Suzuki Jimny has a heritage that other manufacturers envy. Since 1970 Jimny has provided a legendary reputaion for go anywhere motoring at an affordable price. Ok, so it’s not the largest vehicle on the road, but it will take almost everything in its stride. If you’re an off road driver, or beach traveller, there aren’t many places that Suzuki Jimny is afraid to go.

What Suzuki Has to Say

Tough As Jimny

“Goes places only Jimny can take you”.

“It’s the original, rugged 4×4. A heritage that began with the LJ10 back in 1970. Whether it’s road, track, or trail, Jimny has a reputation for being battle-tough in any terrain. Lightweight but incredibly capable, comfortable yet resilient, and more versatile than a Swiss Army knife, Jimny leaves small tracks on big adventures”.

Pricing

One of the standout features of the Suzuki Jimny is its affordability. It offers a lot of off-road capability and character for its price, making it a compelling option for budget-conscious adventure seekers.

Suzuki Jimny 3 Door Lite Manual starts off at $34,990 drive away in Queensland. The GLX Manual is $36,490 while the most popular version, the Jimny GLX Auto retails at $37,990 Drive Away. Metallic Paint is an extra $890 while the Two Tone Paint option is $1,340

However, it’s the wait times that are causing most concern. Suzuki Jimny GL and GLX Manual will be available in April 2024, the Auto GLX in August 2024 while two tone versions are out to November 2024. The 5-door GLX Models will be available at launch around June 2024

Suzuki Jimny – On the Road and Off

So, like me, you’re probably going to use the Suzuki Jimny for urban driving as well as some off road work. Around the burbs, Jimny is a frugal drive but gets a bit thirstier when its off road. Have a look at Paul Maric’s Car Expert review below. While he tested the manual Lite model he certainly put it through its paces off road. And it came through with flying colours. His words – “I’m genuinly impressed with the Suzuki Jimny”

On the highway the design of Suzuki Jimny contributes to being a little fractious – side winds give it a loose feel, but windless, its a practical car. Don’t for a moment think that it’s a family vehicle. While there’s sufficient room in the 2nd row, there’s no cargo space, not even for groceries. You’ll need to drop one or both of the second row seats to get your luggage in (particularly for a camping weekend), so it’s not really practical for a 4 person family vehicle

If you’re a 2 person family, the Suzuki Jimny will be perfect for Monday – Friday and excellent for the weekend away, either bush or beach

The Jimny’s design is unmistakably boxy and rugged, staying true to its heritage as a no-nonsense off-roader. The 2023 model sports a more modern and refined look with a slightly updated front grille and headlight design. While it may not win any beauty contests, its unique and utilitarian appearance is part of its charm.

Step inside the Jimny, and you’ll find a functional, no-frills interior. The materials used are durable but lack the plushness of some competitors. However, the Jimny makes up for this with its practicality. The infotainment system is basic but functional, and the cabin offers good visibility all around. The limited space in the rear seats may be a drawback for taller passengers, but it’s a trade-off for the Jimny’s compact size.

Where the 2023 Suzuki Jimny truly shines is in its off-road performance. Its compact size, high ground clearance, and robust four-wheel-drive system make it incredibly capable on rough terrain. Whether you’re tackling rocky trails or muddy paths, the Jimny handles it with ease. Its small size also makes it incredibly maneuverable in tight spaces, which can be a big advantage when navigating off-road obstacles.

On-road performance is decent for its size, but don’t expect sports car-like handling. The ride can be a bit bouncy on rough pavement, which is a compromise for its off-road prowess. The 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine provides enough power for daily driving and off-road adventures, but it won’t set any speed records.

Suzuki Jimny Engine/Transmission

1.5 Litre 4 cylinder Petrol Engine with 5-Speed Manual Transmission or Optional 4 Speed Auto. 75kW of Power and 130Nm of Torque

Suzuki Jimny Safety

SRS front dual airbags
SRS side airbags Front
Curtain airbags
Seatbelts Front: 3-point ELR seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters
Seatbelts Rear: 3-point ELR seatbelts x 2 with pretensioners and force limiters
ISOFIX child seat anchorages Rear x 2
Pedal Release System Brake & clutch
Side impact door beams
ABS
ESP®
DSBS (Dual Sensor Brake Support) Lane Departure/Weaving Alert
Emergency stop signal
Hill hold control
Hill descent control
Brake assist function
High-mount stop lamp
Immobiliser

Suzuki Factory Warranty and Service Plans

Excluding some fleet buyers, Suzuki provides a 5 year unlimited kilometre warranty (with every new Suzuki motor vehicle purchased after 1st October, 2019. Suzuki offers a capped price service for new Suzuki vehicles. For this Suzuki Jimny, service is recoemmended at 12 months OR 15,000 kilometres whichever occurs first. The first service (15,000) is $429 and for 60 months is $1885 or an average of $377 per service. My strongest advice is to have your Suzuki serviced at a Suzuki authorised service centre for the entire new car warranty period. Suzuki dealers know their product and have the tecnhicians and diagnostic equipment to maintain your car to the best standard

Comprehensive Car Insurance – Comparisons

The first company I go to for a quote is typically RACQ, but I also use others for comparisons, just to be sure.

The strongest advice I can give you is to never buy or renew with your current company without price checking. You should get at least 2 quotes to ensure that you’ve got the best deal from a reputable company. In this comparison, RACQ are over $300 more expensive than the next cheapest, Budget Direct. And that’s a lot of money out of your pocket.

Summary

As far as price is concerned it’s either Suzuki got it wrong at launch or their cost of production and shipping to Australia has risen exponentially since 2019. From a drive away price of $28990 for the most popular automatic version in August 19 you’re now paying around $37,990. Thats a 31% increase in four years. And if you’ve been hesitant to order and wait there’s any number of near new Jimmy’s  available online for well over that $40k or even more. A lot of nefarious private speculators have purchased at a discounted price and are attempting to onsale for a big profit. Research on carsales.com.au shows the cheapest current model 2019 GLX Manual selling for $30,922 and the lowest price 2020 GLX Auto for $38,657.

When I was in primary school, teachers issued reports to show my parents and me what I’d achieved during the school year. I really liked the simplicty of the system, so thought I’d share my thoughts on the good and not so good of the test vehicle

NOTE – One of the better and arguably unbiased reviews you’ll see is from Paul Maric of carexpert.com.au. I like to use his reviews to allow you to see how a car performs rather than just still pictures. So thanks to Paul for his review of the Suzuki Jimny.

And Paul says ” I’m genuinely impressed with the Suzuki Jimny”

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Bob Aldons has spent all his working life (almost) around cars, as a salesman, sales manager, dealer principal, franchise owner or collecting automotive memorabilia. Bob is the current steward of a 1969 Ford Mustang, a 2005 Mini Cooper S and a 2001 Jeep Wrangler. His current ‘daily drive’ is a Kia EV6 GT. He kicked off Car Business and The Car Guy in 2015 after selling his dealer group, Northstar Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Northstar Fiat and Alfa Romeo, Northstar Isuzu Ute and Northstar Volkswagen. Bob and his wife, Suzi, live in Redcliffe, Queensland.