018, before being replaced by a new car showcasing a different look but relying on a no-nonsense, mud-plugging cocktail of a ladder chassis and permanent four-wheel drive.

Under the bonnet of the Ignis will be Suzuki’s fuel-sipping 1.2-litre Dualjet petrol engine as recently revealed in the Swift, and a brand new 1.0-litre turbocharged ‘Boosterjet’ petrol. Suzuki hasn’t ruled out offering mild and full hybrid powertrains, either.

More highlights from the 2016 Paris Motor Show here...