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The all-new Maruti Ignis is here, and as predicted, its base version sits well below the Rs 5 lakh mark, at Rs 4.59 lakh onwards. Available in both petrol and diesel engines (shared with Swift/Baleno), the Ignis is the first micro-crossover that Maruti has produced, and rivals the Mahindra KUV100. No wonder, then, the Ignis’s brochure proudly says ‘None of a kind’.

You can read about the Ignis in detail here

Maruti Suzuki Ignis launched India exterior

At 3700 mm long, 1690 mm wide, and 1595 mm tall, the Ignis tries to be the non-conformist here, with squarish dimensions and an upright stance. And as anyone who’s looked at it in the flesh will confirm, the formula works pretty well. Which also means that it has a roomy cabin, offering a good 260 litres of boot space (265 with the tray removed). In addition, the rear seat can be folded in a 60:40 split.

Maruti Ignis launched interior

Engine options (from the MSIL midsize/premium hatchback range, as mentioned above) include the 1.2-litre petrol (no SHVS in India) that makes 61 bhp and 11.5 kgm, and a Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel that makes 74 bhp and 19.37 kgm. Maruti has mentioned that work has been done to ‘ensure low NVH levels’. It will be offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox standard, but you can opt for an automated manual unit on certain trims.

ABS and EBD, and dual front airbags are standard, while other features include LED DRLs, 5-spoke alloy wheels, automatic climate control, a Smart Play infotainment system (complete with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and MirrorLink connectivity features) etc. There are customisation options including variant-specific dual-tone paint schemes, roof spoilers, wheel cladding, etc.

And most importantly, the price:

The base version of Ignis petrol (Sigma) starts at Rs 4.59 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 6.69 lakh for the Alpha trim. The least expensive diesel (Delta) is available for Rs 6.39 lakh and the fully-loaded Ignis Alpha for Rs 7.8 lakh. Those looking for the automatic transmission equipped versions will need to pay Rs 5.74 lakh onwards for the Ignis AMT (P) and Rs 6.94 lakh onwards for Ignis AMT (D).

In comparison, the Mahindra KUV100 is priced at Rs 4.58 lakh for the base petrol, and goes up to Rs 7.16 lakh for the top-spec diesel.