Andrew English’s first drive 2019 Suzuki Jimny Review with Specs, Performance, Ride and Handling, Safety, Verdict and Score.
Pic Credit: LENA WILLGALIS / MATT RICHARDSON – a big thanks to both snappers, particularly Lena who got very muddy taking the pics for us. Cheers.
In a nutshell: Suzuki’s bonsai 4×4 gets a complete makeover (and downsize) with an all-new body-on-frame chassis, a 1.5 motor and back to basics (but strangely familiar) looks
2019 Suzuki Jimny Specifications
Price Unknown Warranty three years / 100,000km – Europe Service Intervals Unknown Safety three stars EuroNCAP Engine 1,462cc, four cylinder naturally aspirated 16-valve DOHC petrol Power 75kW at 6,000rpm Torque 130Nm at 4,000rpm Transmission five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, with transfer box Drive Part-time four-wheel drive Dimensions Length 3645mm (to spare wheel cover); Width 1645mm without mirrors; Height 1725mm; Wheelbase 2250mm Ground Clearance 210mm Angles approach 37 deg, departure 49 deg, ramp breakover 28 deg Towing (braked) 1300kg Towball Download 75kg GVM 1435kg Boot Space 85 litres (377 with rear seats folded) Spare full-size Fuel Tank 40 litres Thirst (manual in WLTP test mode) Low 8.2lit/100km, Medium 6.7lit/100km, High 6.9lit/100km, Extra High 9.3lit/100km, Combined 7.9lit/100km. On test 9.7 litres/100km.
It’s been 48 years since Suzuki bought out the Hope Motor Company’s design for OM360 and put it on sale with a Jimny badge on the front. Since then this Lilliputian 4×4 has bought no-frills, body-on-frame ruggedness to markets all round the world, selling 2.85 million across three generations. It’s been used on building sites, in forests and supermarket-mall car parks where its charm and off-road performance more than made up for its Spartan looks, cabin and ride quality.
New Mark IV Jimny has been completely revised, with a stronger, cross-braced ladder frame under the separate body, isolated on eight rubber bobbins. The coil-sprung axles have been beefed up and there’s a new 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, with a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. As ever there’s a part-time four-wheel drive system with an old-school, transfer box giving a choice of two- and four-wheel drive and a set of crawler gears. It also has a back-to-the-future retro design (like a Mercedes G-wagen hit by the incredible shrinking ray), which is shorter than its predecessor but wider and much cuter. Jimny’s creating a lot of interest on social media, but is all that twitter justified?
Suzuki Australia hasn’t yet announced pricing for the new Jimny but it has said we’ll see it Down Under very early next year (2019).
What’s in the range and how much does it cost?
We don’t yet know what the pricing will be or how Suzuki in Australia will spec the thing, but based on European specs, the Jimny is only available with one engine and two transmissions, a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four cylinder delivering 75kW and 130Nm. The transmission is a five-speed manual, or a four-speed auto (on top models).
Standard spec in Europe includes cruise control, air conditioning, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, a CD tuner and a full sized spare. Depending on how much more you spend you’ll get climate control, smoked rear windows, 15-inch alloy wheels, a sat-nav system, fog lamps, body-coloured door handles and even heated seats.
What’s the interior and practicality like?
Step across the tiny but high sills and you are presented with a square, angular facia with passenger grabs and seats that are wider than the previous Mark III model – it’s all there, but at ⅝th scale. Actually, the seats aren’t bad and nor is the driving position, though the steering wheel only tilts up and down, which isn’t great for taller drivers. In the back, the twin seats are cramped, but a six-foot adult can sit in there.
The boot space is a bit of a joke since the rear tailgate closes almost on to the rear seat back, so if you want to carry a suitcase, you’re going to have to fold at least one rear-seat down. From the driver’s seat, you can see all four corners, (you could almost reach out and touch them) and the big plastic bumpers, sills and front and rear valances are mark proof in the car park or the outback.
What are the controls and infotainment like?
With a driver’s binnacle containing a couple of analogue dials for speed and revs, the Jimny presents a very traditional look and feel. Designers have even reverted to the traditional floor-mounted lever to engage the part-time 4×4 system and low ratios in place of the button shift system on the Mark III Jimny. Jimny ballyhoo used to boast that you could operate it all the controls in thick gloves, but not anymore since the central touch screen (which only really serves as a display of the sat nav and radio controls), is inoperable unless you stab at it with a naked digit. Jimny does come with Apple CarPlay (the Apple iPhone wasn’t even invented when the first Jimny was launched), so you can get quite sophisticated connectivity as well as the standard Bluetooth.
What’s the performance like?
Top speed is quoted at 145km/h for the manual with an estimated 0-62mph acceleration in less than 12 seconds; it’s not fast! The engine is a willing if vocal unit, without much torque after 4,000rpm although it revs bravely if noisily to 6,250rpm. We achieved an indicated 151km/h on the German autobahn, but you wouldn’t want to stay there for long, this is not a vehicle in which to travel from Sydney to Perth but that’s not the point. The refinement, though, is much better than previous models and even with the engine racing at 3400rpm at 114km/h, passengers could still converse without getting hoarse.
The gear lever sprouts from the floor like an umbrella and has a long but precise travel. The ratio gaps are odd, though, and this car could really use a sixth gear if only to increase the economy at speed; we saw an average of 9.7 litres/100km on test.
What’s it like on the road?
To drive, it’s a complete blast, with loads of body lean and those Bridgestone all-terrains squealing in early protest if you push through the turns. Actually it holds on better than you might expect and the short wheelbase and newly widened track gives it a chuckable, nimble feel. That’s only up to a point however, as the high centre of gravity, coupled with heavy solid axles and narrow spring centres means you need to have a care about sudden changes in direction or you’ll lift a wheel or two…
The ride quality is also compromised and while new Jimny is improved, it still clambers over bumps, clatters through pot holes and the body shimmies through the turns. Recirculating ball steering is also better and more precise than similarly equipped rivals, but it’s still a poor substitute for a decent rack and pinion.
What’s it like off the road?
You can shift on the fly from rear- to four-wheel drive but if you want the low-ratio set, you have to stop to engage them. For the first time Jimny also sports hill hold braking and hill descent control. They gave us a bone dry and hilly but undemanding off-road course which Jimny breezed, never once losing traction.
With traction control duties carried out with the brakes rather than locking differentials, however, polished ice, wet grass and similar could bring the little car to a standstill as such brake limited-slip systems can simply confound all forward motion. It’s important to remember, though, that lightweight and small size coupled with decent off-road geometry gets you a long way into the countryside; you’d have to be seriously out there to get Jimny truly stuck.
Does it have a spare?
Yes. A full-size spare mounted on the tail gate
Can you tow with it?
Yes, but that short wheel base will make it uncomfortable to pull much more than a small trailer. Maximum towing weight is 1300kg but the tow ball download weight is just 75kg, so it’s limited to a box trailer only.
What about ownership?
Suzuki has a reputation for reliability and long service, and Jimny sports a three-year warranty and 20,000km service intervals in Europe. Lots of off-road use or towing, however, puts strain on the driveline and brakes which can result in early failure.
What about safety features?
Suzuki’s safety systems include active braking intervention, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, road-sign recognition, and automatic headlamp dipping. It’s not state of the art, but useful, although the car recently scored just three points in the New Car Assessment Program crash test with a poor driver’s air-bag performance, potential head restraint issues and poor rear passenger side protection.
