Suzuki Jimny Lite is light in features but gets the same engine and off-road capabilities as the standard SUV
While Maruti Suzuki develops a longer 5-door version of Jimny, the parent company has officially revealed a more affordable version of the standard model down under and rechristened it as Jimny Lite. This new version will serve as the entry-level variant of the compact off-roader in the Australian market and is slated to go on sale from 1st August this year.
Updated Exterior Design
As suggested by the name, Jimny Lite will be light on its equipment with less features in order to bring down the price. It will be manufactured and exported to Australia. On the outside, the new Jimny Lite wears the same design as the standard-spec model. The only difference is that it stands on 15-inch steel rims dipped in black instead of alloy wheels.
It also gets standard black-coloured plastic covered ORVM. Further, items such as projector headlamps, a spare wheel and fog lamps which are offered as standard in the regular Jimny have been deleted from this variant. Other styling elements remain identical to the existing variant of the compact off-roader.
Less Features to offer
Moving inside the cabin, scenes are more bare-bones basic with notable deletions. The most noteworthy being the 7-inch SmartPlay infotainment unit being replaced by a standard 2-DIN audio system commonly seen in mid-spec variants of Maruti Suzuki models.
Moreover, automatic climate control is ditched for a manual air conditioner. The instrument console gets the same concentric dials for speedometer and tachometer but misses out on a digital MID in between the dials. Cruise control feature has also been deleted.
Same Engine Specs
In terms of mechanical specs, Jimny Lite is identical to the regular Jimny. It is powered by a 1.5-litre K-series naturally aspirated petrol unit rated to produce 101 bhp and 130 Nm of peak torque. In this variant, it will only be available with a 5-speed manual gearbox and no option of an automatic transmission. It retains its 4WD functionality with a low-range transfer case.
This new base variant of Jimny will be targeted at consumers who just want a basic lifestyle vehicle with limited tech gizmos but all capabilities of a true off-roader. Prices of the Jimny Lite will be announced at the time of its official launch in August.
A similarly specced version could be the entry-level variant of the 5-door Jimny to be launched in India later. Currently, the regular Jimny Sierra is being manufactured in India and exported to various international markets.
