Suzuki Jimny 5-Door Review: Meet Mzansi's favourite 4x4!
By: Dylan Naidoo
It may not look like it, but the Suzuki Jimny has consistently been the cheapest 4x4 that you can buy in South Africa. Even with the influx of Chinese SUVs flooding the market, not one 4x4 is yet to match its price. While it may not seem like it, for decades the Jimny has proven to be a surprisingly capable off-roader, utilising a ladder-on-frame construction that allows the Jimny to push well above its weight amongst much larger rivals. But let's face it, people buy the Jimny for more than just its impressive off-roading capabilities. Most people I’ve met that have a Jimny rarely ever get it off-roading but buy it because of its funky looks. And so, this review is focusing on just that: The Suzuki Jimny 5-Door as an everyday car.
Engineering and Technology
Suzuki continues to use their Naturally Aspirated (NA) 1.5L engine for this 5-door Jimny delivering 75kW of power. Personally, it's not as underpowered as some reviewers make it out to be, but a turbocharged variant would be welcomed. Paired with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, the Suzuki Jimny comes with its famous ALLGRIP PRO 4WD system. Our test unit was the automatic, and shifting was smooth.
Inside you will find the 9-inch infotainment system (7-inch for GL model), supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Interestingly, the Jimny does not really have much tech on board besides the basics such as a reverse camera, cruise control (exclusive to the automatic trim), parking sensors and smartphone integration. Other than that, you have your standard air-conditioning controls and speaker system. We notice a more off-road focus on the tech onboard.
But getting into the interior, it's very familiar Suzuki territory. No fancy leather on the seats for any variant, but rather a soft fabric. The interior itself gives off an “I’m a capable off roader” vibe.
Design & Interior
I don’t need to tell you that the Suzuki Jimny’s boxy, retro inspired shape looks good. On that note, I appreciate Suzuki for keeping the shape relatively the same with minor tweaks, as this boxy design for the Jimny is so iconic I cannot imagine Suzuki pulling a Mercedes M-Class move anytime soon.
Space & Ride Quality
The Jimny has surprisingly good headroom. The boxy style should fit tall occupants with ease. Legroom is alright. However, just like its little 3-door brother, the boot capacity is very small, measuring only 211L with the back seats up. This should be another reminder to the buyer of what the Jimny really is: Not a road car that can do off-roading, but a purpose-built off-roading SUV that you can drive on the roads, like the Jeep Wrangler, so compromises like this are expected. A good positive with this Jimny variant was that the ride quality was better than expected.
Price & Overall Thoughts
As a purpose-built 4x4 off-roader with a durable ladder-on-frame construction, the Suzuki Jimny 5-door is an absolute bargain starting at just R439 900 for the base model. As an average car for commuting, the Jimny falls short at its price point. Suzuki knows this, that's why we have models such as the Grand Vitara and Across, both SUVs at a similar price with much more features on offer. I love the Jimny, no doubt about that, but even I will admit the Jimny is tailored towards off-roading enthusiasts more than the masses.
