For almost five decades, the Suzuki Jimny has been the small but terrible Suzuki that loves to play rough through the harshest conditions on the face of the planet. Although small in size, its offroad capabilities are something that they shouldn't underestimate and with the arrival of the all-new, fourth-generation Suzuki Jimny range, the prince of offroaders is back with a more tougher stance but more technologically advanced to get through places no one has gone before.
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny |
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny Sierra |
The old, third-generation Jimny has been around for over two decades, and with the advent of the all-new, fourth-generation model, the new Jimny is the last honest compact offroader that shows the world that size doesn't really matter when it comes to taking on the rugged and adventurous landscapes not even today's crossovers can pull it off. Like the previous model, it comes in two distinct models; the smaller Jimny with a 660cc engine on it and the wider and bigger Jimny Sierra with the 1.5L petrol engine on it. Whichever Jimny you choose, you'll be greeted by its G-Wagen-esque looks that show its machoness even though it's dwarf-sized. It's everything you want to know about the one and only compact go-getter that gets through all sorts of no places not even your little crossover couldn't manage.
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny Sierra interior |
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny interior |
Inside, it's still pretty much as old-school as all of the previous Jimny generations since the first one, and because being a three-door offroader, the front seats can be adjusted to gain access to the rather squishy rear room, which is typical for an offroader like this. The seats are water-resistant as well.
The boot space may be small but it has room for the snacks needed for your camping trips and because the Jimny is designed to be an adventurous SUV for the outdoorsmen, the rear seats can be folded down for more space, giving you plenty of reasons to jam some stuff before setting off through the great outdoors. Score one for your weekend drives.
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny Sierra |
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny |
The smaller Jimny's R06A 660cc turbocharged petrol engine produces 64PS of power and 96Nm of torque. It can be mated with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed AT. For fuel economy figures, the one with the manual gearbox can get up to 16.2km/L, based on the new WLTC Mode standards. As for the Jimny Sierra, the K15B 1.5L petrol engine produces 102PS of power and 130Nm of torque. Like the smaller Jimny, it can be fitted with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed AT. You should know that the manual variant of the Sierra promises 15kmpl based on WLTC Mode standards as the crow flies.
Both the Jimny and the Jimny Sierra come with a ladder frame on their chassis as well as its three-link rigid axle suspension, ensuring the Jimny is more stable and more rugged while tackling the rough terrains at ease. The part-time 4WD system is a standard issue for all models and with the transfer lever, drivers can switch through three different modes such as running on rear wheels or engaging a low-range four-wheel drive in case of rough terrain coming through. Other features include a steering damper, brake LSD traction control, hill hold control, and hill descent control, giving the Jimny much-needed feedback drivers are looking forward to.
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny |
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| 2019 Suzuki Jimny Sierra |
Although the new Jimny feels like old-school offroader drivers are looking forward to, the new model doesn't ignore the age of safety tech and that is why, it implements the Suzuki Safety Support driving assist tech and with that, the Jimny range gets driving aids such as sign recognition function, lane departure warning, front car departure notice, high beam assist, dual sensor brake support, false launch suppression function, and more. Coupling these aids with ESP, emergency stop signal, six airbags, TECT body, and other safety features and the result is a ruggedly dependable offroader that is durable and safe enough to get through all sorts of messes whether on or off the road.
The new Jimny starts at 1,458,000 Yen (around $14,600) while the Sierra starts at 1,760,400 Yen (around $18,000), which is still less expensive to own than the Jeep Wrangler JL you saw in a fancy dealership and despite being small in size, the Jimny remains a favorite offroader to get through all sorts of terrains no modern SUV has ever crossed before. On days like these, it's good to know that even with the new look, it still embodies the Jimny heritage, and if you're bored with Suzuki's crossover offerings, consider the new Jimny your antidote. All the more reasons you can get your greasy hands on.
Photo: Suzuki Motor Corporation
