The Suzuki Jimny has been on the market since the 1970s – we used to call it Samurai – following the same recipe: a compact 3-door SUV with square styling. The latter was brought back in a big way in 2018, when the fourth-generation Jimny hit the market with the looks of a mini-G-Class, after its predecessor went for a slightly rounder look. Its compact size gives it the ability to handle any terrain, but you should not want to take many passengers or luggage with you. A Jimny as an adventure camper therefore involves a lot of compromises…
Seating and luggage space at the same time
… until now, because Maruti Suzuki, the Indian branch of the Japanese manufacturer, has presented the five-door Jimny at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. This Jimny has a 34 cm longer wheelbase and now measures 3.99 meters long, which offers space for two extra doors (and an extra side window). From now on you have a full rear seat and a usable 208 liter trunk, instead of having to choose between the two. Also new is a new infotainment system with a 9-inch touchscreen and smartphone interface, a major improvement over the old system.
There’s also talk of a mild hybrid sidekick for the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder that’s in every Jimny, for slightly lower fuel consumption. Selectable four-wheel drive is still standard and you have the choice between a manual five-speed or a four-speed automatic. Or at least if you live in India, because Suzuki has confirmed that this variant will not appear in Europe. We will therefore still have to make do with the 3-door, which is only imported to Belgium as a light cargo, in order to meet the European CO2 standards for passenger cars. Hopefully the technological update will come to Europe.
