Suzuki Ignis was one of the first crossovers built by the Japanese carmaker.
But it didn’t build it alone. It worked together with GM and Subaru.

Both Japanese car companies were known as big manufacturers of small vehicles. While Suzuki was known for off-road vehicles, Subaru was recognized as a world rally-winner with the Impreza range. The alliance between them resulted in the birth of the 2003 Ignis – Justy. The all-wheel-drive system was carried over from Subaru.

Small, with higher ground clearance, the Ignis was unusual for its class and times. The front fascia featured rectangular headlights swept-back over the hood. A noticeable difference from Subaru Justy was the grille and the bumper. Suzuki installed the badge on a horizontal bar over the grille. On the lower side of the bumper, it placed a different grille and smaller fog-lights. A tall greenhouse with a straight roof, but an ascending beltline, were some of the two siblings’ specific design cues.

Inside, it was room enough for four adults due to the high roof, but not that much legroom in the back if all the occupants were above 6 ft (180 cm) tall. With its small trunk, the Ignis was good enough for a city vehicle. The rear split-folding bench seatback could add some more room for a long trip if only two passengers were on-board. Like the Justy, the Ignis featured a small instrument cluster designed in a binocular style.

Under the hood, Suzuki installed its inline-four engines, both diesel, and gasoline, depending on the market. The 1.3-liter diesel unit was carried over from GM, which was developed in a partnership with Fiat. Suzuki offered the Ignis with front- or all-wheel-drive systems.