In an increasingly digital world, it’s rather refreshing to come across something as analogue as the Suzuki Ignis.
Not that it’s lacking in modern conveniences: there’s everything from keyless entry to lane-departure warning, variable valve timing to hill descent control on this top-spec AllGrip.
There’s even a partial hybrid powertrain, which harvests energy under braking into a battery and deploys it to boost acceleration.
Yet the driving experience is reassuringly old-school, making you feel entirely connected – you are a piece of the machinery rather than a distant puppeteer.
There’s not a lot of power from the high compression K12C engine, but that doesn’t really matter because the tiddly Ignis merely brushes the scales at a flyweight 920kg, and using the slightly notchy five-speed gearbox to wring all 89bhp out of the zingy twin-cam ‘four’ is great fun.
There’s not a lot of grip from the skinny 16in wheels, either, but there’s too much body roll to try to do anything particularly heroic.
The steering has a surprising amount of feedback compared to most modern powered systems, making the Suzuki a hugely involving companion on a country road.
