MOTORING NEWS - Suzuki's Jimny carries a heavy load of expectations without the slightest signs of strain. After all, it was the South African Women's Car of the Year not too long ago, it holds the record for driving at the highest altitude in 2007 and is on the list of finalists for world car of the year and the SA car of the year for 2019.
The Jimny was also the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists' choice for off-road training and acquitted itself with aplomb during the training days that I attended.
After getting an eyeful of the new model at the SA Motoring Festival in September, my expectations were at high levels when the invitation arrived to meet it for real.
A warning is appropriate at this stage - readers should hold their enthusiasm in check as South Africa has only been allocated 200 vehicles. So this little head-turner is going to be scarcer than the proverbial hen's teeth!
It is not hard to see why it gets the excitement levels going.
The Jimny looks like a smaller, cuter and friendlier version of mean and tough off-roaders such as Jeep, Defender or even Hummer. Still - inside and out - it stakes out a firm claim to individuality. The biggest promise the Jimny makes (and keeps) is the promise that the drive is going to be a fun experience.
INSIDE STYLE
The outstanding latest feature is a 7" infrared touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple Carplay and MirrorLink integration. There are also a USB connector, SD-card slot and Bluetooth hands-free connectivity. My driving partner demonstrated how easy it is to hook up a phone to Bluetooth in about 10 seconds.
This means that the "envy media" can be worked to the limit to keep friends and family a paler shade of green than the lime-green car itself.
What point in having fun if one keeps it to oneself?
The second benefit we both immediately noticed is the new spaciousness in the SUV - front and back. This is thanks to the wider dimensions of the cab. In the past, getting four adults into a Jimny involved a reckless determination not to be left at home. Getting into the back is still an adventure, but once seated, the passengers will be more comfortable than in the past.
Although the somewhat tight accommodation may be a problem in a sedan, your typical Jimny driver will rightly assume that any passengers will be up for the experience.
DRIVING FUN
The GLX comes with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic gearbox. Our test car had the manual and Suzuki's engineers worked hard to redesign the shift lever and gear selector to offer a more direct shift feeling. Some colleagues felt the automatic version to be cumbersome on tar, but we did not have the chance to try it out.
After some soaking overnight rains, the Jimny made light work in low range up slippery rocks and steep inclines. It tackled the descents with equal enthusiasm thanks to the hill descent control, even on steep hairpin drops, thanks to the tight turning circle of 4,9m.
The new 1,5-litre petrol engine which delivers 75kW at 6 000rpm and 130Nm at 4 000rpm was exactly suited to the vehicle's needs. Overall fuel consumption figures on the combined cycle was tested at 6,3 litres for the manual models and 6,8 litres for the automatic. The previous generation delivered 7,2 litres and 7,8 litres per 100km respectively.
A rigid axle suspension system greatly improves serious off-road capabilities. It mechanically forces one wheel down if the opposite wheel is raised from the ground.
The Jimny also has Suzuki's own brake limited slip differential, which adjusts torque to the wheel with grip if another wheel on the same axle starts spinning.
It also offers hill hold control and hill descent control systems to assist the driver.
For off-roading, this fierce little tiger has approach, departure and breakover angles of 37 degrees, 49 degrees and 28 degrees respectively. All angles have been improved and the ground clearance of 220mm represents an improvement of 20mm.
IN SUMMARY
The interior and exterior are ideal for the new Jimny - modern and unfussy - and the off-road capabilities are highly impressive due to the small stature and sheer grit of the SUV. It will be noticed wherever the owner chooses to travel. Let's hope we can get some more models in future.
Affordable range is priced as follows:
- 1,5i GA MT - R264 900;
- 1,5i GLX MT - R299 900 and
- 1,5i GLX AT - R319 900.
The GLX model is standard with a four year or 60 000km service plan and the GA model with a two year or 30 000km service plan. All models are sold with a five year or 200 000km mechanical warranty.
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