Suzuki Jimny 2019 review

The surprises continue with the specs and pricing, with arguably every modern must-have you wouldn’t expect it to have on the list. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? Check. Auto emergency braking? Check. It’s even got climate control air conditioning, GPS navigation system, a reversing camera and ISOFIX child seat mounts so your babies can be mounted securely during adventures.

There’s only one trim level for the Australian Jimny range, and other highlights include a multimedia screen that measures a useful seven inches, leather steering wheel, LED headlights with auto high beams, tinted windows,15-inch alloy wheels and the requisite keyless entry, Bluetooth, cruise control and power front side windows and mirrors. It’s worth noting that the sound system only has two speakers though.

Suzuki has kept Australian pricing under wraps until just now, and we’re pleased to tell you the manual version arrives with an RRP of $23,990 (before on-road costs), and the automatic version rounds off the price list for the usual $2000 more at $25,990.

The 7.0-inch touschscreen controls the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. (international model shown)

Yes, these are $3000 more than the previous model when it bowed out last year, but the new one is a two-decade newer design and packs so many comforts and conveniences it missed out on before. 

One less than ideal surprise though is the $500 surcharge for any colour other than white. This is despite all Jimny colours aside from the blue and beige being non-metallic, but not that hard to justify if you’re after the Kinetic Yellow hero colour. Other options include Brisk Blue Metallic, Chiffon Ivory Metallic (beige), Jungle Green, and Medium Grey.
 
The yellow, blue and beige are also available with the roof coated in Bluish Black Pearl for a net option price of $1250.

If you’re teetering on giving in to temptation, Suzuki tells us Australian Jimny allocation will be limited to just 1100 units in 2019, 320 of which were already pre-ordered before launch. Suzuki Australia boss Michael Pochota warns that he can imagine a waiting list of up to a year in the near future, similar to what’s already the case in several overseas markets.

Even though it’s an all-new body (hardtop-only for now), the new Jimny somehow manages to look older than the ancient (but still adorable) car it replaces. 

Gone are the subtle curves and flush surfaces, in favour of straight lines and a chiselled overall appearance. The side and rear views are clear nods to the SJ Sierra of the ‘80s and ‘90s, while the nose carries references to all three previous generations. 

All glass bar the windscreen is dead flat, and even the windscreen’s curve is only slight. In 2019!

Unlike every other retro-styled model we can think of (unless you include the ND MX-5), the Jimny manages to retain its diminutive proportions. In fact, it’s 30mm shorter than the model it replaces, but does grow 45mm wider and 20mm taller.

Take note Mini, but the key reason for the Jimny’s discipline is that the 660cc version available in Japan (with shorter bumpers and no wheel arch extensions) is designed to fit within the size-governed Kei class. Thank you Kei class.  For the record, the Australian Jimny’s key dimensions are 3645mm long, 1645mm wide, 1725mm tall, on a wheelbase of just 2250mm.

Unlike every other small SUV in production today, the new Jimny retains a properly rugged ladder chassis with solid axles at either end suspended by coil springs, and a dual range transfer case. It’s the same layout as with the last Jimny, but a new and improved design that’s 1.5 times stronger torsionally than before and exactly what you want for proper off roading, even if it’ll be somewhat compromised around town.

The body has expanded use of zinc coating for rust resistance, and is now mounted to the chassis in eight places. 

The suspension design is still three-link front and rear, but the axle housings have been strengthened.

Unlike every other small SUV in production today, the new Jimny retains a properly rugged ladder chassis.

The front disc brakes retain the classic top-mounted caliper design, but we were surprised to see that drums are the still the order of business at the rear.

Despite this strengthening and swathe of extra features, kerb weight is still just 1075kg for the manual and just 15kg more for the auto. The lightest Mazda CX-3 is a full 118kg heavier, and doesn’t have a second diff, transfer case or ladder chassis. 

Both versions of the Jimny have a GVM of just 1435kg though, so you’ll want to travel light with four passengers aboard. If you all weigh 90kg, you’ll have to be nude with no luggage. 

Other important measures include an extra 10mm of ground clearance to now total 210mm, while other clearance figures are improved to 37 degrees on approach, 28 degrees of ramp-over and a full 49 degrees on departure.

Suzuki doesn’t quote a maximum wading depth, so best stick to the tyre height rule of thumb, which in the standard Jimny’s case is around 200mm.

The interior is just as carefully crafted as the exterior, with little retro details like the gauge font and surround, plus the big Jesus handle for the passenger looking very familiar to anyone who’s lived with an SJ Sierra or Holden Drover (as I have). 

The materials are also scratch and dirt resistant, but still comfortable to the touch and seem like really good quality.

Also familiar to anyone who’s driven any of the previous three generations will be the driving position. 

The close proximity of the windscreen base, dash and upright steering wheel is pure Zook, and the latter is unfortunately still not reach adjustable although it does tilt.

Based on a quick askaround at the Jimny’s launch, the dimensions in the front are still comfortable for those over six foot (I’m just 172cm or 5”6) in the front. 

The back seat is still really only for occasional use and limited to two positions, but is more comfortable than ever and it's also pretty easy to access via the sliding front seats and the front doors. As with the previous generation, the rear windows are fixed.

Despite only being able to seat two, the rear is more comfortable than ever. (international model shown)

There’s two cupholders in the centre console but no bottle holders like we’re accustomed to seeing in the doors. A single USB and 12V power point pass muster up the front, but there’s also a handy second 12V point in the cargo area.

Ultimately, you can only expect to fit so much into such a tiny car. And that's not much behind the back seats when they’re up, with just 85-litres VDA of boot space on offer and the back seat headrests almost touching the tailgate glass. 

Still, that’s enough for a couple of small backpacks, and the 50:50 split-fold expands this to 377-litres VDA (53 litres more than before) to the base of the windows, or a full 830-litres VDA when loaded to the roof. That should be heaps of room for camping gear for the two remaining passengers, but I’d strongly recommend fitting a cargo barrier if you plan to use all the space.

With the rear seats down there's 830-litres (VDA) of boot space. (international model shown)

Returning after being absent from the previous generation (which used roof rails) is the full perimeter roof gutter, which is ideal for fitting a roof rack.

One baby Suzuki 4x4 trademark that’s as useful as ever is the full-size spare wheel mounted to the tailgate. It’s always accessible regardless of how much of a load you’re carrying and will allow you to continue on your way at full speed and capability. In the new Jimny’s case, it looks like the designers have been careful to allow a much larger tyre to fit back there if you choose to upgrade to chunkier all-terrain tyres.

The new Jimny’s drivetrain specifications may seem a bit ‘meh’ at first sight, with no turbo or more than five ratios in the manual and four in the auto. 

But when you’re delicately teetering between rock ledges, simple controls are best. 

The K15B 1.5-litre petrol engine is a new design with twin cams and variable valve timing, and is effectively a 1.5-litre non-turbo version of the 1.4 motor we currently see in the S-Cross and Swift Sport. 

Engine specs and size are a step up from the 1.3-litre M13A engine from the model prior, and outputs are improved by 12.5kW (yep) and 20Nm to now total 75kW and 130Nm. The former is reached at 6000rpm, while the latter is at a reasonable for a non-turbo 4000rpm.

The new 1.5-litre engine produce 12.5kW/20Nm more than the old 1.3 unit.

The five-speed manual gearbox is a rare sight these days, but when the going gets rough, it’s really convenient to simply find reverse on the diagonally opposite gate tio first, without having to lift or push the stick like you do with most six-speeders. We didn’t get to try the Jimny at highway speeds though, so it may not be perfect for all circumstances. 

Likewise with the torque converter four-speed automatic transmission, which is even rarer than a five-speed manual in 2019. It could prove a compromise on the highway. 

The new Jimny retains selectable 4x4, but the new system has been branded ALLGRIP PRO. You can now shift between 2H (4x2), 4H (4x4) and 4L (4x4 low range) with just the transfer case lever, eliminating the dash buttons used to engage the front differential in the past. 

ALLGRIP PRO includes a brake-based traction control system which can direct power to each corner as needed.

Official combined fuel consumption figures are a reasonable 6.4L/100km for the manual and 6.9L/100km for the auto (15.63 or 14.49km/L), but bear in mind this is based on using cheaper Regular 91RON unleaded petrol. These official figures tend to be more realistic with non-turbocharged engines also.

The fuel tank capacity may only be 40 litres, but the above figures suggest a theoretical range of around 579-625km depending on transmission. 

Don’t get too carried away with the new Jimny’s surprise inclusion of AEB, lane departure warning, weaving alert, ISOFIX child seat mounts or its suite of six airbags that include curtain airbags that extend to cover the back seats. 

The Jimny comes with six airbags. (international model shown)

Both EuroNCAP and ANCAP (based on 2018 criteria) have both landed the new Jimny with a three star safety rating, with the two stars being lost mainly due to a lack of occupant protection in a collision, rather than any lack of features. 

Like the new Wrangler, it's pretty hard to build a car that's properly rugged and ultra safe at the same time, particularly when you’re trying to protect normal sized humans within a tiny body like the Jimny’s. You do need to consider this fact before signing on the dotted line. 

Like all Suzukis, the new Jimny is covered by a five-year, 140,000km warranty, which pretty much aligns with the new standard for mainstream automotive brands. Suzuki's five year term is conditional upon following the service shedule with authorised Suzuki dealers though, with a three year, 100,000km plan applying otherwise. 

Service intervals are still a brief six months or 10,000km also, but capped price servicing is offered for the duration of the warranty. 

This totals a reasonable service cost of $2452 over the first 10 services or 100,000km, which is $298 cheaper than the model it replaces. 

Those six month intervals are half the industry norm, but this potential inconvenience and cost is offset by the fact that Suzuki’s warranty now includes roadside servicing for the full five years - up from three.

Like all Suzukis, we wouldn't expect much in the way of reliability issues or common faults, but if anything does crop up in the long term, you'll likely find it on our problems page. 

If you're looking at the Jimny and you don't have any plan to take it off-road, you’re missing the point. 

Aside from its skinny and relatively smooth 195-section highway-terrain standard tyres (rather than off-road tyres), this car has been optimised for slow-speed obstacle climbing, with no concessions for comfort or highway dynamics. 

So don’t expect it to handle or ride like a Swift. And it doesn’t, with even our very brief road drive reminding me of the fore/aft pitch that’s inherent with such a tall body and short wheelbase. 

The same applies with bodyroll, as the suspension tune is clearly tailored for off-road articulation rather than high-speed stability. 

It is clear that the new model is so much more refined than the Jimny it replaces, but as you’d expect with a solid front axle, the steering does lack feel. 

The suspension has impressive compliance for such a light vehicle.

We didn’t expect the 75kW engine to feel spritely, but it certainly offers enough performance to keep up with traffic, and is probably a useful demerit point protection measure.

We’ll wait for a longer road drive to judge the new Jimny properly, but make sure you also do before committing to buy. You might find the drive experience characterful rather than compromised, and I have a feeling I could put up with it. Particularly given it only makes its strengths stronger.

Enough of the everyday driver warning message. All of Suzuki’s prescribed drive route at the launch was off road at the Melbourne 4×4 Training and Proving Ground. 

This facility has everything you need to put a vehicle through its paces, but I don’t feel the chosen activities truly demonstrated the Jimny’s nimbleness and outright rock-hopping capability.

The Jimny's rock-hopping capability was shown off at the Melbourne 4×4 Training and Proving Ground.

It’s clear the fundamentals are in place though, and it’s a lot of fun tossing around such a little machine off road.

The suspension has impressive compliance for such a light vehicle, and the gearing seems to match the engine very well during low range driving.

The thick steering wheel is wrapped in grippy soft leather, which makes it nice to hang onto through the rough stuff. 

But probably most surprisingly for such a light, cheap car, the body didn’t creak or rattle all day long. This little jigger is very well screwed together.