They may be small but the selection for this category was huge for 2017, encompassing light/compact cars and the burgeoning segment of small SUVs.
Suzuki's Impreza was in contention as well as Honda's Civic hatch, Audi's Q2, and Suzuki's nod to its heritage, the Ignis small crossover.
While the Impreza was value for money, the winner for the segment was the funky and old-school Ignis, thanks to it being fun to drive and satisfying to look at.
Its quirky styling – harking back to Suzuki's diminutive 1970s Cervo/Fronte coupe plus its height and go-kart style wheel positioning makes it a head-turner.
The Ignis is a tall car but hides it well – its 180mm ground clearance figure is only 5mm lower than a Suzuki Vitara SUV. That height translates well inside, though, with plenty of headroom but not at the gawky expense of the car's overall looks.
The price is impressive too, with entry level manual GLX from $18,990 while the Limited is $22,500
While it's not a coupe like the forefathers from which its designers drew inspiration, it works better as a modern mode of city transport for all.
Read our full Suzuki Ignis road test here.
– Cameron Officer
This year Driven decided to reflect our readers' interests in our Car of the Year categories more. For the first time we have:
- Little Beauties (covering light/compact cars, and small SUVS)
- Family Chariots (medium/large cars, medium/large SUVs)
- Only For the Rich (premium cars, luxury SUVs)
- Lotto Winner's Choice (performance vehicles) - winner: Honda Civic Type R
- Tradies' Delight (utes/vans) – winner: Renault Master range
- Green Power (hybrids and EVs)
- Motorbike of the Year – winner: BMW G 310 R
