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Hamster
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Those little Suzuki "Jeep" thingies
- Thread starter bodhi
- Start date
xrapidx
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2007
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Why? I want to get a Suzuki...
Lack of customer service - Suzuki in Cape Town (Kenilworth), saw them at Canal Walk, asked them to call me for a test drive - they didn't.
After about a month I went there for a test drive, said I'll take the vehicle, but in a specific colour - wasn't available - asked when it would be available, they don't know - maybe with the next ship, had to ask them to find out, they said they'd get back to me (Wednesday).
On Friday I phoned a Johannesburg branch - they called back in two hours saying they have one for me. I notified Kenilworth on the Monday not to bother.
Thought my problems were over - then the Johannesburg branch started messing me around, kept saying the vehicle was on the way when it wasn't.
Lastly - the various options they fitted from Wizerd kept giving issues, bumper kept coming loose, underneath protection kept coming loose, snorkel was loose... had it eventually fixed privately. BUT - the aftermarket bumper started rusting in the first six months, raised it with Suzuki at almost every service, they washed their hands of it saying the after-market parts aren't Suzuki approved, even though both Wizerd and Suzuki claimed they were at time of sale. There were a few excuses for the rusting bumper, including that it wasn't intended for the coast, even though they had a workshop selling them here. (Also had a problem where something went wrong with the front shock - Suzuki again told me the lift kit wasn't approved, so I replaced everything with a proper suspension)
When I sold the vehicle the woman who bought it was quoted R4,500 to fix the bumpers shoddy treatment process and respray.
Last edited:
Zenbaas
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2005
- Messages
- 13,827
Please just post that link in this thread so we can keep trackLate October. There will be a dedicated thread to discuss
FiestaST
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2009
- Messages
- 119,675
Please just post that link in this thread so we can keep track
Sure will do.
Yeah. I was quite disappointed.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2009
- Messages
- 119,675
Indeed. Bummer.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2009
- Messages
- 119,675
Those little Suzuki "Jeep" thingies
Suzuki Jimny vs Range Rover: £15k and £100k off-roaders do battle
The end is nigh for this generation of Suzuki’s diminutive 4x4 after 20 years. For the Jimny’s last hurrah, we pitch it against a Range Rover in an off-road battle...
It was the interior light that got me.
Nothing about this odd little car’s oppressively grey cabin is at all modern – not the brittle plastic dash, nor the thin and scratchy carpets – but the interior light is from another age altogether. Rather than sitting flush against the headlining, the Suzuki Jimny’s cabin lamp is a clumsy, blocky lump of clear plastic that hangs down from above like an illuminated prolapse.
In fact, every corner of the Jimny’s cabin is comically out of date.
You wouldn’t believe it was even possible to find a supplier who could manufacture such state-of-the-ark manual heater controls today. But here it is: a brand new 67-plate car with the kind of interior you haven’t come across since you were carted to school in short trousers.
When it was a shiny new model, though, Suzuki’s mini off-roader probably felt right up to date. Because, believe it or not, the third-generation Jimny is now 20 years old. For all these years, it’s gamely plodded along like a faithful old Labrador, watching on in bewilderment as the world changed around it, as whole new sub-genres of 4x4 emerged and interior lights receded elegantly into headlinings.
'I thought you were dead': cars you didn't realise were still being made
Only now is the Jimny set to be replaced. Suzuki is poised to reveal an all-new Jimny, only the fourth iteration to appear since the original made its debut way back in 1970. This isn’t a story about how miserable the car’s cabin is, though; Instead, it’s a fond farewell to an unsung hero, one last hurrah for this venerable 4x4.
So why the Range Rover?
Clearly the two aren’t direct rivals. In fact, the optional extras fitted to this £100,000 Range Rover Autobiography cost significantly more than the Suzuki. But for most people, myself included, a Range Rover is the epitome of the off-road vehicle. The benchmark. And we could think of no better way to wave goodbye to the Jimny than to demonstrate exactly how brilliant it is at scrabbling through mud. What we’re about to witness is perhaps the cheapest, and certainly the oldest, off-roader on sale going toe-to-toe with the most prestigious and sophisticated 4x4 money can buy.
Many people wouldn’t believe the Jimny is capable of proper off-roading. Little 4x4s are so often favoured by people who’ll never take them off-road – the school-run, hair salon set – that it’s easy to dismiss them as imitation off-roaders. In fact, the Jimny has a tough ladder frame chassis and a switchable low-range transmission that means it will get through pretty much whatever gloopy terrain you dare aim it at.
Not that I knew any of this as we pulled up to Avalanche Adventure in Leicestershire one Tuesday morning. I’m not really an off-roader, you see. The plan was for me to lead the way through the muck in the Rangie and see if the Jimny could follow. In my ignorance, I was expecting to arrive at the muddy quarry, point the car’s bluff nose at the first gentle incline I could find, power up the slope on an effortless wave of V8 turbodiesel torque, laugh like a madman as editor-at-lunch Matt Prior admits over the radio that he’s stuck at the bottom in the silly little Suzuki, then drive right on home again in leather-bound luxury. I even wore my much-loved bright red trainers, so confident was I that I wouldn’t be hanging around for more than 15 minutes.
I should have worn my walking boots. This Jimny is a top-spec 1.3 SZ4, which costs £14,784. Its rippling four-cylinder petrol engine pumps out 84bhp. To be fair to the Jimny, though, it does only weigh 1090kg, meaning it’s just a little heavier than the Range Rover’s tailgate.
Expecting nothing at all of the Suzuki, I lead the way in the Range Rover, Prior following close behind. I keep it fairly straightforward to begin with, heading off around a muddy, rutted right-hand bend that disappears behind an earth bank.
It is no sweat for the Rangie and the Jimny, a narrow, upright white block in my mirrors, tags along behind. I head down a reasonably steep grade, Hill Descent Control managing my speed with total authority and not a trace of wheel slip. The Suzuki glides down effortlessly in pursuit.
For the next 10 minutes, I try everything I can to get to that blasted white block stuck. We plough through thick, sloppy mud, the kind you could lose a wellington boot in. We climb up the steepest climb in the quarry, a sharp two-storey ascent over dry, dusty earth that the Range Rover hauls itself over without pausing for breath. We bounce over mud ruts so deep and hard-packed, even the Rangie scrapes its belly.
Everywhere I go, that infernal Suzuki follow just yards behind. Then I see it: compared with many of the obstacles we’ve dismissed already, it doesn’t look like much, but I reckon it could well be the climb that undoes the Jimny. It isn’t high, no taller than the Range Rover’s roof line. But the ascent is quick and sharp, the mud looks heavy and sticky and the approach is made up of some of the wettest, slickest, most chocolate-pudding-like mud in the entire quarry.
I point the Range Rover towards the ramp and stand on the throttle. The hefty 2.6-tonne beast thunders towards the incline, hits the base of it and climbs for a split second. Then it comes juddering to a halt, all four wheels spinning away hopelessly as I keep the throttle wide open for a second or two. We’re stuck.
I lift off, select reverse and back away from the slope. The challenge is set. If Prior and the Suzuki can climb to the top, we’ll have witnessed a memorable victory for David over Goliath. It feels like a big moment. Matt pauses for an instant, then unleashes every one of the Jimny’s throbbing 84 brake horsepower.
The little white Suzuki gently edges towards the slope. It isn’t a fast car. It hits the base of the rise and seems to bounce upwards, but then it gets caught at a 30-degree angle, suspended in heavy mud, looking as though it might tip over backwards. After a frantic four-wheel scrabble, Prior backs out of it.
It’s all square. But Matt fancies another shot. More speed, he reckons, more commitment. This time, rather than becoming suspended in the clay, the blasted Jimny hauls itself up and over the top of the rise, coming to a triumphant halt above it. Balls.
I line up for my second attempt. I go in a little harder this time, but as the car hits the rise, it slips over to the left a little, banking at an awkward angle as the wheels spin away furiously.
We’re going nowhere.
Remarkably, the little Suzuki Jimny scaled a grade the Range Rover wouldn’t get over.
I accept responsibility for that, though. I’m not a skilled off-road driver – Matt is, as you can tell from his headwear – and I just wasn’t willing to launch somebody else’s extremely expensive luxury 4x4 at an immovable mound of earth any harder. Nonetheless, the point was proven. The Jimny really is a genuine off-road machine. I just had to have a go for myself. It feels hilariously small inside after the Range Rover, as though you’ve stepped out of a ballroom and straight into a shoebox.
I hit the button marked 4WD-L, which engages the four-wheel-drive system and low-range transmission, then pull away kangaroo-ing like a learner driver. First gear in low range is comically short. Second gear is the one. Even so, the engine seems to constantly spin somewhere between 4000 and 6000rpm, everything feeling so hectic, whereas in the serene Rangie you hardly trouble the engine beyond idle. You bounce around and get thrown this way and that in the Jimny, too, arms twirling madly at the steering wheel, which turns over four times lock-to-lock.
The traction those four skinny all-season tyres find in the wet stuff is hardly believable. And I just love the feeling of all four wheels spinning in the muck like tops as the car hauls itself through. Compared with the Range Rover’s quiet corner of a library, it’s like being in the midst of a violent riot. I just love it.
It’s as though Caterham has built an off-roader, I think to myself on the way home. The Jimny gives you nothing you don’t need, but everything you do need is executed brilliantly. That’s why the third-generation Jimny deserves one last moment in the spotlight. Even after all these years, it remains one of the most characterful, capable and entertaining 4x4s at any price.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE JIMNY?
Suzuki has yet to officially reveal the fourth-generation Jimny, yet some leaked pictures reveal the direction that will be taken. The new car’s chunky, square-edged styling – reminiscent of a mini Mercedes G-wagen – suggest it will remain an honest, utilitarian machine.
It’s important the latest model retains the surprising off-road ability of the car it replaces, because that’s the thing that has made the Jimny such a likeable car for so long.
The more up-to-date cabin is a welcome addition, though. Can this Jimny possibly last the next 20 years?
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/...-range-rover-£15k-and-£100k-roaders-do-battle
Suzuki Jimny vs Range Rover: £15k and £100k off-roaders do battle
The end is nigh for this generation of Suzuki’s diminutive 4x4 after 20 years. For the Jimny’s last hurrah, we pitch it against a Range Rover in an off-road battle...
It was the interior light that got me.
Nothing about this odd little car’s oppressively grey cabin is at all modern – not the brittle plastic dash, nor the thin and scratchy carpets – but the interior light is from another age altogether. Rather than sitting flush against the headlining, the Suzuki Jimny’s cabin lamp is a clumsy, blocky lump of clear plastic that hangs down from above like an illuminated prolapse.
In fact, every corner of the Jimny’s cabin is comically out of date.
You wouldn’t believe it was even possible to find a supplier who could manufacture such state-of-the-ark manual heater controls today. But here it is: a brand new 67-plate car with the kind of interior you haven’t come across since you were carted to school in short trousers.
When it was a shiny new model, though, Suzuki’s mini off-roader probably felt right up to date. Because, believe it or not, the third-generation Jimny is now 20 years old. For all these years, it’s gamely plodded along like a faithful old Labrador, watching on in bewilderment as the world changed around it, as whole new sub-genres of 4x4 emerged and interior lights receded elegantly into headlinings.
'I thought you were dead': cars you didn't realise were still being made
Only now is the Jimny set to be replaced. Suzuki is poised to reveal an all-new Jimny, only the fourth iteration to appear since the original made its debut way back in 1970. This isn’t a story about how miserable the car’s cabin is, though; Instead, it’s a fond farewell to an unsung hero, one last hurrah for this venerable 4x4.
So why the Range Rover?
Clearly the two aren’t direct rivals. In fact, the optional extras fitted to this £100,000 Range Rover Autobiography cost significantly more than the Suzuki. But for most people, myself included, a Range Rover is the epitome of the off-road vehicle. The benchmark. And we could think of no better way to wave goodbye to the Jimny than to demonstrate exactly how brilliant it is at scrabbling through mud. What we’re about to witness is perhaps the cheapest, and certainly the oldest, off-roader on sale going toe-to-toe with the most prestigious and sophisticated 4x4 money can buy.
Many people wouldn’t believe the Jimny is capable of proper off-roading. Little 4x4s are so often favoured by people who’ll never take them off-road – the school-run, hair salon set – that it’s easy to dismiss them as imitation off-roaders. In fact, the Jimny has a tough ladder frame chassis and a switchable low-range transmission that means it will get through pretty much whatever gloopy terrain you dare aim it at.
Not that I knew any of this as we pulled up to Avalanche Adventure in Leicestershire one Tuesday morning. I’m not really an off-roader, you see. The plan was for me to lead the way through the muck in the Rangie and see if the Jimny could follow. In my ignorance, I was expecting to arrive at the muddy quarry, point the car’s bluff nose at the first gentle incline I could find, power up the slope on an effortless wave of V8 turbodiesel torque, laugh like a madman as editor-at-lunch Matt Prior admits over the radio that he’s stuck at the bottom in the silly little Suzuki, then drive right on home again in leather-bound luxury. I even wore my much-loved bright red trainers, so confident was I that I wouldn’t be hanging around for more than 15 minutes.
I should have worn my walking boots. This Jimny is a top-spec 1.3 SZ4, which costs £14,784. Its rippling four-cylinder petrol engine pumps out 84bhp. To be fair to the Jimny, though, it does only weigh 1090kg, meaning it’s just a little heavier than the Range Rover’s tailgate.
Expecting nothing at all of the Suzuki, I lead the way in the Range Rover, Prior following close behind. I keep it fairly straightforward to begin with, heading off around a muddy, rutted right-hand bend that disappears behind an earth bank.
It is no sweat for the Rangie and the Jimny, a narrow, upright white block in my mirrors, tags along behind. I head down a reasonably steep grade, Hill Descent Control managing my speed with total authority and not a trace of wheel slip. The Suzuki glides down effortlessly in pursuit.
For the next 10 minutes, I try everything I can to get to that blasted white block stuck. We plough through thick, sloppy mud, the kind you could lose a wellington boot in. We climb up the steepest climb in the quarry, a sharp two-storey ascent over dry, dusty earth that the Range Rover hauls itself over without pausing for breath. We bounce over mud ruts so deep and hard-packed, even the Rangie scrapes its belly.
Everywhere I go, that infernal Suzuki follow just yards behind. Then I see it: compared with many of the obstacles we’ve dismissed already, it doesn’t look like much, but I reckon it could well be the climb that undoes the Jimny. It isn’t high, no taller than the Range Rover’s roof line. But the ascent is quick and sharp, the mud looks heavy and sticky and the approach is made up of some of the wettest, slickest, most chocolate-pudding-like mud in the entire quarry.
I point the Range Rover towards the ramp and stand on the throttle. The hefty 2.6-tonne beast thunders towards the incline, hits the base of it and climbs for a split second. Then it comes juddering to a halt, all four wheels spinning away hopelessly as I keep the throttle wide open for a second or two. We’re stuck.
I lift off, select reverse and back away from the slope. The challenge is set. If Prior and the Suzuki can climb to the top, we’ll have witnessed a memorable victory for David over Goliath. It feels like a big moment. Matt pauses for an instant, then unleashes every one of the Jimny’s throbbing 84 brake horsepower.
The little white Suzuki gently edges towards the slope. It isn’t a fast car. It hits the base of the rise and seems to bounce upwards, but then it gets caught at a 30-degree angle, suspended in heavy mud, looking as though it might tip over backwards. After a frantic four-wheel scrabble, Prior backs out of it.
It’s all square. But Matt fancies another shot. More speed, he reckons, more commitment. This time, rather than becoming suspended in the clay, the blasted Jimny hauls itself up and over the top of the rise, coming to a triumphant halt above it. Balls.
I line up for my second attempt. I go in a little harder this time, but as the car hits the rise, it slips over to the left a little, banking at an awkward angle as the wheels spin away furiously.
We’re going nowhere.
Remarkably, the little Suzuki Jimny scaled a grade the Range Rover wouldn’t get over.
I accept responsibility for that, though. I’m not a skilled off-road driver – Matt is, as you can tell from his headwear – and I just wasn’t willing to launch somebody else’s extremely expensive luxury 4x4 at an immovable mound of earth any harder. Nonetheless, the point was proven. The Jimny really is a genuine off-road machine. I just had to have a go for myself. It feels hilariously small inside after the Range Rover, as though you’ve stepped out of a ballroom and straight into a shoebox.
I hit the button marked 4WD-L, which engages the four-wheel-drive system and low-range transmission, then pull away kangaroo-ing like a learner driver. First gear in low range is comically short. Second gear is the one. Even so, the engine seems to constantly spin somewhere between 4000 and 6000rpm, everything feeling so hectic, whereas in the serene Rangie you hardly trouble the engine beyond idle. You bounce around and get thrown this way and that in the Jimny, too, arms twirling madly at the steering wheel, which turns over four times lock-to-lock.
The traction those four skinny all-season tyres find in the wet stuff is hardly believable. And I just love the feeling of all four wheels spinning in the muck like tops as the car hauls itself through. Compared with the Range Rover’s quiet corner of a library, it’s like being in the midst of a violent riot. I just love it.
It’s as though Caterham has built an off-roader, I think to myself on the way home. The Jimny gives you nothing you don’t need, but everything you do need is executed brilliantly. That’s why the third-generation Jimny deserves one last moment in the spotlight. Even after all these years, it remains one of the most characterful, capable and entertaining 4x4s at any price.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE JIMNY?
Suzuki has yet to officially reveal the fourth-generation Jimny, yet some leaked pictures reveal the direction that will be taken. The new car’s chunky, square-edged styling – reminiscent of a mini Mercedes G-wagen – suggest it will remain an honest, utilitarian machine.
It’s important the latest model retains the surprising off-road ability of the car it replaces, because that’s the thing that has made the Jimny such a likeable car for so long.
The more up-to-date cabin is a welcome addition, though. Can this Jimny possibly last the next 20 years?
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/...-range-rover-£15k-and-£100k-roaders-do-battle
Hamish McPanji
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2009
- Messages
- 42,084
Lol. I drive a jimny when in Luanda....where half the roads are dirt ones. Never got stuck anywhere, even in the rain and mud
FiestaST
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2009
- Messages
- 119,675
REVIEW: Suzuki Jimny – A diamond in the rough
Though he be but little, he be fierce.
Weighing in at just over a ton and taking up very little space, the Suzuki Jimny does not appear to tick the boxes of modern 4x4 vehicles. Despite its unconventional demeanour however, the Jimny is designed to facilitate a staggering and adventurous off-road experience, which it manages to do quite easily.
With the rocky road in mind, the Jimny is built for durability yet maintains a smooth drive when on road thanks to its refined chassis. What the Jimny lacks in power, it boasts in practicality and comfort. It is a true 4-wheel-drive with a short wheel base capable of going over a variety of obstacles that several other larger, heavier 4x4’s may struggle with.
Less is more
Being small and light is a massive advantage considering that in the world of off-road driving, less is always more. Getting stuck in something (which is a common off-road occurrence) is easy to resolve in a vehicle weighing just 1 070kg as opposed to other popular 4x4’s that weigh double that. That being said, it would take a lot to get the Jimny stuck, with its soft suspension allowing it to tackle the toughest terrains. It is an undeniably slow vehicle however, with a claimed top speed of just 140km/h.
Fuel efficiency is another talking point as the Jimny has economical levels of consumption in both manual and automatic transmission as well as on dirt trails and on-road. Official figures state an impressive consumption of just 11.0-litres/100km on off -road conditions.
It’s cheap too, without skimping on the essentials. Though it lacks the modernity of the Ranger Rovers and Jeeps of the day, the Jimny is a traditional 4x4 that fares well despite criticism of its basic interior and largely untouched look.
Older souls are more likely to appreciate the focus on delivering the essentials as the Jimny comes with almost no options and accessories save for the option of manual or automatic. Those who are eager to modify however are able to as the Jimny is well received in the aftermarket. Options are available to enhance gearing, lockers, suspension, as well as the inclusion a supercharger for the engine.
The featherweight Suzuki Jimny has the potential for great experiences. Though its size prevents it from being the ultimate touring vehicle, it has the capacity for adventure whether you’re tacking the dunes solo or in a pair. Most importantly, in a motoring universe filled with soulless machines, the unique little Suzuki Jimny has character, and a roaring one at that.
http://www.wheels24.co.za/NewModels/Road-Tests/review-suzuki-jimny-a-diamond-in-the-rough-20180208
Though he be but little, he be fierce.
Weighing in at just over a ton and taking up very little space, the Suzuki Jimny does not appear to tick the boxes of modern 4x4 vehicles. Despite its unconventional demeanour however, the Jimny is designed to facilitate a staggering and adventurous off-road experience, which it manages to do quite easily.
With the rocky road in mind, the Jimny is built for durability yet maintains a smooth drive when on road thanks to its refined chassis. What the Jimny lacks in power, it boasts in practicality and comfort. It is a true 4-wheel-drive with a short wheel base capable of going over a variety of obstacles that several other larger, heavier 4x4’s may struggle with.
Less is more
Being small and light is a massive advantage considering that in the world of off-road driving, less is always more. Getting stuck in something (which is a common off-road occurrence) is easy to resolve in a vehicle weighing just 1 070kg as opposed to other popular 4x4’s that weigh double that. That being said, it would take a lot to get the Jimny stuck, with its soft suspension allowing it to tackle the toughest terrains. It is an undeniably slow vehicle however, with a claimed top speed of just 140km/h.
Fuel efficiency is another talking point as the Jimny has economical levels of consumption in both manual and automatic transmission as well as on dirt trails and on-road. Official figures state an impressive consumption of just 11.0-litres/100km on off -road conditions.
It’s cheap too, without skimping on the essentials. Though it lacks the modernity of the Ranger Rovers and Jeeps of the day, the Jimny is a traditional 4x4 that fares well despite criticism of its basic interior and largely untouched look.
Older souls are more likely to appreciate the focus on delivering the essentials as the Jimny comes with almost no options and accessories save for the option of manual or automatic. Those who are eager to modify however are able to as the Jimny is well received in the aftermarket. Options are available to enhance gearing, lockers, suspension, as well as the inclusion a supercharger for the engine.
The featherweight Suzuki Jimny has the potential for great experiences. Though its size prevents it from being the ultimate touring vehicle, it has the capacity for adventure whether you’re tacking the dunes solo or in a pair. Most importantly, in a motoring universe filled with soulless machines, the unique little Suzuki Jimny has character, and a roaring one at that.
http://www.wheels24.co.za/NewModels/Road-Tests/review-suzuki-jimny-a-diamond-in-the-rough-20180208
Some more details on the new Jimny
https://www.cartoq.com/india-bound-...-replacement-suv-fresh-details-pictures-more/
https://www.cartoq.com/india-bound-...-replacement-suv-fresh-details-pictures-more/
Last edited:
FiestaST
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2009
- Messages
- 119,675
Next Suzuki Jimny to be revealed later this year before sales kick off in 2019
Next-gen SUV gets more rugged styling and upmarket interior; test car sighting follows leaked images
The next-generation Suzuki Jimny will be revealed near the end of 2018 before arriving on roads at the start of the following year.
The current Jimny has now gone out of production to make way for its successor, with a Suzuki spokesman telling Autocar that only existing stock of the model - fewer than 200 units - are available for purchase.
Although its still several months from reveal - it's predicted to land at the Tokyo motor show in October - the next Jimny has been seen testing several times, showing its new design. Unlike the Vitara, the future SUV will not be softened with a more road-biased look. It will actually be made to look significantly more rugged, with a retro design.
The fourth-generation model is being developed with the feedback of existing Jimny owners in mind, who rank its effective off-road capabilities and robustness more highly than on-road performance.
Road handling will still be improved, but a Suzuki spokesman explained that the car's unique selling point was its hardy nature, so this will remain the focus during development.
As such, the car's design reflects its 4x4 status, taking influence from earlier-generation Jimnys with a simple, box-shaped body. Much of the design appears similar to that applied to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, such as the squared-off wheel arches and tail-lights located low on the bumper.
Images leaked onto the internet revealed the look of the car's interior late last year. Although it gains modern features such as touchscreen infotainment, the overall design remains clunky - likely due to a priority for function over form to enable users to operate controls and buttons with gloves on.
Suzuki has been testing the car in four countries - one of which is Britain - in order to develop the car's chassis set-up and refinement for launch onto the global market. Its scale is not expected to drastically change from the outgoing car, which is just 120mm longer than a Smart Forfour.
The brand has remained tight-lipped as to what will power the future SUV, but sources expect Suzuki’s turbocharged 1.0-litre Boosterjet three-pot to be offered, with the brand’s naturally aspirated 1.2-litre a potential entry-point engine. No diesel engine is expected - the brand just confirmed that it has pulled all diesel options from its current line-up.
Suzuki swapped the manual low-range gear selector in its latest Vitara for an electric rotary dial, but the new Jimny could stick with the former system to maximise its off-road adjustability.
The brand's decision to ignore the temptation to build a more mainstream model should ensure that sales remain comparatively small (versus other compact SUVs). Around 1200 Jimnys are sold per year in Britain - a figure that has remained consistent since the outgoing version launched in 1998. The new car is expected to comfortably beat this while leading a charge to grow Suzuki sales by 20%.
The larger Vitara is currently the brand's bestselling model. It achieves UK sales of about 12,000 units per year, with the expectation of further growth.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/next-suzuki-jimny-be-revealed-later-year-sales-kick-2019
Next-gen SUV gets more rugged styling and upmarket interior; test car sighting follows leaked images
The next-generation Suzuki Jimny will be revealed near the end of 2018 before arriving on roads at the start of the following year.
The current Jimny has now gone out of production to make way for its successor, with a Suzuki spokesman telling Autocar that only existing stock of the model - fewer than 200 units - are available for purchase.
Although its still several months from reveal - it's predicted to land at the Tokyo motor show in October - the next Jimny has been seen testing several times, showing its new design. Unlike the Vitara, the future SUV will not be softened with a more road-biased look. It will actually be made to look significantly more rugged, with a retro design.
The fourth-generation model is being developed with the feedback of existing Jimny owners in mind, who rank its effective off-road capabilities and robustness more highly than on-road performance.
Road handling will still be improved, but a Suzuki spokesman explained that the car's unique selling point was its hardy nature, so this will remain the focus during development.
As such, the car's design reflects its 4x4 status, taking influence from earlier-generation Jimnys with a simple, box-shaped body. Much of the design appears similar to that applied to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, such as the squared-off wheel arches and tail-lights located low on the bumper.
Images leaked onto the internet revealed the look of the car's interior late last year. Although it gains modern features such as touchscreen infotainment, the overall design remains clunky - likely due to a priority for function over form to enable users to operate controls and buttons with gloves on.
Suzuki has been testing the car in four countries - one of which is Britain - in order to develop the car's chassis set-up and refinement for launch onto the global market. Its scale is not expected to drastically change from the outgoing car, which is just 120mm longer than a Smart Forfour.
The brand has remained tight-lipped as to what will power the future SUV, but sources expect Suzuki’s turbocharged 1.0-litre Boosterjet three-pot to be offered, with the brand’s naturally aspirated 1.2-litre a potential entry-point engine. No diesel engine is expected - the brand just confirmed that it has pulled all diesel options from its current line-up.
Suzuki swapped the manual low-range gear selector in its latest Vitara for an electric rotary dial, but the new Jimny could stick with the former system to maximise its off-road adjustability.
The brand's decision to ignore the temptation to build a more mainstream model should ensure that sales remain comparatively small (versus other compact SUVs). Around 1200 Jimnys are sold per year in Britain - a figure that has remained consistent since the outgoing version launched in 1998. The new car is expected to comfortably beat this while leading a charge to grow Suzuki sales by 20%.
The larger Vitara is currently the brand's bestselling model. It achieves UK sales of about 12,000 units per year, with the expectation of further growth.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/next-suzuki-jimny-be-revealed-later-year-sales-kick-2019
joshuatree
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It's anybody's guess what the price will be.
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Spy Shots: Suzuki Gears Up For Next Jimny
The lovable and relatively popular Suzuki Jimny has reached the end of its lifespan and reports are suggesting that the fourth-generation Jimny will be revealed towards the end of 2018 with market launch slated for 2019. Production of the current Jimny has reportedly come to an end and Suzuki is now preparing to produce the next iteration. Here’s what we know about the new Jimny thus far…
The Suzuki Jimny has a devoted fan base in South Africa and across the world. This compact off-roader is often lauded for its surprising capability in rough terrain as well as its compact dimensions and cute looks. There is, however, a new Jimny on the way and it will probably land in South Africa in 2019 after it is expected to be revealed later this year.
Its boxy dimensions will largely remain and it is expected to grow in size and Suzuki will retain its body-on-frame construction and 4x4 system which means it will still be very capable in the rough. The Jimny’s on-road handling ability is expected to improve and a major interior revamp is expected too. The interior will likely feature similar styling to the new Swift (due in SA soon) and will incorporate a touchscreen infotainment system.
The new Suzuki Jimny will grow in size, but it will retain its boxy styling with major changes expected inside.
The new Jimny is expected to be powered by a naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine while top-of-the-range models will feature a Suzuki’s turbocharged 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine with 82 kW and 170 Nm of torque. Based on the fact that Suzuki SA does not offer the Boosterjet engine in the Baleno in South Africa and it’s not expected in the new Swift either, we will be surprised if it makes to our shores in the Jimny, but we hope it does.
The current Jimny is powered by a 63 kW/110 Nm 1.3-litre petrol but we hope the 1.2-litre engine will offer a bit more grunt. A diesel engine option is not expected.
Suzuki is keeping official details under wraps for now but we will keep you updated as soon as more information becomes available.
https://www.cars.co.za/motoring_news/spy-shots-suzuki-gears-up-for-next-jimny/44859/
The lovable and relatively popular Suzuki Jimny has reached the end of its lifespan and reports are suggesting that the fourth-generation Jimny will be revealed towards the end of 2018 with market launch slated for 2019. Production of the current Jimny has reportedly come to an end and Suzuki is now preparing to produce the next iteration. Here’s what we know about the new Jimny thus far…
The Suzuki Jimny has a devoted fan base in South Africa and across the world. This compact off-roader is often lauded for its surprising capability in rough terrain as well as its compact dimensions and cute looks. There is, however, a new Jimny on the way and it will probably land in South Africa in 2019 after it is expected to be revealed later this year.
Its boxy dimensions will largely remain and it is expected to grow in size and Suzuki will retain its body-on-frame construction and 4x4 system which means it will still be very capable in the rough. The Jimny’s on-road handling ability is expected to improve and a major interior revamp is expected too. The interior will likely feature similar styling to the new Swift (due in SA soon) and will incorporate a touchscreen infotainment system.
The new Suzuki Jimny will grow in size, but it will retain its boxy styling with major changes expected inside.
The new Jimny is expected to be powered by a naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine while top-of-the-range models will feature a Suzuki’s turbocharged 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine with 82 kW and 170 Nm of torque. Based on the fact that Suzuki SA does not offer the Boosterjet engine in the Baleno in South Africa and it’s not expected in the new Swift either, we will be surprised if it makes to our shores in the Jimny, but we hope it does.
The current Jimny is powered by a 63 kW/110 Nm 1.3-litre petrol but we hope the 1.2-litre engine will offer a bit more grunt. A diesel engine option is not expected.
Suzuki is keeping official details under wraps for now but we will keep you updated as soon as more information becomes available.
https://www.cars.co.za/motoring_news/spy-shots-suzuki-gears-up-for-next-jimny/44859/