Suzuki Ignis vs Ford Ranger

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Suzuki Ignis in South Africa

Suzuki Ignis

1.2 GLX AMT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 293,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 113 Nm ⛽ 13.5 km/l
VS
Ford Ranger in South Africa

Ford Ranger

2.0 Bi-Turbo Raptor 4x4 Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,040,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 157 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Ranger
Fuel Economy Ranger
🛡 Safety Ranger
📦 Practicality Ignis
🔑 Ownership Ignis
Ignis starts ZAR 520000 cheaper Ignis from ZAR 237,900 · Ranger from ZAR 520,000

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Ignis Ranger
Engine Power 61 157
Torque 113 500
Engine Size 1197 1996
Claimed Mileage 13.5 12.8
Ground Clearance 180 283
Boot Space 400 0
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 855 2345
Seating Capacity 5 Available
Warranty 5 4

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Ranger

70
/ 100
+15
pts
#2

Ignis

55
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Ranger holds a noticeable edge over Ignis, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Ranger +12 pts
Efficiency Ranger +6 pts
Safety Ranger +2 pts
Practicality Ignis +1 pts
Ownership Ignis +4 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Ranger

Performance 17/20
Efficiency 6/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 11/20
Ownership 16/20

Ignis

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Ignis

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Ranger

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Ignis

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Ranger

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Ignis Ranger
Engine 1.2L K12M 4-Cylinder Petrol 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 4 Twin Turbocharged Intercooled
Engine Code K12M Standard
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1197 1996
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Cylinder Bore 73.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 71.5 92.0
Compression Ratio 10.0:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Transverse Front-Mounted Available
Variable Valve Timing VVT on Intake Camshaft Available
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Available
Power 61 157
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 150
Power 83 150
Torque 113 500
Torque @ RPM 4,200 rpm 400
Maximum Engine RPM 6500 Available
Engine Oil Capacity 3.3 Available
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Petrol
Top Speed 152 180
0-100 km/h 14.0 10.2
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available
Spec Ignis Ranger
Length 3700 5381
Width 1690 2180
Height 1595 1922
Wheelbase 2435 3270
Ground Clearance 180 283
Kerb Weight 855 2345
Boot Volume 260 Available
Seats 5 Available
Doors 5 Available
Boot Space 400 0
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Seating Capacity 5 5
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Towing Capacity 1500 2500
Gross Vehicle Weight 1600 3130
Turning Radius Available Available
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Number of Doors Available 5
Max Payload Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Ford Ranger wins with 70 pts vs 55 pts for Ignis

In structured scoring, Ranger emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Ignis may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Ranger edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Ignis 0 vs Ranger 6. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Ignis 18, Ranger 20. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Ignis 20, Ranger 16. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Ignis 12, Ranger 11. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Ignis 5, Ranger 17. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Ranger edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Ranger scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Ignis and Ranger in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Ignis scores 5 vs 17.

Efficiency: Ignis scores 0 vs 6.

Safety: Ignis scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Ignis scores 12 vs 11.

Ownership: Ignis scores 20 vs 16.

Final structured scoring gives Ranger the advantage in this comparison.