Used Suzuki Ignis Hatchback 2003 - 2008 review

The Ignis is one of those cars that can't quite decide what it's trying to be - it's supermini-sized, yet it's styled like a small off-roader, and Suzuki's rallying connections mean it's always keen to push it as a sporty car.

In truth, the supermini tag is the most accurate. Only later examples are available with four-wheel drive, and it isn't quick or entertaining enough to be sporty.

That said, the engines are pretty punchy and performance is fair. But, the ride is too firm, and a shortage of front-end grip means that the handling isn't really up to much.

However, the space inside is much better. The car's tall shape means there's plenty of room in both the front and the back, and although access to the boot could be better, the outright capacity isn't bad. All that's really missing in the cabin is a sense of style, which makes it feel drab, but the materials used stand up well to hard use.

Used Ignis prices are pretty cheap, but there are plenty of other, much better cars out there of a similar age for similar money.

Running costs are a bit higher than those of most competitors, too. The 1.3-litre engine gives the best fuel economy, but even that's only 43.5mpg on average, which isn't spectacular for the class. The 1.5 will give you 40.9mpg, dropping to 39.2mpg with the automatic gearbox.

Whichever engine you choose, you'll pay a similar insurance premium. Both the 1.3 and 1.5 engines are classified in group 4 which, again, isn't spectacular for the class.

Servicing costs are steep, too. The early cars needed routine maintenance every 6000 miles, while the newer ones can go for 9000 miles between overhauls. This is more frequent than the average supermini, so even if you find a garage that charges rock-bottom labour rates, the sheer number of visits to the workshop will prove expensive.

Early cars all came with an 82bhp 1.3-litre petrol engine, which was pretty punchy and gave decent performance. It came in two trim levels, GA and GL. The GA was very basic, but the GL only added alloys, deadlocks and central locking to the mix, so we'd recommend the cheaper entry-level car.

The range was face-lifted in 2003 and this added another engine, a 99bhp 1.5. It provides more performance, but increases running costs at the same time. The two-wheel-drive version is available only as an automatic, while the four-wheel-drive version has a manual gearbox.

The face-lift also meant changes in trims. The 1.3 engine came in basic GL trim and has CD player, remote central locking, side airbags and electric front windows. The 1.5 came only in GLX trim, which adds alloy wheels and air-con.

Whatever age of Ignis you choose, we'd recommend the cheapest version. Higher-trim cars weren't much more generous and the 1.3 engine is the best.