The SUV has been a very popular car type across the
world. SUVs provide great utility, practicality and overall great reliability
to car owners. SUVs were originally intended for off-roading and being driven across
a variety of challenging terrain. While the SUV has evolved into various roles
such as a family car, luxury car, etc. modern SUVs are still very capable and
reliable across all sorts of terrain (Snow, Rock, Sand, Mud). Cars like – the
Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Land Cruiser and the Land Rover Defender
are legendary SUVs and have stood the test of time while dominating the 4X4 SUV
domain. The Suzuki Jimny is a very capable yet affordable 4X4 SUV workhorse. Today we are going to
tell you more about it.
The story of
the Suzuki Jimny begins in 1968. Suzuki had taken over the Hope Motor
Company who had made 15 light 4X4 vehicles called the HopeStar ON360. After
2 years of development Suzuki launched its first 4-wheel drive vehicle the LJ10
(Light Jeep 10) in 1970. The LJ10 was the precursor not only for the
Jimny but also for all 4X4 cars to come from the house of Suzuki. Suzuki
introduced Jimny as a car that was small and capable of going to
tight spaces which were rather difficult for large 4X4 SUVs of the time to
reach. The small body, rugged design, and lightweight structure allowed the Jimny
to achieve exactly this. The year 1977 saw the introduction of the LJ80
which was the first Suzuki 4X4 to come powered with a 4-stroke engine and also
came along with a new pick-up truck variant. The small frame, rugged design,
light and easy nature of driving and good off-road capability made the Suzuki
jeep a popular car amongst off-road starters not only in Japan but global
markets as well.
In the 1990s
Suzuki realized that there was a need for a small 4X4 SUV which would be capable
both on-road and off-road. In 1998 the Suzuki Jimny was introduced, it
came with an all-new modern design while having the same jeep DNA. The new car
had a rugged stance but with a good modern design to go along with it. The Jimny
uses an old school but a reliable ladder on frame body type construction which is
designed to keep the passengers sitting inside safe and comfortable at all times.
The latest generation Suzuki Jimny was introduced in 2018 and is currently
in its fourth generation. The Jimny comes with a nice modern design which
also balances the traditional jeep roots of previous generation Jimnys.
The overall design gives the car a nice retro look. The Jimny is available
in 2 body types – 2-door or 4-door. On the inside, the car can seat 4 passengers
in a 2+2 layout. The seats at the back are a squeeze and can also be flipped
down to give a fully flat surface allowing for more luggage storage. The Jimny
sports a basic all-black design theme and has an infotainment touchscreen at
the center of the dashboard. The Jimny comes well equipped with good tech
and features on par with the other cars in the segment. The Jimny comes
with a 4X4 drive system with both high and low ratios. The added flexibility of
changing the car from 4X2 mode to 4X4 mode while driving is great as it allows
the driver to adapt to the driving terrain accordingly. The Jimny is powered
by a 1.5 L petrol engine making 100 bhp of max power and 130 nm of max torque. This
is more than enough to get the Jimny through most of the challenging
terrain conditions.
With over
2.85 million units of the Jimny having being sold over the years the car
has made a good name for itself amongst both off-road enthusiasts as well as on-road
users as a reliable and affordable workhorse. While the Suzuki Jimny is
not a car which is as capable as true blooded off-road cars from other car
manufacturers, but this also plays to the advantage of the Jimny. It is
a car which gives an affordable 4X4 alternative to the masses.
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