Maruti Suzuki Jimny Alpha 1.5 Petrol Automatic Review

Since 1970, Suzuki, a Japanese carmaker, has produced and marketed four-wheel-drive, off-road compact SUVs under the Suzuki Jimny trademark. The automaker continues to sell versions of the Jimny that go beyond the restrictions imposed by the kei class, as well as models that do not, for the Japanese & international markets. The Jimny originally belonged to the kei class, the Japanese light automotive tax/legal class. Until September 2018, Suzuki sold 2.85 million Jimny's across 194 nations. In 2023, Maruti decided to launch the all-new Jimny for the Indian off-roading market, carrying on the long legacy of Maruti Gypsy that existed back in the past in the same market.

Jimny 2023 Review

After months and months of impatiently awaiting spy shots and un-camouflaged images of the car going through high-altitude testing across the Himalayas, the new five-door Maruti Suzuki Jimny has finally arrived. The Fronx, Brezza, & Grand Vitara are part of the standard SUV line-up, while the Jimny, a lifestyle product, will be targeted at individuals seeking a typical SUV or just something that's going to stand out from the crowd. Despite the fact that this is a Maruti, a large number of people will become fascinated very quickly.

The exterior styling of the five-door Jimny is identical to that of the three-door model. The high bonnet, rounded headlamps, and slatted grille give the SUV a classy, boxy look. The standard Jimny has three doors, but this five-door version is 59 cm longer in profile. The squared-off wheel arches, which sit high above the wheels and ensure you have both the ground clearance and SUV visual cues, are a good visual emphasis on the side. The side-hinged door and spare tyre located in the boot are also present at the back. There isn't much badging at the rear, other than the phrases "Jimny" and "All Grip," as has frequently been prevalent with Maruti vehicles recently. The Jimny's distinctive form should make it easy to recognize the vehicle even from a distance, despite the lack of excessive badging.

Since the Jimny is a classic SUV, you get a small dashboard that shortens the distance between the driver and the windscreen. You are also quite close to the greenhouse because of the thin door cards, yet it's not the most unpleasant feeling ever. With more time spent in the Jimny, you will just grow accustomed to it. The controls that are used the most frequently are large and easy to reach. The toggle-style controls and the knobs for the climate control system have a nice finish. Although you'll find hard plastics all over, it is understandable since you might need to wash your Jimny up if the going gets really muddy.

Jimny Features

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported on the 9.0-inch screen's most recent version of the Maruti Suzuki Smart play pro+ operating system. We anticipate that this automobile will also include wireless smartphone mirroring by the time it is released to the market. Button start, cruise control, power windows, power mirrors, a colour MID, steering-mounted audio control systems, keyless entry, and an Arkamys sound system, are further goodies on this top-of-the-line model. In terms of safety, the vehicle has six airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounting points, ABS with EBD, ESP, hill-hold as well as descent control, and six airbags.

Engine Specifications

When the Jimny is introduced in India, it will come with a 1.5-liter K15B engine that generates 102 bhp/136 Nm and can be paired with a standard five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed torque converter that works automatically and is designed specifically for India.

Suzuki All Grip Pro+ will be made available in India through the Jimny. This All Grip system is the toughest one available, featuring differentials for the front and back wheels as well as a manual transfer case. The Jimny is believed to have strong off-road capabilities due to its lightweight ladder-on-frame design and few electronics.

Jimny Interior

The interior of the five-door Jimny is identical to the interior of the three-door variant in terms of design, components, and even positioning. The clocks, as well as AC ventilation systems, infotainment screen, & utility shelf on the front passenger side all have rectangular shapes and are arranged vertically.

The driver's seat may be adjusted for height and steering, and the inside is all black. Of course, the second row of the Jimny, which has two extra doors and foldable rear seats, is the focal point of the vehicle. The boot has a capacity of 208 litres with them up and 332 litres when they are folded down. You will be able to fit a lot more than you anticipated in the car, though, thanks to the relatively high roofline.

Launch in Indian Market, Pricing and Rivals

Since January 2021, Jimny assembly has been taking place in India exclusively for export markets. The three-door Jimny, which was built in India, was sold in African and Middle Eastern markets. The 5-door Jimny made its debut on the domestic market in January 2023. The model is only offered at the chain of Nexa dealerships, which sells high-end premium Maruti Suzuki vehicles.

The Maruti Jimny has now arrived at the dealerships to go on sale in India this year for between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom). In this price range, the Mahindra Thar base-level model, Force Gurkha, the Mahindra XUV300, the Kia Sonet, the Hyundai Venue, the Mahindra Bolero, and the Mahindra Bolero Neo will all compete against the Jimny.

Gypsy Legacy

Only a long-wheelbase version of the SJ-410, which was constructed in India, has ever been offered. Until 2019, The Gypsy was still being produced for the Indian subcontinent market. The Maruti Gypsy King, powered by a 1.3-liter G13 engine with sixteen valves and 80 horsepower (60 kW), was the model Maruti Suzuki was still making in India. The Indian military and police still like watching The Gypsy King.

Jimny Launch Inspiration

The LJ & SJ Jimny generations' aesthetic was carried over into the latest generation, Jimny & Jimny Sierra, which made their debut in Japan on July 5, 2018. On May 29, 2018, Suzuki's Kosai facility in Japan started producing its first product.

The Jimny was subsequently removed from European market sales in 2020 due to high CO2 emissions and stricter EU emissions standards. It was subsequently re-introduced in 2021 as a commercial automobile (without rear seats as well as a partition splitting luggage space from the front seats) and, as such, was subject to less strict emissions limits. Suzuki introduced the long-wheelbase 5-door Jimny based on the Sierra model in January 2023 in the Indian automobile market.

Transmission Capability

All four Jimny generations have a part-time four-wheel drive (4WD) gearbox that may be manually selected by the operator; the default (on-road) gearbox mode is with two-wheel drive (rear-wheel drive). Never deactivate rear-wheel drive. But in some circumstances, the driver can manually engage or disengage the front-wheel drive (FWD). It also gives 4WD when FWD is already active.

Jimny's lack of a central differential (interaxle). This has the advantage that when the car is in 4WD gearbox mode, it must lose traction on at least two of its wheels, each of which is on an alternate axle. The drawback of this is that the 4WD gearbox mode cannot be operated on any terrain that is not relatively slick, especially when steering. In other words, the 4WD gearbox mode should only be utilized in conditions that have a tendency to be slick, such as snow, ice, slush, crumbly gravel, wet grass, and sand. Hard-packed gravel, damp concrete, and wet asphalt are not regarded as sufficiently slick.

The dual-ratio (dual-range) transmission mechanism on all four Jimny iterations is manually configurable. The two ratios are referred to as "high range" and "low range," respectively, depending on whether they are used for ordinary on-road driving or light to moderate off-road driving, as well as for towing. When the car is in low-range gearbox mode, the overall gearing ratio of the gearbox is exactly cut in half. Due to this, the vehicle moves at around half its normal speed while producing twice as much torque at each of the wheels, regardless of gear. For instance, the third gear in low range performs similarly to the "1.5th gear" in high range, as does the 4th gear in low range, which behaves similarly to the 2nd gear in high range. When the vehicle is in 4WD gearbox mode, the gearing range is the only one that may be chosen. Low range cannot be utilized for on-road towing as a result.

Jimny's Suspension

The front and back axles of each of the four Jimny models include solid-beam axles with dependent suspension. Up to the 1990s, all-terrain vehicle suspensions employed this type of suspension frequently, but in the twenty-first century, they are now uncommon. In terms of performance and longevity, dependent suspension is especially well adapted for all-terrain use.

All four wheels of the first and second Jimny generations were suspended by leaf springs, whereas both the third and fourth generations were supported by coil springs. Additionally, specific second-generation late versions had coil-sprung suspension.