Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp. is unveiling the Ignis urban sport utility vehicle in Indonesia, in its inaugural launch of the model in Southeast Asia, as it seeks to regain market share once held by the popular Splash.
Suzuki's local sales arm, PT. Suzuki Indomobil Sales, will start selling the new vehicle in May in the Indonesian market where fuel efficiency is an important factor.
Features of the 1,200-cubic-centimeter Ignis include a highly rigid underbody structure with high-tensile steel plates adapted to Indonesia's road conditions.
"With this new Suzuki Ignis, we want to take back the same level of the share Suzuki Splash had in the city car market," 4W sales director Makmur said at a recent launching event in Jakarta.
Initial response from prospective buyers is favorable, he said, adding, "They are looking forward to this kind of crossover city car."
The firm will import the new car from India, making Indonesia the first Southeast Asian country to market the vehicle. But Makmur did not rule out the possibility of producing the Ignis in Indonesia.
Suzuki expects the Ignis to generate around 20 percent of its total sales in Indonesia. The new car ranges in price from $10,493 to $12,750.