Forget the mini Toyota LandCruiser FJ this shrunken 4WD is the real deal: Mercedes-Benz confirms new little G-Wagen as super premium version of the Suzuki Jimny

The baby Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen is a real thing.

The German brand will build the little butch four-wheel drive after announcing its plans in an investor relations presentation, according to US publication Car and Driver.

Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Kallenius said previously the company was considering a baby G-Wagen this decade, but now the company appears to have confirmed it will be here sooner rather than later.

No further details were given on the little rough and tumble off-roader, but there is a strong chance the baby G-Wagen will be fully electric.

Its larger sibling debuted a fully electric version last year, which uses four electric motors to deliver 432kW and an astonishing 1164Nm. A 116kWh battery delivers a driving range of up to 473km.

A smaller — and cheaper — baby G-Wagen would most likely use two electric motors. The ability to have two electric motors delivering both four-wheel drive and brutish performance leans into the G-Wagen’s image.

Going fully electric isn’t a certainty, as Mercedes-Benz has walked back its electrification plans and is extending the lifespan of hybrid and petrol vehicles as demand for fully electric vehicles has slowed.

It is expected to be about the same size as the company’s GLB SUV, which would put it at about 4600mm long or roughly the same size as a Toyota RAV4.

This means it will be bigger than the heavily rumoured, but not confirmed, mini Toyota LandCruiser FJ. 

That vehicle is believed to be about 4500mm or a similar size to compact SUVs such as the Toyota Corolla Cross and Hyundai Kona.

Small — and more affordable — 4WD options are the current flavour of the month.

The popularity of the Suzuki Jimny has shown there is a hungry market for a vehicle with the same capabilities as full size off-roaders without all the trimmings that go with it.

The mini LandCruiser FJ, is believed to be based on the less sophisticated 'IMV' platform that forms the basis of many vehicles in emerging markets. This is rather than the newer 'TNGA-F' platform that sits underneath the new Toyota Prado and LandCruiser 300.

The IMV is a ladder frame chassis that means it's still highly capable off-road but won’t be as polished as the brand's bigger and more expensive 4WDs.