Never a mud-life crisis at wheel of a Suzuki Jimny
● Suzuki’s latest iteration of boxy classic combines urban necessities with off-road agility, writes Phuti Mpyane
It’s easy to love boxy cars like the new Suzuki Jimny. The fourth generation’s retro aggressive styling offers a welcome break from the stagnancy of mostly rounded modern vehicles.
The Jimny entered the Japanese “kei” car market (the category for the smallest passenger vehicles allowed on highways) in 1970, some nine years prior to Mercedes-Benz introducing its renowned G-Wagen.
At 1,715mm high and 3,625mm nose-to-tail, it’s dwarfed by almost every other SUV, yet it beats many on sheer off-road capability.
Ask yourself what the latest Suzuki Jimny is and you may end up with “fashion accessory” – the Mini Cooper of SUVs, so to speak. Under normal crossover circumstances, and thanks to cuteness and vibrant colours, many are tempted to view it as such; however, the Jimny is not a normal circumstance.
Underpinned by a ladderframe chassis and part-time four-wheel drive, as well as a low-range transfer case, it can do stuff in the rough like no other vehicle in its price bracket. There’s just one engine and two gearbox options: a fourspeed auto and this five-speed manual unit on review.
Though the cabin features plenty of exposed metal, it isn’t far removed from modernity thanks to a neat-looking dash layout made from good materials, a decently sized digital touchscreen command centre, electrically operated windows, remote steering wheel buttons and dual airbags.
It’s also got clear-feedback Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and though nowhere near awesome, the onboard entertainment plays back USB, Bluetooth and SD card – all the stuff coveted by urbanites.
However, many will likely be put off by the impracticality of it all. Aside from its twodoor, four-seater shape, the rear luggage area is a mere 85l, which increases to 377l with the rear seats folded down.
Vast improvements in driving dynamics, comfort and technology also mean the Jimny is no longer a physically tiring drive. The gutsy and naturally aspirated 1.5l petrol fourcylinder engine uses its improved 75kW and 130Nm outputs to haul the Jimny around with a welcome verve, giving it respectable power to keep up with highway traffic.
In standard configuration only the rear wheels are driven but the fronts can be called up for all-wheel grip via a secondary gear lever. It’s largely a civilised thing in flight, with a fair amount of body control and a little waywardness only arising in cross-winds or when caught out by dodgy road fractures.
The steering is light and communicative and works well with its size, particularly in tight spaces where this diminutive vehicle can be easily threaded into parking spots.
But where the Jimny comes into its own is when you select 4-LOW on its transfer case and leave the tarmac to enter offroad tracks. The combination of its small dimensions and hardware, which in this new iteration includes a button-activated Hill-Descent Assist and Brake LSD (limited slip-differential) traction control, results in a peerless breadth of beaten track-driving ability.
It’s such a giggle to drive as every obstacle where you line its 195/80 R15 rubber becomes an invitation for more engagement from the driver than in larger, more torque-rich offroaders. Also, because of its slender dimensions it escapes the brunt of wallops by overhanging and over-reaching bushes.
Unleashing it at Gerotek’s merciless vehicle off-road testing facility, the Jimny took on most of the gruelling terrain of the rally track with pleasing ability.
It straddled deep ruts, and clambering up rock-filled and slippery inclines were impressively dealt with thanks to the off-road traction control that electronically mimics a traditional diff-locking mechanism.
Drawbacks? The manual gearbox is only a five-speed, resulting in a somewhat constant high-pitched engine drone at higher speeds. Keep it below 100km/h and it quietens down a notch. Thankfully, the shiftaction across the gate is short and sweet, and the clutch nice and light for urban usage.
The 40l fuel tank also means regular top-ups, but driven with a light foot the Jimny is claimed to return 6.3l/100km, of which I attained marginally worse at 6.9l/100km.
I also don’t imagine it can tow much.
The overall test verdict is of a vehicle that remains true to the 49-year-old DNA of affordable, genuine utility. Its polished drive quality and the addition of modern amenities opens it up to a trendy new crowd who very well may not have discovered the joys of a mud-filled life.
● The Suzuki Jimny 1.5 GLX M/T tested here is priced at R299,900 and comes with a five year/200,000km promotional warranty.