The Suzuki Jimny is lauded for many things worldwide. It comes out as an affordable SUV with appreciable off-road capabilities. It is considered to be one of the most popular affordable off-roaders available in the international markets. It is so popular that even though it doesn’t actually ‘exist’ here, its popularity is unmatched. Same goes in other markets as well as Suzuki recently opened its order books for Jimny in Mexico and much to the company’s surprise, all the units were sold out in less than 72 hours!
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Only 1000 units were imported to Mexico, maybe because the company wanted to test the waters and gauge demand for the vehicle.
Suzuki Jimny – A brief overview
It isn’t hidden from anyone that Maruti Suzuki is planning to bring the Jimny here and recently, a YouTuber managed to spot a white-coloured Maruti Jimny on the streets of Gurugram, near the company’s manufacturing plant. The Jimny is a very important product for the maker and has had a sensational sales run in markets abroad. Suzuki terms the Jimny as an ‘authentic off-roader’ and is 3550 mm in length, 1645 mm in width and has a height of 1730 mm. It also has a wheelbase of 2250 mm.
The test mule which was spotted featured a classic boxy design with tall body structure, circular headlamps, round fog lamps, new alloy wheel design, tailgate-mounted spare wheel, bumpers integrated taillights, side swung rear door and more. The current, fourth-generation Suzuki Jimny has been on sale worldwide since 2018. While there are two versions of the Jimny on sale in Japan – the standard model and the Sierra, the European market just had the latter.
Also read: All-New Mahindra Thar Vs Maruti Suzuki Jimny: Specs Comparison
It will compete against the recently launched all-new Mahindra Thar and the upcoming Force Gurkha in the segment. As for prices, they are likely to begin under ₹ 10 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV will have a premium positioning which is likely to be sold via Maruti’s Nexa retail channel. In terms of powertrains, it will be offered with the same 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine as the international model. This engine is also offered in the Indian market with the Ciaz, Ertiga and the newly launched Vitara Brezza facelift. This engine generates about 105 hp of maximum power and 138 Nm of peak torque. However, in the international version, the engine generates slightly lower numbers than these. It is likely to be paired with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed torque converter as optional, similar to the Vitara Brezza.