The 4th-gen Suzuki Jimny had won the 2019 World Urban Car of the Year Award. It will enter production at the Suzuki Gujarat plant later this year.
The Suzuki Jimny which is sold in multiple international markets has already amassed a considerable fan base in India. Despite the popularity, Maruti has mentioned on multiple occasions that it has no plans to launch the Jimny in the country, at least not at the moment. Finally, the Jimny has arrived in India, and is now on display at the 2020 Auto Expo. This mark SUV’s official debut in India, around 1.5 years after its global debut in July 2018.
Mr. Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “Suzuki Jimny with its compact design and superb off-road capabilities is an engineering marvel and speaks volumes about Suzuki’s engineering capabilities. Masterfully designed to ensure reliable driving and ease of handling, Suzuki Jimny is a favourite amongst adventure enthusiasts. Jimny has been developed basis thorough research, assessing the expectations and requirements of professional users. The vehicle has been showcased at Auto Expo to assess response of the Indian consumers to the product.”
New Jimny is based on a ladder-frame chassis and has all elements that one would expect in a true-blue SUV. The Jimny gets a part-time 4WD setup (which can be switched between 2H/4WDHigh/4WDLow) and a 3-link rigid axle suspension, making it capable enough to traverse through all kinds of terrains. Under the hood, the Jimny gets a 1.5 litre petrol motor which comes mated to a 5-speed MT & a 4-speed AT. No diesel or Hybrid options are offered by Suzuki, at least, none till now.
| Dimensions | Maruti Suzuki Jimny |
|---|---|
| Length (mm) | 3550 |
| Width(mm) | 1645 |
| Height (mm) | 1730 |
| Wheel base (mm) | 2250 |
On the safety front, the Jimny gets 2 SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX seat mounts and a vehicle stability control program. Suzuki had also recently introduced its new safety suite, called the ‘Suzuki Safety Support’ on the Jimny. The system provides the driver with visual and audio aids to alert before an incoming collision/crash.
In case there is no adequate response from the driver, the system also increases the braking force in order to avoid collision. Additionally it also gets lane-departure warnings, weaving alert function, high beam assist etc., which in all probability will not come to India (i.e. even if the Jimny is brought to the country).
Back home in India, the Jimny isn’t new. The iconic Maruti Suzuki Gypsy, which was basically a second gen Jimny, was a widely loved and successful product. Maruti might want to use the Auto Expo as an opportunity to gauge interest levels of public towards the Jimny. If the response is good, it might consider bringing in the SUV to the country.
One major challenge which Maruti will have to face is the fact that the Jimny doesn’t have rear-doors, which could become a deal-breaker for many Indian customers. Maruti might instead bring-in an India-specific longer Jimny, however all of this is just speculation. If brought in, the Jimny would mostly carry a price tag of around INR 7-8 lakhs (ex-showroom).
