2019 Suzuki Jimny Is Impossible Not To Love

Started by cawimmer430, December 09, 2019, 06:41:04 AM

cawimmer430

2019 Suzuki Jimny Is Impossible Not To Love

Believe it or not, the Suzuki Jimny has been around since 1970. In the decades since, it has been sold in a plethora of guises and in no less than 194 countries and regions. Now in its fourth-generation, the Jimny remains as intriguing as ever.

Unveiled to much fanfare in late 2017 before production commenced in mid-2018, the latest Jimny has arguably generated more interest than any of its predecessors. Consumers and pundits alike quickly fell in love with its cute design and have applauded the Japanese automaker for sticking with the same recipe that has made the Jimny such a cult classic.



Eager to sample the latest Jimny for ourselves, we reached out to Suzuki Australia and, before long, had a brand new Jimny sitting in our driveway. Time to see if this new one is as good as we hoped.

The first thing that strikes you about the Jimny is its size: it is tiny. At just 3,645 mm (143 inches) long, 1,645 mm (64.7-inches) wide, and 1725 mm (67.9 inches) tall, the Jimny is just 50 mm (1.9-inches) longer than a Kia Picanto city car. Parked next to any regular-sized hatchback, the Suzuki definitely looks small.

The obvious advantage of having a car so small is that it is very light with the Jimny tipping the scales at just 1,095 kg (2,414 lbs) with the manual transmission and 1,110 kg (2447 lbs) for the automatic. Complementing the tiny measurements and weight is an impressive approach angle of 37 degrees, a ramp breakover angle of 28 degrees, and a departure angle of 49 degrees.

Only one powertrain is offered in the form of a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder that produces 100 hp at 6,000 rpm and 130 Nm (95 lb-ft) of torque at 4000 rpm. Our test car featured the four-speed automatic transmission, but a five-speed stick shift is also available.

Underpinning the new Jimny is a traditional ladder frame with a three-link rigid axle suspension system and an axle housing that is 30 per cent stiffer than before. A part-time four-wheel drive system is standard offering 4H and 4L gears. In regular on-road driving, power is sent to the rear wheels.

It's typical for off-road-focused vehicles of this sort to feature locking differentials. In fact, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, for example, has three of them. The Suzuki Jimny has none. However, it does partly make up for this with a brake limited-slip differential function that prevents the wheels from spinning freely and redirects torque to the wheels with traction.

As this is a focused off-roader, despite the impression that its cute exterior may give off to unknowing onlookers, we embarked on a day of difficult off-roading to see what the Jimny could do.





Thrives Across Difficult Terrain

The first track that we attempted to conquer in the Jimny proved to be much more difficult than we had initially expected thanks to a generous downpour the night before. What this meant is that the usually-dry trail had sections more akin to a swamp than a rocky path. Nonetheless, the Jimny immediately showed what all the hype is about.

One could be forgiven for thinking that with just a small 1.5-liter four-cylinder beneath the hood, the Jimny would be absolutely gutless. That's not the case. Thanks to it small size and weight, it breezes along trails without breaking a sweat. The only time we got into any kind of trouble was when the road tires simply ran out of traction trying to cross through muddy trenches. With a set of off-road or even all-terrain tires, the Jimny wouldn't have had any issues.

Unlike most other off-roaders, which are traditionally quite big and very heavy, the Jimny doesn't lumbar across tracks and obstacles. Instead, it skips along them and if you have a heavy right foot, it generates more than enough momentum to climb up steep hills covered in mud and loose rocks. There are times where it truly feels invincible. Suzuki quotes a wading depth in the region of two feet, but thanks to the air intake being located at the very top of the engine bay, we're sure it could deal with water even deeper than that – although we wouldn't suggest trying this at home...

Another remarkable thing about the Jimny is just how comfortable it is when driven along rocky trails. Whether you're creeping over big rocks or gravel paths filled with potholes, the off-roader smooths out everything beautifully and the faster you drive, the more comfortable it becomes. The lack of locking differentials may seem like a deal-breaker on paper, but we never found ourselves in a position where we needed them.

Both the manual and automatic-equipped Jimnys come standard with a Hill Descent Control function. We put this system to the test down a section of track with a decline of at least 45 per cent and it worked flawlessly.






The Achilles heel

When driven on the road, the Jimny reveals its other, less refined side. At speeds above 100 km/h (62 mph), the off-roader becomes very 'floaty' and the lack of steering feel can make it difficult to place through corners. On more than one occasions, I found myself having to quickly unwind the steering after making a 90-degree turn as the car didn't want to do it by itself, while body roll through corners is also excessive.

Much to my surprise, I never found myself yearning for more power during a week with the Jimny. Having a car that's fast and has a lot of power is great, but the truth is that if you're driving in a city or a suburban area, the rate at which you can accelerate is usually determined by how fast the vehicles around you are traveling. Most of the time, that is rather slow. Reaching highway speeds in the Jimny isn't all that difficult either, but does require a bit of patience on the part of the driver as it takes roughly 13 seconds to hit 100 km/h from a standstill.





A cabin that could be improved

We found the interior of the Jimny to be a mixed bag. It is dominated by hard black plastic which suits its off-road-focused nature to a tee, but can become a little tiresome when driving on the street. It is clearly more about function than it is form. Among the touches we did appreciate were the squared gauge cluster surrounds and the easy-to-operate steering wheel controls. On the other hand, the infotainment system feels very outdated and is in dire need of a refresh. All in all, the cabin is practical but not stylish.

All four seats (if you can classify those at the rear as seats...) are basic and finding a good driving position is difficult for anyone over 6 foot. I was particularly unimpressed with our little the front seats slide backwards and would have liked to slide the seat back three or four additional inches – plus, there is no height adjustment.

With the rear seats in their upright position, Suzuki quotes 85 liters (3 cubic-feet) of luggage space. In reality, this translates to enough room for two (maybe three) sheets of A4 paper. With the rear seats folded down, luggage space increases to a more acceptable 377 liters (13.3 cubic-feet).



Bang for the buck

In Australia, prices for the Jimny start at AU$23,990 (US$16,409) for the five-speed manual and AU$25,990 (US$17,777) for the four-speed auto we had. That represents a staggering value proposition for those looking to get behind the wheel of a capable off-roader on a budget. By comparison, a Jeep Wrangler starts from AU$48,950 (US$33,481) locally, although it does belong to a more upmarket segment and the two are not direct rivals.

In fact, there's no other vehicle on the market quite like the Jimny. It's well priced and proves that enthusiast-oriented off-roaders don't have to break the bank. Outfitted with some minor modifications, such as the tires, we can't think of a more enjoyable way to get out of the city and enjoy nature.


Link: https://www.carscoops.com/2019/12/driven-2019-suzuki-jimny-is-impossible-not-to-love/
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

Eye of the Tiger

2008 TUNDRA (Truck Ultra-wideband Never-say-die Daddy Rottweiler Awesome)

giant_mtb



Speed_Racer


Eye of the Tiger

I wish Suzuki was still doing cars for the U.S. :lockedup:
2008 TUNDRA (Truck Ultra-wideband Never-say-die Daddy Rottweiler Awesome)

cawimmer430

There was one behind me today at the gas station. Oh yeah, and my tank was half full. Look what I paid to fill up half of my tank. And it's about to get worse thanks to this climate change hysteria.  :rage:






-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

giant_mtb

Woof. I'd go broke just trying to keep Taco fuelled up.

AutobahnSHO

Quote from: giant_mtb on December 13, 2019, 09:58:16 AM
Woof. I'd go broke just trying to keep Taco fuelled up.

You don't see many pickups there.
Will

Submariner

Jesus Christ.  When I was in Commiefornia I was paying $4.04 for premium.  $5.94 is robbery.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

CaminoRacer

Wimmer I recommend you get a Taycan to avoid that fuel bill. :ohyeah:

Although yesterday I tried out a DCFC fast charger for the first time. $0.35/min and I ended up paying $5 for the equivalent of 1 gallon of gas. It was only charging at half the max speed (25 kw vs 50 kw), probably due to the cold weather.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Laconian

Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT


cawimmer430

Quote from: CaminoRacer on December 14, 2019, 01:17:04 PM
Wimmer I recommend you get a Taycan to avoid that fuel bill. :ohyeah:

Although yesterday I tried out a DCFC fast charger for the first time. $0.35/min and I ended up paying $5 for the equivalent of 1 gallon of gas. It was only charging at half the max speed (25 kw vs 50 kw), probably due to the cold weather.

:lol:


I'd love to try one. One of the businesses I am regularly shooting for at the moment is selling mainly Mercedes G63 AMG/G500/G350d, Range Rovers 2.0/3.0TD/5.0 and Tesla Model 3 STD/LONG RANGE/Performance and hopefully soon they'll sell the Taycan.

I think the Taycan looks cool, but the EV charging infrastructure is currently still lacking here. Simply installing one in my apartment garage is not something that can be done overnight due to the insane building permit laws we have here. Also, electricity in Germany is the most expensive in Europe, if not in the world.  :cry:
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

Galaxy

#14
Quote from: cawimmer430 on December 15, 2019, 05:24:17 AM
Simply installing one in my apartment garage is not something that can be done overnight due to the insane building permit laws we have here. Also, electricity in Germany is the most expensive in Europe, if not in the world.  :cry:

It is probably simpler then you think. For single family homes, you just need a form from the Utility provider that the Grid can cope with the draw. You order your wallbox from Amazon, call the electrician. Done.

For multi-family homes,it can be more challenging, since the total power draw is on a different scale. However the city of Munich is actually quite progressive here. They will take over the majority of the installation cost. They charge a flat rate of €1,499 (what many people spend on tire/wheel packages) per parking space, and will rent you the wallbox for € 45 per month (or you can just buy one). They offer flat rate packages for cars. For cars with a battery capacity up two 150 kWh (Taycan, or Tesla S/X) it is €54 per month.

https://www.swm.de/privatkunden/m-mobilitaet/elektromobilitaet/private-ladestationen.html

Laconian

If Germany is really set on getting people to drive electric, are gas taxes being used to subsidize EV power draw?
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

Galaxy

Quote from: Laconian on December 15, 2019, 01:26:28 PM
If Germany is really set on getting people to drive electric, are gas taxes being used to subsidize EV power draw?

No, because it is illegal in Germany for taxes to be collected for a specific purpose/project. This is different with fees, however fees have to have some connection to the project they being being collected for. You can charge a usage fee for a tunnel, to maintain the tunnel. You can not charge a fee to use the tunnel and use that money to pay for an orphanage. 

cawimmer430

Quote from: Galaxy on December 15, 2019, 01:05:38 PM
It is probably simpler then you think. For single family homes, you just need a form from the Utility provider that the Grid can cope with the draw. You order your wallbox from Amazon, call the electrician. Done.

For multi-family homes,it can be more challenging, since the total power draw is on a different scale. However the city of Munich is actually quite progressive here. They will take over the majority of the installation cost. They charge a flat rate of €1,499 (what many people spend on tire/wheel packages) per parking space, and will rent you the wallbox for € 45 per month (or you can just buy one). They offer flat rate packages for cars. For cars with a battery capacity up two 150 kWh (Taycan, or Tesla S/X) it is €54 per month.

https://www.swm.de/privatkunden/m-mobilitaet/elektromobilitaet/private-ladestationen.html



Good to know, but I also have to deal with the Eigentümerversammlung and their wishes. At the last one, only two of about 70 residents wanted an EV charging port in the garage.
-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

cawimmer430

And a few days ago I played chauffeur for my dad and filled up his E350 CGI as it was on reserve fuel. It has an 80 liter fuel tank (21 US gallons) of which 11 liters are reserve fuel. We filled up 68.30 liters (18 US gallons) and paid a whooping 92.82 Euros, which is precisely $103.43 USD.

Yeah, we're getting truly fucked by fuel prices here, and it's about to get worse. Thanks, Merkel, Greta, Luisa, Anton*ia etc.  :facepalm:








-2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line (W177)



WIMMER FOTOGRAFIE - Professional Automotive Photography based in Munich, Germany
www.wimmerfotografie.de
www.facebook.com/wimmerfotografie

Galaxy

Quote from: cawimmer430 on December 16, 2019, 09:53:30 AM

Good to know, but I also have to deal with the Eigentümerversammlung and their wishes. At the last one, only two of about 70 residents wanted an EV charging port in the garage.

Yes, condominiums and there committees is something I want no part in.