Suzuki Jimny

On the inside too, Suzuki has made the cabin look simple yet true to Jimny’s traditional roots. The boxy approach has been carried out here as well, however, with a couple of modern touches incorporated in the cabin, it looks and feels up to date.

The twin-pod box-like analog instrument console looks classy, and with a neat MID screen tucked in between completes it as a whole. The multifunctional steering wheel design has been shared with other Suzuki models like Ignis and Dzire, however, it is not flat bottomed here. A thin round like bar separates the dashboard into two parts, and at the centre console, the upper portion has a touchscreen infotainment system and the lower has controls for AC and rectangular AC vents. The toggle like buttons for hill descent control, traction control and power windows below the AC vents do look cool.

While space is decent enough for five people, the ingress and egress are not too easy due to the two-door look. However, the large windows do make the cabin feel airy enough.

Suzuki has left no stone unturned in making the new Jimny a head-turner with great poise on the road. While it still looks like an evolution of the previous model, it has got a completely new styling which makes it a great looking vehicle.

The front of the Suzuki Jimny has a vertical layout, which still gets the trademark five slat grille finished in black. The round headlamps give it a retro look, however, they do incorporate projector units to not make them look dated. The tiny round turn indicator placed besides the headlamps and round fog lamps on the front tough looking bumper generate nostalgia even further.

The Suzuki Jimny looks boxy and compact when viewed sideways, and the bulky looking body cladding on the wheel arches give it a tough look. The squared glass panels and the two-door look are traditional Jimny touches, while the new gunmetal grey alloy wheels give the side profile a new identity.

The Suzuki Jimny looks the best when viewed from the rear, as the rectangular windshield, rectangular tail lamps on the rear bumper and spare wheel mounted on the rear door gives it an old school appeal, rather in a fresher looking approach. 

The Suzuki Jimny has always been a no-nonsense serious off-roader, and this new iteration takes the bars even higher. The standard four-wheel-drive system works flawlessly, and the compact dimensions do make it driving very easy. It is a great vehicle to start with, providing you are new to off-road driving. However, the slightly stiff suspension setting, which works wonders off the tarmac, makes up for a not so plush ride in urban settings, with a little firmness in the cabin at higher speeds.

The Suzuki Jimny is powered by the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which powers the Ertiga MUV as well. The engine produces a maximum power output of 105 PS and a peak torque output of 130 Nm, which feels powerful enough for this lightweight compact SUV. Only the base model is available with a 5-speed manual gearbox, with the other variants having a standard 4-speed torque converter.

The compact Suzuki Jimny is equipped with essentials like dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, hill descent control, electronic stability control and hill hold control.

The Suzuki Jimny, despite its compact size, surprises one with its serious off-roading prowess, which is hugely impressive. It looks fantastic, the interiors are nicely laid out and decently equipped is spacious and has brisk performance levels. With all its attributes, the Suzuki Jimny proves that not all SUVs need to be big to be great.