What's the difference?
The camping world is so mad for forward-fold campers that it often forgets that, for a long time, the rear-fold, hard-floor camper were considered the 'In' thing.
That rings true for Sydney-based camper-trailer firm, Blue Tongue Campers, whose three hallmark campers are based on the forward-folding concept with an internal lounge. But it's the rear-fold, which quietly ticks along, almost in the background, which is still the most versatile, has the best storage and the best kitchen of the hard-floor campers. The Series 2 version has just been released so we took it out to see what's changed.
The Suzuki Jimny is back with a tech refresh and very minor update after a year-long pause in production.
The line-up now has an updated autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system – so that system is now compliant with Australian Design Rules standards – as well as adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and front and rear parking sensors.
My test vehicle – the entry-level Jimny Lite – also gets a new 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as part of this latest line-up refresh.
So, does the updated base-spec Jimny – which now costs $1500 more than it did before – represent best value for money in this Zook range?
Read on.
The Overland XR Series 2 isn't quite the perfect camper, there's a few little things in the set-up that preclude it from that. Still, at the price and with the features it gets as standard, it's a really good value trailer. It's comfortable, it'll handle off-road trips with ease, and it the kitchen is really quite good.
The Suzuki Jimny Lite is the most basic of the Suzuki Jimny line-up but that’s not a bad thing.
It’s ordinary on-road, it’s on the wrong side of small – especially in terms of cargo-carrying ability – and it’s still an exercise in driver-adaptability because it’s basic, bouncy and requires a lot of effort to keep it driving in a straight line.
But the Jimny is a lot of fun off road and even on sealed surfaces. It is go-kart-like in terms of everyday suitability and comfort, but its day-to-day drivability has received a healthy boost by way of those new driver-assist technologies and the updated AEB.
If you’re willing to give into the fun and cop a few compromises along the way, then you won’t be disappointed, because the Jimny is a tonne of fun.