Jimny: a legend reborn
The new Suzuki Jimny doesn’t change the basic recipe but adds a whole lot of character, writes Damien O’Carroll.
The Suzuki Jimny has always been a tiny off-road legend, capable of going almost anywhere with a blithe effortlessness that can embarrass larger off-roaders in even the gnarliest of terrains. The new one is no different, except it now comes with a retro-tastically stylish new/old look and added tech.
Make me an instant expert: what do I need to know?
The Suzuki Jimny turns 50 next year and this new-gen model is only the fourth in all that time.
Of course that did mean that while the last generation car was still massively fun, it was hopelessly outdated by the time the replacement rolled in as it had been around for 20 years.
Suzuki has clearly been watching the reaction to Land Rover’s new, modern styling and taken the polar opposite approach with the Jimny, going full-on retro with a brilliantly squared-off G-Wagen mini-me look that is utterly triumphant and, given its extreme demand, clearly popular.
The new Jimny arrives locally in wide-body (well, wide wheel arches and bumpers, to be more accurate) Sierra form only, meaning that a base model, priceleading entry car isn’t part of the mix.
The Jimny starts at $25,990 for the manual and rises to $27,500 for the auto. It also has a $500 premium for the black-roofed twotone option on both.
All models are powered by Suzuki’s new 75kW/130Nm fourcylinder petrol engine, hooked up to a choice of transmissions carried over from the last model – namely a five-speed manual or, somewhat disappointingly, a fourspeed auto.
Also carried over from the last Jimny is the ladder chassis it sits on, albeit with added crossmembers and strengthening.
While under the skin is a mixed bag of largely old and some new components, that skin – and the interior – are all new, with quite an uptick in terms of technology and refinement going on. The Jimny now gets Suzuki’s Dual Sensor Brake Support driver assist system that brings lane departure warning, weave alert and autonomous emergency braking to the small SUV. Six airbags are also standard.
Despite these safety additions, the Jimny still only scored a poor 3-star ANCAP safety rating.
Inside, the Jimny continues its retro styling with an endearingly chunky Jeep-like design that includes switches, dials and buttons that can be operated while wearing gloves, which also goes for the touchscreen infotainment system that includes Bluetooth connectivity, as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Where did you drive it?
Here’s where Suzuki NZ got tricky: the Jimny was launched alongside the facelifted Vitara – that we have already driven – so the launch at Waiuku, south-west of Auckland, saw us driving the Vitara on a road loop, but only getting to tackle the Jimny on an extensive off-road loop.
Was this to show off the new Jimny’s continued brilliance offroad? Or was it more to not draw attention to the fact that it reportedly still has a fairly grim on-road ride?
To be fair, it was most likely the former but the latter was a handy consequence.
Although it doesn’t really matter, because anyone expecting a tiny, short-wheelbase ladder chassis vehicle to have a refined on-road ride is sadly deluded.
Fortunately that also means that the Jimny is still spectacularly good – and spectacularly good fun – away from the tarmac.
While 75kW and 130Nm may not seem like much, the Jimny’s slender 1095kg weight (for the manual, the auto adds 15kg) means it is more than enough.
That light weight also means the Jimny literally skips effortlessly over even the roughest terrain, happily cocking a wheel in the air as it blithely picks its way through. It boasts an impressive 210mm of ground clearance, with alarmingly good approach and departure angles of 37 and 49 degrees respectively (almost literally no overhang to thank for that), while it also boasts a 28-degree breakover angle and some seriously impressive axle articulation.
What’s the pick of the range?
Personally, a manual Jimny, in a solid colour (probably white) would be my pick. I only wish I could get one on steel wheels to complete the stripped out look.
While the manual transmission is only a revised version of the old one, it still does the trick, with a nice, easy shift action, precise feel and a pleasantly light clutch.
It would certainly benefit from an extra cog.
The gap between first and second in low range means you have to rely on the slightly crude hill-descent control, with first being a slow crawl down a slope, while second can be a runaway eye-widener. This is only amplified by the automatic’s even lower gear count. Forget the auto, buy the manual and go as plain, or as colourful as you like.
There are, of course, a number of customisation options available, including a brilliant grille that takes things even more retro.
The key to the Jimny is going into it with your expectations in check – expect sophistication and refinement and you will hate it; expect incredible off-road ability and huge character and you will adore it.
This goes doubly for the interior.
While the styling is funky and retro-cool, the execution is cheap and cheerful, with emphasis on the cheap.
Plenty of hard, cheap plastics make it up, with a flimsy feel to a lot of it. But who cares? It IS cheap.
And it is a massive amount of fun for the money, and that is what a Jimny is all about.
Why would I buy it?
You want something that is delightfully capable and fun off the road, while also charmingly characterful and functional.
But mainly that delightful ‘‘goanywhere’’ attitude that the Jimny has always had.
Why wouldn’t I buy it?
This ain’t no refined little city runabout, despite what the cute looks may suggest. While its small turning circle and ability to bounce effortlessly over kerbs would make it an adept urban commuter, it is still a rugged ladder chassis off-roader that has been vaguely tamed for the road, so don’t expect the malleable friendliness of something like a Vitara.