Jimny punches above its weight

THE new Suzuki Jimny has just been given a kicking by the crash test group NCAP.

In a world in which most new cars get five stars, the Jimny has been given three. So is the little Suzuki a failure before it’s even hit the showrooms?

Not in my eyes. Not only is it one of the best cars that I’ve driven this year, it’s one of the best in the last five years.

First off, it looks terrific. Traditional 4wd style without any aggression. It’s the nearest you’ll get to the late departed Land Rover Defender in spirit. So, let’s have a look under its skin.

We’re talking old school. For starters the Jimny has a ladder chassis. Almost all modern cars, including SUVS, have a unitary or monocoque body – where the bodyshell is the chassis.

Even more old fashioned are the two solid axles front and back. But it’s exactly what you want for a serious off-road vehicle because as one wheel on the axle hits a bump, the other is pressed down to give more grip.

The Jimny has a 1.5-litre fourcylinder petrol engine, a simple unit that produces 100bhp and Suzuki Jimny SUV 1.5-litre (tbc) 35.8mpg

which replaces the previous generation Jimny’s 1.3-litre unit. This torquey engine drives through a five-speed gearbox with switchable rear-wheel or fourwheel drive in high and low ratios. The businesslike exterior styling is carried through to the cabin. Suzuki bills the Jimny as the professional’s 4wd which means farmers, foresters and people who actually challenge their off-