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“Don’t Buy” the Suzuki Ignis, warns Which?

Consumer publication condemns the dinky city car due to a poor Euro NCAP score

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Consumer testing and review service Which? has applied a ‘Don’t Buy’ label to the Suzuki Ignis, noting the car’s safety rating.

In a news story on its website, Which? noted that the Ignis only scored three stars in its standard form in the organisation’s crash tests. “At Which?, we take safety seriously,” it wrote. “Any car that receives three stars or fewer in Euro NCAP tests is automatically a Which? Don’t Buy car.”

The Ignis’ score was poor due to its safety equipment, rather than its actual crash protection. Scores of 79 per cent in both Adult and Child Occupant protection are good, but where it falls down is its dismal 25 per cent rating in the Safety Assist category.

It’s due to Suzuki’s decision to offer autonomous emergency braking as an optional pack on both entry and mid-level cars. The ‘Safety Pack’ is a £750 cost option on these trim levels, and is only standard on top-spec SZ5 cars.

When fitted with the Safety Pack, the Ignis scored Euro NCAP’s full five-star rating.

Fitment of such equipment may soon be mandatory, as the EU Commission has ruled that autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – as well as ten other safety systems – will become mandatory equipment on all new cars sold from 2021. The UK has already said it will continue to abide by EU new car regulations upon its exit from the European Union.

A spokesperson for Suzuki responded, saying: “Suzuki takes safety very seriously and acknowledges the very recent reporting by Which? Magazine from the 2016 NCAP testing of Ignis SZ3.

“Suzuki can confirm that the AEB package (known as Dual Camera Brake Support) is standard equipment on the Ignis SZ5 model and is available as a factory fit option on the SZ3 and SZ-T models. Looking to the future, Suzuki will adhere to any changes in AEB regulation before or when it is announced as mandatory fitment.”

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