We say There's probably a market for high-sided superminis with 4WD, but probably not much of one. Cheap and basic.Performance The Ignis’s engine range consists of a 92bhp 1.3-litre and two 1.5-litres with 98 or 107bhp. The 98bhp model can be specified with 4WD but the smallest model is underpowered on motorways.Emissions The 1.3-litre unit is unsurprisingly the more efficient drivetrain of the two, returning 44mpg and emitting 150g/km in CO2 but that’s still poor for vehicle of its size.Driving The Ignis comes with relatively tall sides which means there’s plenty of bodyroll around corners and quite an unstable drive.Feel Smaller engine is noisy when pushed but the larger models are fairly calm. The ride is quite rough and more suited to cruising on open roads, strangely.Space Decent passenger space all round and the rear seats fold to boost bootspace to over 1,000-litres. Passengers in the back can also rake their seats to get more comfortable, something of a luxury, we suppose.Equipment Power steering, electric front windows, remote central locking and a CD player are standard. Aircon and alloys at next level.Price Fuel economy isn't great and residuals are poor, but hefty discounts may be available from list prices which start from less than £7,000 and don’t quite reach £10,000 at the top of the range.Quality Engines should be reliable and interiors feel solid but the overriding impression is cheap. There are poor quality plastics and surfaces throughout.Safety Front and side airbags, ABS, brakeforce distribution, ISOFIX mountings as standard. Deadlocks and immobiliser also present.Pros The Ignis comes with plenty or performance via its engines and enough interior space to seat four comfortably. It’s also incredibly cheap.Cons Interior quality is disappointing and so is the ride. The high-end 1.5-litre versions come with race seats, carbon fibre effect trim and all wheel drive, for some reason. There are much better cars available for a similar price.Alternatives Volkswagen Fox, Citroen C1
