Likes
- Exceptional reliability and build quality.
- Genuinely fun to drive and economical.
- Offers great practicality for its size.
- Good examples seem near impervious to depreciation.
Used Suzuki Ignis (MF/2nd Gen) review
Dislikes
- Image and style not to everyones taste.
- It’s a very budget conscious little car, and you can tell.
- Infotainment and speakers are very underwhelming.
- Cabin can be noisey at freeway speeds.
Stuff you should know
In an industry where SUVs seem to grow larger and more expensive by the day, the second-generation Suzuki Ignis, known internally as the MF, remains a genuinely refreshing alternative. It’s one of the few cars in the Aussie market that manages to blend funky styling, surprising practicality and genuine driving charm into a super-compact, urban-friendly package. Marketed as a “light SUV,” the Ignis is more of a jacked-up hatchback with a confident stance than a traditional soft-roader, and that’s exactly why it works so well.
Powering every MF Ignis sold in Australia is Suzuki’s tried-and-tested 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine. It’s not going to set your pants on fire, but it’s lightweight, dependable, and in a car this small, it’s actually pretty peppy around town. You’ve got the choice of a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic, both front-wheel drive only. The manual is a bit of a rare gem these days and adds to the car’s fun-loving character, while the CVT… well, it’s there for convenience, and it does the job without too much fuss.
Since its launch in early 2017, the MF Ignis has seen a few minor updates. The 2020 facelift brought a new grille, chunkier front and rear bumpers, and a revised dashboard design, helping to modernise what was already a pretty funky little thing. Suzuki also rejigged the model line-up at the same time , earlier GL and GLX trims gave way to GL and GLX Shadow variants, with a more cohesive list of features and a few cosmetic tweaks here and there. Another small update in 2023 added new colours and interior trim finishes, plus some light equipment shuffling depending on variant.
As for features, base GL models are surprisingly well equipped given their price, a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reverse camera, cruise control, and basic but effective safety kit. Step up to the GLX or Shadow, and you’ll get things like climate control, keyless entry and start, extra speakers, and more interior bling. None of it feels premium, but it all works well and is logically laid out , and for the money on the used market, it’s hard to argue with the value on offer.
In terms of Suzuki’s local line-up, the Ignis sits just above the tiny Celerio (when that’s actually offered) and below the Swift, S-Cross and Vitara. But unlike those more conventional offerings, the Ignis carves out a niche of its own. It’s one of the only micro SUVs in the market that actually pulls off the SUV aesthetic without pretending to be something it’s not. It’s small, light, and city-friendly , yet its raised ride height, clever interior packaging, and surprisingly good visibility make it far more usable than its footprint might suggest and ideal for those challenged with mobility concerns.
That mix of style, practicality and honest charm has helped the Ignis gain something of a cult following, and as a result, values on the used market have stayed impressively strong. In fact, compared to rivals like the Kia Picanto or Mitsubishi Mirage, the Ignis often commands a premium, especially in GLX spec with low kms. And because it’s still relatively modern, most examples come loaded with the tech and comfort features most buyers expect , without the massive price tag that usually comes with them.
But of course, the Ignis isn’t perfect. There are a handful of known issues that prospective buyers should be aware of , including some infotainment quirks and a few interior quality gripes.
What goes wrong
Exterior:
- We trawled through owner groups, forums, and every corner of the internet we could find, and the list of common issues with the MF Ignis is refreshingly short. About the only recurring complaints we came across were that the paint can be a little on the thin side and does tend to mark fairly easily. But that’s becoming more and more common across the board, we’ve seen far worse on cars costing five or ten times what an Ignis does.
- One other small gripe is with the earlier, base-spec GL models that came with halogen headlights rather than LEDs. A few owners reckon they’re not the best at lighting up the road at night, but that’s an easy fix, swap in a set of LED units or fit an aftermarket light bar and you’re good to go.
- And honestly, that’s about it. There’s none of the horror stories you might expect from a budget car, no consistent electrical gremlins, no horror panel gaps, no random water leaks. These are issues we’ve seen in far more expensive cars, and the Ignis manages to sidestep most of them.
Interior:
- Inside, it’s much the same story. We struggled to find any commonly reported issues beyond the infotainment system, and even then, it’s more a frustration than a fatal flaw. Reports of electronic faults? Incredibly rare. Air-con problems? Basically non-existent. But the infotainment? Yeah, that’s where things get a little shaky.
- Some owners have experienced dropouts with Bluetooth, patchy connections with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, glitchy reversing camera displays, and just generally poor sound quality when taking phone calls. Plus, the stock sound system is not great. It’s fine for podcasts or the odd radio station, but don’t go expecting deep bass or crystal-clear mids.
- Interestingly, during the peak of the global supply chain crisis, Suzuki fitted a batch of Ignis models with aftermarket head units that featured a larger screen, which some owners actually prefer, but more recent examples have reverted back to the original factory system. Either way, the hot tip from owners is to ditch the whole lot, infotainment system, speakers, microphone, and just go aftermarket. The improvement is night and day.
- One thing to keep in mind though, this is a car built to a budget, so don’t expect soft-touch materials, ambient lighting, or luxury-car levels of refinement. There’s a fair bit of hard plastic around, but it’s all put together well enough, and feels solid where it counts.
Mechanically:
- Mechanically, the Ignis continues its theme of simple, honest motoring. If it’s been serviced properly, the engine is almost boringly reliable, and
Exterior:
- We trawled through owner groups, forums, and every corner of the internet we could find, and the list of common issues with the MF Ignis is refreshingly short. About the only recurring complaints we came across were that the paint can be a little on the thin side and does tend to mark fairly easily. But that’s becoming more and more common across the board, we’ve seen far worse on cars costing five or ten times what an Ignis does.
- One other small gripe is with the earlier, base-spec GL models that came with halogen headlights rather than LEDs. A few owners reckon they’re not the best at lighting up the road at night, but that’s an easy fix, swap in a set of LED units or fit an aftermarket light bar and you’re good to go.
- And honestly, that’s about it. There’s none of the horror stories you might expect from a budget car, no consistent electrical gremlins, no horror panel gaps, no random water leaks. These are issues we’ve seen in far more expensive cars, and the Ignis manages to sidestep most of them.
Interior:
- Inside, it’s much the same story. We struggled to find any commonly reported issues beyond the infotainment system, and even then, it’s more a frustration than a fatal flaw. Reports of electronic faults? Incredibly rare. Air-con problems? Basically non-existent. But the infotainment? Yeah, that’s where things get a little shaky.
- Some owners have experienced dropouts with Bluetooth, patchy connections with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, glitchy reversing camera displays, and just generally poor sound quality when taking phone calls. Plus, the stock sound system is not great. It’s fine for podcasts or the odd radio station, but don’t go expecting deep bass or crystal-clear mids.
- Interestingly, during the peak of the global supply chain crisis, Suzuki fitted a batch of Ignis models with aftermarket head units that featured a larger screen, which some owners actually prefer, but more recent examples have reverted back to the original factory system. Either way, the hot tip from owners is to ditch the whole lot, infotainment system, speakers, microphone, and just go aftermarket. The improvement is night and day.
- One thing to keep in mind though, this is a car built to a budget, so don’t expect soft-touch materials, ambient lighting, or luxury-car levels of refinement. There’s a fair bit of hard plastic around, but it’s all put together well enough, and feels solid where it counts.
Mechanically:
- Mechanically, the Ignis continues its theme of simple, honest motoring. If it’s been serviced properly, the engine is almost boringly reliable, and we mean that in the best possible way.
- If it hasn’t been looked after, you might run into some minor oil consumption issues, and there is the possibility of timing chain rattle. But again, that all comes down to how the car’s been treated. These aren’t issues baked into the design, they’re the result of poor maintenance.
- And unfortunately, being such a budget-friendly option, a few examples out there have slipped through the cracks and haven’t been cared for the way they should have. So, if you’re in the market for one, just make sure it has a solid service history. If it does, you’re probably looking at one of the most mechanically dependable little cars or SUVs on the market.
Exterior:
- We trawled through owner groups, forums, and every corner of the internet we could find, and the list of common issues with the MF Ignis is refreshingly short. About the only recurring complaints we came across were that the paint can be a little on the thin side and does tend to mark fairly easily. But that’s becoming more and more common across the board, we’ve seen far worse on cars costing five or ten times what an Ignis does.
- One other small gripe is with the earlier, base-spec GL models that came with halogen headlights rather than LEDs. A few owners reckon they’re not the best at lighting up the road at night, but that’s an easy fix, swap in a set of LED units or fit an aftermarket light bar and you’re good to go.
- And honestly, that’s about it. There’s none of the horror stories you might expect from a budget car, no consistent electrical gremlins, no horror panel gaps, no random water leaks. These are issues we’ve seen in far more expensive cars, and the Ignis manages to sidestep most of them.
Interior:
- Inside, it’s much the same story. We struggled to find any commonly reported issues beyond the infotainment system, and even then, it’s more a frustration than a fatal flaw. Reports of electronic faults? Incredibly rare. Air-con problems? Basically non-existent. But the infotainment? Yeah, that’s where things get a little shaky.
- Some owners have experienced dropouts with Bluetooth, patchy connections with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, glitchy reversing camera displays, and just generally poor sound quality when taking phone calls. Plus, the stock sound system is not great. It’s fine for podcasts or the odd radio station, but don’t go expecting deep bass or crystal-clear mids.
- Interestingly, during the peak of the global supply chain crisis, Suzuki fitted a batch of Ignis models with aftermarket head units that featured a larger screen, which some owners actually prefer, but more recent examples have reverted back to the original factory system. Either way, the hot tip from owners is to ditch the whole lot, infotainment system, speakers, microphone, and just go aftermarket. The improvement is night and day.
- One thing to keep in mind though, this is a car built to a budget, so don’t expect soft-touch materials, ambient lighting, or luxury-car levels of refinement. There’s a fair bit of hard plastic around, but it’s all put together well enough, and feels solid where it counts.
Mechanically:
- Mechanically, the Ignis continues its theme of simple, honest motoring. If it’s been serviced properly, the engine is almost boringly reliable, and we mean that in the best possible way.
- If it hasn’t been looked after, you might run into some minor oil consumption issues, and there is the possibility of timing chain rattle. But again, that all comes down to how the car’s been treated. These aren’t issues baked into the design, they’re the result of poor maintenance.
- And unfortunately, being such a budget-friendly option, a few examples out there have slipped through the cracks and haven’t been cared for the way they should have. So, if you’re in the market for one, just make sure it has a solid service history. If it does, you’re probably looking at one of the most mechanically dependable little cars or SUVs on the market.
Should you buy it?
Something worth keeping in mind if you’re on the fence about buying an Ignis, and this really stood out to us while combing through owner groups and forums, is just how many people who buy one… end up buying another.
It’s not uncommon to see someone pick up an Ignis brand new back in 2017, and then when it’s time to move on, they don’t go for something different, they just get another Ignis, maybe a newer one, a different colour, or one of the updated trims. Or if they need a second runabout for the family, what do they get? You guessed it, another Ignis.
We even came across full families of Ignis owners, Mum gets one and raves about it, so Dad grabs one too, then the son or daughter jumps on board, and before you know it, an uncle’s turned up in one as well. It’s like the Ignis spreads through the family like a virus, only instead of feeling crook, it leaves you with a cheeky little grin and a surprisingly capable, charming little car.
And honestly, we get it. Because when you find the right one, the Ignis can be an absolutely brilliant thing to live with.
There are very, very few other cars that can do so much for so little. Fun to drive, easy to live with, cheap to run, and packed with enough character to make you look forward to even the most boring drives. And because
Something worth keeping in mind if you’re on the fence about buying an Ignis, and this really stood out to us while combing through owner groups and forums, is just how many people who buy one… end up buying another.
It’s not uncommon to see someone pick up an Ignis brand new back in 2017, and then when it’s time to move on, they don’t go for something different, they just get another Ignis, maybe a newer one, a different colour, or one of the updated trims. Or if they need a second runabout for the family, what do they get? You guessed it, another Ignis.
We even came across full families of Ignis owners, Mum gets one and raves about it, so Dad grabs one too, then the son or daughter jumps on board, and before you know it, an uncle’s turned up in one as well. It’s like the Ignis spreads through the family like a virus, only instead of feeling crook, it leaves you with a cheeky little grin and a surprisingly capable, charming little car.
And honestly, we get it. Because when you find the right one, the Ignis can be an absolutely brilliant thing to live with.
There are very, very few other cars that can do so much for so little. Fun to drive, easy to live with, cheap to run, and packed with enough character to make you look forward to even the most boring drives. And because they’re holding their value so well, they actually make sense financially, which isn’t something you can say about many small cars in this price range.
That said, like with any used car, steer clear of anything with a dodgy service history or signs it’s been flogged, and always, always get a proper pre-purchase inspection. But if everything checks out and it ticks your boxes? Yep, buy it.
Should you buy it?
Something worth keeping in mind if you’re on the fence about buying an Ignis, and this really stood out to us while combing through owner groups and forums, is just how many people who buy one… end up buying another.
It’s not uncommon to see someone pick up an Ignis brand new back in 2017, and then when it’s time to move on, they don’t go for something different, they just get another Ignis, maybe a newer one, a different colour, or one of the updated trims. Or if they need a second runabout for the family, what do they get? You guessed it, another Ignis.
We even came across full families of Ignis owners, Mum gets one and raves about it, so Dad grabs one too, then the son or daughter jumps on board, and before you know it, an uncle’s turned up in one as well. It’s like the Ignis spreads through the family like a virus, only instead of feeling crook, it leaves you with a cheeky little grin and a surprisingly capable, charming little car.
And honestly, we get it. Because when you find the right one, the Ignis can be an absolutely brilliant thing to live with.
There are very, very few other cars that can do so much for so little. Fun to drive, easy to live with, cheap to run, and packed with enough character to make you look forward to even the most boring drives. And because they’re holding their value so well, they actually make sense financially, which isn’t something you can say about many small cars in this price range.
That said, like with any used car, steer clear of anything with a dodgy service history or signs it’s been flogged, and always, always get a proper pre-purchase inspection. But if everything checks out and it ticks your boxes? Yep, buy it.
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