A blast from the past has been revived by Suzuki with the announcement that the Ignis badge will return in the form of a new and technically-advanced small off-roader.

The car, which was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show ahead of its launch in Europe next January, will be competing in the compact SUV segment. It may be pint-sized, but it comes with four-wheel drive, a whole array of electronic safety aids and a new hybrid drive system.

A 1.2-litre petrol engine combines with what the company calls a mild hybrid system which features an integrated power generator and electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.

Customers will be able to choose between a five speed manual and an automated gearbox linked to Suzuki’s viscous coupling four-wheel drive system which automatically distributes drive torque to the front and rear wheels when it detects the front wheel losing its grip of the road.

Amongst the new Ignis’ advanced safety features are stereo cameras which function like human eyes, detecting lane markings as well as objects ahead and their distance away. Based on the size and shape of the object, the cameras can determine whether it is a pedestrian or another vehicle.

The cameras are used to trigger automatic braking when vehicles or pedestrians are detected, lane departure and weaving alerts.