Styling wise, the all-new Jimny looks absolutely fantastic, combining the previous models compact dimensions with a go anywhere silhouette that is both unique and yet instantly recognisable as a Jimny. With practical touches, including bumpers with optimal cutaways to offer superb ground clearance at the wheel and moulded black guards surrounding each wheel arch, protecting the body from stone chips and scratches, Suzuki have created a handsome, go anywhere 4X4 which not only looks great but can use it’s diminutive dimensions and light weight to tread where others fear to. There’s also front fog lamps, LED headlights with washers and high beam assist, 15″ alloy wheels, Body colour door handles and rear privacy glass to complete the exterior. Excellent work.
The interior is packed full of practical features and technologies designed to get you where you want to go, on road or off, with comfort and style featuring in equal measures. The Suzuki includes air conditioning, intuitively designed controls, vertically adjustable steering wheel and a permanently illuminated meter cluster and that’s before discussing the feature packed, smartphone linked advanced touchscreen compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™. In fact, even the briefest glimpse around the interior will confirm how much Suzuki’s Jimny has improved over previous models with the switchgear and buttons in particular having a delightfully chunky and hard wearing appearance and feel to them.
But all of the style and technology in the world add up to zero if the Jimny doesn’t drive as well as it lineage and fans demand. The driving position is certainly more ‘old school’ than most with the steering wheel close and passengers closer but this just adds to the charm and character of this compact off roader. There’s excellent visibility from your seat up front with a view across the flat and square bonnet which lets you keep the front corners in view, giving excellent visibility on uneven terrain and allows you the typically SUV higher driving position that we all know and love.
Setting off and the Suzuki pulls away without drama giving you your first chance to appreciate the new 1.5L, 4 cylinder engine under the bonnet. Producing 99.6 bhp at 6000 rpm and 95 Ib/ft torque at 4000 rpm, this is an engine that suits the Jimny down to the ground as it produces more than enough power for reasonably rapid progress on the road whilst retaining enough low down shove for tackling those, shall we say, less conventional routes away from the tarmac. CO2 emissions (WLTP) of 178 g/km and combined efficiency figures of 35.8 mpg mean that, despite the less than aerodynamic front end, the Jimny will be kind to your pocket when visiting the pumps and allow for travelling further afield as and when the mood takes you.
What Suzuki have delivered is one of the coolest looking cars of the last few years. A genuinely unique offering in an increasingly monotonous market sector and one that will stand out amongst it’s peers for many years to come. The angular exterior and cleverly packaged interior remind you of Jimnys through the ages yet point forward towards an even more exciting future for this evergreen SUV, for which we should all be grateful. The Jimny is achingly cool to look at, able to travel near or far economically and in relative comfort, packed with the necessary technology and features demanded of cars today and offers up genuinely fantastic off-road capability for amateur adventurers to exploit to their hearts content.
I absolutely love it.
As will you.
Where will you go?