The Ignis crossover will be the third premium product that Maruti Suzuki is going to sell via its Nexa premium dealership. Being a premium offering, Maruti Suzuki is also likely to equip the Ignis with the high-end Harman Kardon audio system.
American audio and infotainment company Harman already supplies infotainment units for the Ignis sold in Japan by Suzuki Motor Corporation. It will be the first car in India to feature the audio system, which is likely to be employed by Maruti Suzuki in some other cars as well. The audio system is expected to offer smartphone integration. It it will support Apple CarPlay, offering Apple iPhone users various functions like making and taking calls, music playback and messaging, to be controlled through the car's display. The system will also be equipped with a voice-recognition function and navigation.
Harman Kardon is not a newcomer in India. The company already supplies audio units to Tata Motors, which provides it in Tata Bolt, Zest, and the Tiago.
Maruti Suzuki is expected to launch the Ignis in the next two months. The crossover has been rumoured to come with a 1.2-litre VTVT petrol engine and a 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel unit. The diesel mill is expected to be coupled with an automated manual transmission (AMT). Maruti Suzuki is also expected to employ the 1.0 BoosterJet turbo-petrol engine in Ignis.
The new offering is being called the micro-SUV due to its higher ground clearance. The model sold in Japan features 4x4 system. However, there is no final word yet from Maruti Suzuki on adding four-wheel drive system in the India-spec model.
