The Suzuki Jimny is one the Japanese brand’s longest-running nameplates, and also one of their most successful creations. This little 4x4 has garnered high praises in the off-roading community, and is widely-loved and admired by enthusiasts. Suzuki released the first-generation Jimny in 1970, and its diminutive size made it ideal for its home market.
Over its long existence, the Suzuki Jimny has mostly remained unchanged and stuck to its roots of being a simple, tough, and capable off-roader. And the 2019 iteration of the 4x4 is by far, the most visually differentiable Jimny there’s been. It’s now just as good as before off the road, but more importantly, it has become more comfortable, powerful, and offers better interior and exterior design. In the UAE, the 2019 Suzuki Jimny faces competition primarily from the Jeep Renegade, Nissan Kicks, and Mazda CX-3.
Exterior
The new redesign of the Suzuki Jimny means that it looks a lot like a G-Wagen and a Defender had a baby. It’s impossible to not think about those cars when you look at the new Jimny. However, its resemblance to those 4x4s isn’t bad at all, and in fact, I think it looks really cool. Small it may be, but characterless and charmless it certainly is not. The quirky front fascia of the new Jimny features a clamshell hood, round headlights and turns indicators, five-slatted grille with vertical cut-outs, a muscular bumper with integrated skid plate, air intake and fog lights.
The boxy side silhouette is unmistakably Jimny (or a miniature G-Wagen). The upright windows and flat roof, massive ground clearance, vividly arched fenders, and the obligatory black plastic cladding all come together neatly. Around the back, there’s a door-mounted spare tire, and a minimalistic bumper with integrated taillights. The new 2019 Suzuki Jimny measures 3.645 meters in length, 1.645 meters in width, 1.725 meters in height, and boasts a wheelbase of 2.250 meters. However, due to its compact size, and with its rear seats in place, the Jimny’s total boot capacity is only 85 liters.
Interior
The interior of the 2019 Suzuki Jimny has been thoroughly overhauled and it looks far more modern than its predecessor. Suzuki has also worked on the fit & finish and material quality that’s used in this cabin, making this a far nicer place to spend time in. The Jimny’s positive attributes from before such as reliability, durability, and old-school charm are still prevalent in the new model.
The cabin provides decent comfort and space, though the second row isn’t the most spacious. The headroom is more than adequate, with outside visibility being excellent thanks to the Jimny’s size and its large windows. The features list isn’t the most impressive, but you do get alloy wheels, air-conditioning, front power windows, parking sensors with rear camera, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, and a touchscreen infotainment system. Also available is ABS with EBD, dual front airbags, traction control system, and a tire-pressure monitor.
Engine and performance
Under the hood of the 2019 Suzuki Jimny is a 1.5-liter four-popper that develops 102 hp and 130 Nm of torque. It comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. As before, power can be directed to all four wheels via a selectable 4WD system, and there’s also a locking differential. The Jimny isn’t particularly a fast thing on the road – a lethargic 15.5 seconds (for the A/T version) to hit 100 km/h, and a top speed of only 160 km/h.
Verdict
The 2019 Suzuki Jimny with an automatic transmission is priced at AED 68,000, and its insurance premium starts from AED 1,530.
