If you’re in the market for a new runabout that’s a little kinder to the planet than a big gas-guzzling SUV, and you can’t afford the extra cost of buying an electric vehicle (EV), then the Suzuki Ignis might be just the ticket.

Suzuki has recently given its ultra-compact SUV a cosmetic makeover with a lower grille and air dam at the front, plus a new rear bumper and rear lower panel.

Also included in the refresh is a choice of new paint colours, including ivory, khaki and black.

Depending on the exterior colour chosen, the Ignis comes with different interior accent colours.

White, grey, and black exteriors get dark blue interior tones on the centre console, door grips and seat stitching, while red, ivory and khaki cars get silver interior accents.

The Ignis GLX upgrades the base GL’s 15-inch steel wheels and halogen headlights to 16-inch alloys and automatic LED headlights.

The GLX also adds two extra speakers to the stereo, privacy glass, single-zone climate control and keyless entry and start.

The interior is pleasant and neatly built but is hardly premium, with lots of low-budget hard plastics on display.

Among the nicer touches are the switchgear for the HVAC system, which is well laid out and logical with buttons that are pleasingly tactile.

The ubiquitous infotainment touchscreen is small by current standards at seven inches, but includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, navigation and a reversing camera. There’s also a USB A port and a 3.5mm audio socket.

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A notable omission from the Ignis interior is a centre console, with just a bottle holder in its place.

Otherwise, there’s a surprising amount of interior space, with your 188cm correspondent accommodated reasonably comfortably in the rear with plenty of headroom and sufficient legroom for short journeys.

Boot space is a respectable 264L, expanding to 516L with the 50/50 split rear sliding seats folded.

One of the Ignis’s main attractions is its miserly fuel consumption, which with CVT transmission is rated at just 4.9L/100km on the combined cycle and a low 4.4L/100km on the extra-urban (highway) cycle.

The five-speed manual is even more efficient at 4.7L/100km.

While there’s no getting around the fact the little Suzuki is it is still emitting pollutants, it’s doing so at a much lower rate than virtually every other vehicle in its class, except the Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid which sips 3.8L/100km combined.

Pricing for the Yaris Cross starts from $29,840, however, and the top-spec GLX Ignis is just $22,490 before on road costs.

Power for the Ignis comes from a 1.2-litre four-cylinder ‘Dualjet’ engine which produces a modest 66kW/120Nm.

You probably won’t be winning many drag races or pulling out to pass a thundering B-double in the Ignis, but there’s sufficient grunt to keep abreast of urban traffic flow and to not be a mobile chicane out on the highway.

Tipping the scales at a featherweight 900kg the Ignis offers nimble and direct handling, zipping around curves briskly and competently.

The ride is a little firm for a small vehicle and the front suspension occasionally exhibits an unsettling bang when encountering larger bumps at speed.

One area where the Ignis is off the pace compared with key competitors like the Yaris Cross is all-important safety.

 Standard features include six airbags, antilock braking, electronic stability control and electronic brake force distribution, but some of the newer technology such as lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and autonomous emergency braking are missing.

Couple this with the fact the Ignis has no ANCAP rating and only a three-star Euro NCAP achieved back in 2016, and that may be enough to see some buyers looking elsewhere.

However, if you can overlook its safety flaws and its modest performance the Ignis emerges as a frugal and fun light SUV, with funky styling, good interior space, nimble handling and a hard-to-beat sticker price.

Key stats

• MLP: $22,490 (MRLP).
• ENGINE: 1.2-litre petrol four-cylinder.
• ANCAP CRASH RATING: Not rated.
• FUEL CONSUMPTION (combined cycle, litres/100km)_:  4.9 (114g/km CO₂)
• FOR: Miserly fuel consumption, large interior for small footprint, nimble handling.
• AGAINST: No ANCAP rating, no steering reach adjustment, limited safety tech.