Maruti Suzuki Ignis
Maruti Suzuki IgnisSuzuki

Yes, the long-wait to see one of the most-anticipated cars of Maruti Suzuki is going to end soon and we finally have a release date for the Ignis. Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest carmaker, is gearing up to break the cover of its Ignis compact crossover in India on January 13.

The crossover has reportedly hit the assembly line at the company's plant in India and the preparations are well underway ahead of its launch. The Ignis has also made it to the Nexa website with a coming soon tag and is expected to be open for bookings soon. The compact crossover will be the third offering of Maruti Suzuki to go on sale through Nexa. The year 2017 is also expected to see the arrival of the Ciaz facelift and the Baleno RS to Nexa.

Coming back to the Ignis itself, the vehicle caught the fancy of auto lovers in the country during its first appearance at the Auto Expo 2016 and the industry watchers believe that the crossover has the potential to present a tough game in its segment. Not just that, the Ignis is also expected to pose a challenge to the hatchbacks in the market as it is expected to get a price tag starting at around Rs 5.5 lakh.

Maruti Suzuki Ignis
Maruti Suzuki IgnisSuzuki

Speaking of the engine bit of the upcoming Ignis, it is expected to come with a 1.2-litre VTVT petrol engine and a 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel unit. Maruti is also said to be considering 1.0 BoosterJet turbo-petrol engine for Ignis and could also be available with Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) box. And not to forget, chances are that the SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) technology may also make it to the Ignis.

Maruti Ignis measures 3,700mm long, 1,660mm wide and 1,595mm tall. It comes with 2,435mm long wheelbase and offers a ground clearance of 180mm. The Ignis is expected to come with a slew of goodies such as high-end Harman Kardon audio system with Apple Carplay, smartphone connectivity and safety features such as ABS with EBD, airbags and hill descent control.