Suzuki is well known as the 'Small Car Experts and is pleased to announce that it has two eligible nominations in the new 'Urban Car' category of the 2017 World Car of The Year. To qualify, vehicles must be less than four metres long, suitable in design for everyday use in an urban environment and also be on sale in two Continents by the deadline of Spring 2017. The Baleno hatchback model at 3.99 metres and the new Ignis Mini Crossover at 3.70 metres both qualify for judging and there are six other new cars listed in this category.

A total of 50 engineers and 40 cars are ready to cover 25,000 kilometres and perform 80 tests in the desert region of southern Spain where daytime temperatures soar to 45°C in the shade. This is extreme summer testing, one of the world's most demanding performance exams for cars, a genuine boot camp that lasts three weeks. Today it's the SEAT Ateca's turn, but what kind of extreme tests are a vehicle put through? Here are some examples.