SUZUKI has form when it comes to making small cars.

It has built a growing fan club in the UK in recent years thanks to models such as the Swift, Alto and Celerio, and now it has revived a name from the past to bolster its range.

The Ignis has been reborn as a compact crossover tailored to meet the needs of the urban motorist.

It’s essentially a new twist on the city runaround, offering a slightly higher driving position, a little more space than you might find in similarly sized cars and favourable fuel economy.

Available in three grades - SZ3, SZ-T and SZ5 – it has an attractive starting price of £9,999, rising to £12,999, and utilises the company’s 90hp 1.2-litre four cylinder Dualjet engine.

You can also opt for a four-wheel drive version in SZ5 trim, or even a hybrid version that takes CO2 emissions down to 97g/km, but it is the regular petrol version with two-wheel drive that will find most homes.

Specification is generous, with the entry model getting six airbags, air conditioning, electric front windows, DAB radio, Bluetooth and 15-inch steel wheels.

Step up to SZ-T trim and you get very useful sliding rear seats (which reduce the seating capacity from five to four), satellite navigation, rear view camera, wheel arch extensions, side mouldings and roof rails and 16-inch alloy wheels. It is this version that will probably attract most buyers.

SZ5 adds auto air conditioning, LED headlights, dual camera brake support and cruise control.

There’s plenty to like about the Ignis, such as the clever exterior design, the ample luggage space that will take five laden carrier bags even with the rear seats up and the deceptively spacious cabin.

Black alloy wheels on the tested SZ-T model contrast well with the 11 body colours on offer, while the clamshell bonnet and robust shoulders give the impression that this might just have a six-pack under the bonnet. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The engine will happily carry you and your passengers up to speeds of 60mph, but will not surprisingly run out of puff at motorway speeds, and will also require plenty of gear changing. On the plus side, you can expect to achieve an average fuel consumption figure of around 60mpg.

It’s also quite slow out of the blocks, leading to the conclusion that this is a smart, functional car rather than one with a performance to put a smile on your face.

Depending on the choice of exterior colour, orange and metallic titanium accent colours add a nice decorative touch to the cabin, which is rather plain.

The dashboard on SZ-T and SZ5 models is dominated by a seven-inch touchscreen that incorporates the satellite navigation, audio and phone link functions, but I found the tiny buttons fiddly and the lettering difficult to read. What should have been a deal-clincher turned out to be a bugbear.

There’s no questioning the high level of collision safety. Some of the features include collapsible structures that absorb impact energy in the event of a collision, a frame structure that effectively disperses impact energy and a rigid cabin structure.

I suspect that the Ignis will appeal mostly to the more mature driver looking for good visibility, ease of access and small running costs and at a price that represents good value.

The addition of hybrid and four-wheel drive versions will further extend it appeal.