As the great-grandson of the legendary LJ 80, the Suzuki Jimny looks back on a long and very successful history. Suzuki has 50 years of all-wheel-drive history to its credit, with the Jimny and the LJ 80, the so-called "Eljot", accounting for a proud 40 years. In 1999 Suzuki even added a popular convertible version with soft top, which we unfortunately no longer find in the new edition. Currently, the Japanese automaker also has no special models up their sleeves, I remember, for example, the "Rock am Ring" edition, which enjoyed great popularity in the past. At the moment the new Suzuki Jimny doesn't need all this, if I look at the great sales figures. And absolutely rightly, the Suzuki Jimny has the stuff even the sympathies of so-called SUV haters to arouse. Apart from that, can I grant the Suzuki Jimny the privilege of still being a real off-roader?. Only just, a miniature off-road vehicle, which, by the way, at the OFF ROAD AWARD 2019 was awarded twice. Robust, functional, compact, offroad-competent, authentic, affordable, all these attributes distinguish the Suzuki Jimny until today. And then this optics!
In addition to its enormous off-road capabilities, the new edition's greatest asset is clearly its design. If the all-wheel drive classic comes incredibly emotional, edgy and cult. Retro. But modern. I see in the Suzuki Jimny a shrunken version of the G-Class, the off-road veteran from Stuttgart, the Jimny also relies on this angular rectangular shape. However, 3.65 meters long and 1.65 meters wide, the Japanese miniature variant is not only over a meter shorter and almost 30 centimeters narrower than the G, it also does not look 1:1 cribbed otherwise. On the contrary, the Suzuki Jimny presents itself absolutely independent and yet I feel reminded of the G-Class. But what can only be rated positively. The manufacturer itself sees the visual borrowings in the ancestor Suzuki LJ10, which is of course correct, but had you had the LJ10 in mind?
I thank Suzuki for the courage to consciously distance itself from the sometimes overdrawn, overmodern or even effeminate design of today's crossovers and crossovers of the past. To have distanced themselves from SUV models. So the Jimny is not only unique in its class, apropos, there are no direct competitors anyway.
I had initially hoped for the color Kinetic Yellow and must say how glad I was about Suzuki's decision to paint my test car in Chiffon Ivory Metallic. The Jimny does look incredibly good in the yellow, but admittedly that's how the Jimny is very often seen on our roads and my Chiffon Ivory made me feel even more like an adventurer, ready for the forest, ready for the desert or the quarry, whatever may come.
The Suzuki Jimny stands basically in all offered colors unbelievably stylishly. With the Adventure accessories offer the front grille, the side skirts and the underride guard concerning even a touch more, these features I would consider again with the version in Kinetic Yellow.
Darkened rear windows are always standard, like the black painted exterior mirrors, the 15-inch aluminum wheels or the practical details. Be it the drainage channels on the roof edges or the striking crash barriers all around.
The mentioned gutters I also wish for the Jeep Wrangler, if I open the door in the rain, the water just runs into the car and unfortunately also on me and the seat. The Suzuki Jimny knows how to avoid this. Orients itself here also rather at the G-class. Also in this point this decision proves to be absolutely good.
Robust and edgy, this rustic charm also takes me in the interior for itself and so the Suzuki Jimny gives a very successful overall picture. Although plenty of hard plastic was used, but even that can not be a negative impact on me here, it simply fits. However, the rear seat is less suitable for tall people, but to be honest, you can't expect a miracle of space with these dimensions. This also applies to the trunk. Gives this with 85 liters at first not much space here.
The backrests of the rear seats are quickly folded down (50:50 ratio) and the load volume is increased to 377 liters, or. 830 liters with roof-high loading increased. Since both the backs of the rear rests and the luggage compartment are covered with plastic and Suzuki installs a load compartment box as standard, the Suzuki Jimny also proves its all-round talents here and can easily be freed from dirt.
In addition, the accessory catalog still holds some practical features ready, from the luggage compartment partition grille, cargo area trays, cargo area linings, load sill protection, a bicycle rear carrier, a basic carrier for the roof as well as different modules for it. Suzuki also has a trailer hitch or even a tent up its sleeve for attaching to the rear.
I left the back seat folded from the front during my test time and used the Jimny as a two seater, perfect.
Because with my 1.80 meters I felt absolutely comfortable in the front. Reduced to the essentials, wonderfully tidy and without that high-tech overload, the smallest off-roader looks very down-to-earth and is wonderfully easy to operate via large switches and dials, yet still offers me such modern conveniences as a touchscreen including smartphone integration and navigation system. By the way, the responsible persons have integrated this very well, it doesn't look like a foreign body at all. This is basically also true for the LCD screen, to be found between the two elements of the analog easy to read instrument unit.
An off-roader through and through and also in this point can be bridged to the big G, both off-roaders have a sturdy ladder frame, selectable four-wheel drive and an off-road reduction. In addition, there is the rigid suspension with rigid axles and Panhard rod front and rear, additional bracing and a new steering damper in the front suspension, a new X-beam and two additional cross members.
However small the Jimny may be for an off-roader, it has a ground clearance of 210 millimeters, a front slope angle of 36 degrees, a ramp angle of 27 degrees and a rear slope angle of 48 degrees.
Quite old school, the switchable Suzuki all-wheel drive ALLGRIP PRO is operated via a second small gearshift, and I can easily switch between two-wheel and all-wheel drive, i.E. 2H and 4H, or switch on the 4L reduction ratio if required. For this I have to press the lever down in neutral gear. Pulling back at the same time. The also standard hill start and downhill assist can be activated by pressing the brake pedal for a longer time.
Your co-pilot will be happy about the grab handle in front of the passenger seat in any case. Because the Suzuki Jimny scrambles the mountains so impressively up and down, masters passages over stick and stone, by puddles, mud and by the undergrowth, there it shakes one gladly sometimes by. And while the G-Class is of course no less sovereign in the terrain, the Jimny plays in one or the other situation its size and weight advantage out. The Suzuki still gets through where a thick, heavy G-Class would have to capitulate. I don't even want to start with the threat of damage to the expensive sheet metal.
This unbelievable driving pleasure in the terrain loses itself unfortunately on the paved road, because what the chassis lacks here in comfort and sporty qualities, it lacks the steering in feeling and directness. But I really have to say, the Suzuki Jimny manages to wrap me around its finger and I don't blame it for these weaknesses, I still feel very comfortable.
In the city anyway, super handy, wonderfully clear, I quickly find space in the smallest gap, parking problems do not arise here and then this maneuverability, wonderful.
In the forest and in the city jungle one feels with the Jimny simply outstandingly in good hands, only on the country road the chassis weaknesses become noticeable, but decelerated the small off-roader could not disturb me also here any longer negatively. And freeway passages I simply tried to avoid.
While in the predecessor still a 1,3-Liter-Aggregat came to the employment, Suzuki packs under the hood of the current Jimny exclusively a 1,5-Liter-Benzinmotor comes on 75 kW, speak 102 HP. The four-cylinder develops a maximum torque of 130 Nm at 4 dB(A).000 rpm.
Admittedly, I would have expected in the new generation quite a modern three-cylinder turbo engine, but so I just make do with the rough journeyman. The propulsion is sufficient, but it is never particularly fast, but with the Jimny this is not of great importance, so even Suzuki refrains from naming a measured value of 0 to 100 km/h.
When I look at the gearshift, it throws me back decades, Suzuki actually builds an antique long gearshift in the Jimny, embedded in a folding bellows. Too cool. The manual gearbox is standard, alternatively the Japanese could have offered for 1.For a 200 Euro surcharge, the car also comes with an automatic transmission, but with its four gears it is also rather old-fashioned.
Fortunately, the five-speed manual gearbox does not shift as awkwardly as it did in those days, but it still doesn't measure up to modern vehicles when it comes to handling. But also this weakness I can forgive the Suzuki Jimny. In the city and off-road I don't miss a sixth gear, but already on the highway I would have liked to shift up a gear and on the highway anyway, the high revs can be a real acoustic nuisance. But I avoided these trips anyway, it just doesn't feel good here. Maximum would be 145 kilometers per hour possible, but there one lets it go in gladly more quietly, if the freeway was really unavoidable, I set usually the cruise control at 120 km/h and turns the radio somewhat louder.
However, I can't really praise the fuel consumption. 7 ½ to 8 liters on average are simply too much for a small car, in the city I could reduce the consumption by one liter, on the highway it would be well and gladly times ten liters. Suzuki gives CO₂ emissions of 154 g/km, while those who opt for the automatic version have to put up with 170 g/km.
As "reduced" as the Suzuki Jimny may be, in terms of safety equipment you can rely as a driver of the smallest off-roader on different systems, the active brake support, for example, warns you of a collision with other road users, including pedestrians, and this both visually and acoustically. In the absence of a response, the vehicle brakes automatically. A collision can thus possibly be prevented, but in any the accident severity can be reduced.
A drowsiness detection, a lane departure warning system and a high beam assistant are also installed in all Suzuki Jimny. This also applies to traffic sign recognition, which reliably showed me current speed limits and overtaking bans.
Granted, the Suzuki Jimny is not perfect, EGAL. Because with its incredibly appealing looks and impressive off-road capabilities, this little one is second to none, it simply took my heart by storm. You just have to love it.
In order not to completely disregard objectivity, my attention finally turns to the prices. Market launch of the new edition in October 2018. While at prices starting at 17.915 euros.915 Euro. If I take a look at the price list today, I'm amazed, at this point in time it's going to be a whopping 20 euros.900 euros due. But Suzuki did not impudently slap on, they just dropped the base variant. The lack of demand should be reason enough at this point.