The Jimny is coming to India in a never seen before 5-door avatar. The compact size, boxy silhouette and high ground clearance all fit in nicely into the demands of the buyer.
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The good thing about the design is that lot of things remind you about the previous generations of the car which means Suzuki has continued the legacy of the SUV really well. The SUV is 3,985 mm long, 1,645 mm wide and 1,720 mm tall while the wheelbase stands at 2,590 mm.
The SUV gets a ground clearance of 210 mms, and it runs on 15-inch alloys. While the former feels adequate, but the width of the tyres can be a little more than 195 mms, especially if you want to take your adventures to a higher level.
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The Suzuki All Grip Pro 4-wheel drive system is easy to engage and switching to low range is simple too. What also helps on the rocky patches is the inclusion of a steering damper on the Jimny.
The car is built on a ladder frame chassis which is considered to be stronger and more robust and you can sense the extra flex while off-roading.
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The rigid axle suspension of the car also came in handy, where if one wheel is pushed up by an obstacle the other wheel is pushed more to the ground to ensure better traction. This enables the car to come out of tough situations.
The Jimny in its 5-door version has a wheelbase that is longer than the 3-door model by a good 340 mm, despite that we found that the ramp breakover angle of 24 degrees suffices well here.
The Jimny runs on a 1,462 cc K15 B Petrol engine and power to weight ratio works clearly better for the SUV You get a maximum power of 103 bhp @ 6,000 rpm along with a peak Torque of 134 Nm @ 4,000 rpm.
Jimny’s Brake limited Slip differential system applies brakes on diagonal wheels which are slipping, and torque is distributed to the other 2 wheels. While a lockable differential is usually desired by off-road enthusiasts, this one too is able to a decent job and gets you out of situations.
Some features remind you of other cars from Maruti Suzuki like the 9-inch SmartPlay Pro+ touch screen system or even the steering wheel. But the instrument cluster is something that is nice & exclusive and reminds you of the original Gypsy.
The Jimny is a 4-seater which means only 2 passengers can sit on the second row. In terms of space the back row quite decent looking at the overall compact size of the vehicle.
Features like Automatic climate control, Push button start, leather wrapped steering wheel and Cruise control are only found in the higher Alpha trim of the SUV.
Muscular cladding on the wheel arches, rectangular rear quarter glass and placement of the spare wheel are all elements that work well for the Jimny.
Overall, the design looks quite minimalist which gels well with its compact size. But you can do a lot more buy choosing various accessories or going for a whole accessory pack and that will give the SUV a more exclusive look.
Here's a look at some of the accessories available on the SUV.
The straight windshield and the narrow A-pillars help in getting a clear 180-degree view of the road ahead, especially in the mountains where the roads are narrow and winding.
The 1.5 litre K15 B Petrol engine isn’t new to us here in India and comes with idle start stop system. It’s a Maruti after all and efficiency is key and here the claimed figures are 16.94 kmpl on manual and 16.39 kmpl on Automatic.
The manual is something that you tend to like, it's quite notchy and looking at the overall character of the car it suits it quite nicely. The throws are rather short, and the clutch is light enough to ensure that even if there is a need of frequent gearshifts, you will not be troubled when you are driving the Jimmy.
The around 1,200 kg kerb weight of the Jimny does make it an enjoyable car to drive. The acceleration is quite good, and the steering provides good feedback overall to keep you engaged as a driver. The suspension doesn't unsettle you or makes you feel uncomfortable, so overall the ride quality is good on the car something that you will appreciate.
On the automatic the first thing you notice immediately after driving the manual is that the drivetrain feels a little more refined so in terms of NVH levels you get a slightly quieter cabin when compared to the manual.
Six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, Brake Assist and ISOFIX child seat mounts are all standard on the SUV, though there’s no word yet on its crash test ratings. The 3-door version of the SUV got a 3-star crash test rating from Euro NCAP back in 2018.
Looking macho and doing nothing isn’t what this SUV is about instead it comes across as an underdog which can surprise you and is capable of doing just about everything.
SUV truly subscribes to the Suzuki philosophy of providing a machine that is light and capable at the same time. You can take it off the beaten track with the confidence that you will be able to cross the obstacles. The SUV is coming in the first week of June and could be launched starting at Rs. 10 lacs, ex-showroom.
