Suzuki Jimny News

China's GWM is set to launch a new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine option in the Prado-rivalling Tank 500 SUV in the second half of 2025. It will also feature in the related Cannon Alpha ute.Orders for the new-generation Nissan Patrol Y63 will open in Australia late in 2026, ahead of first deliveries in 2027.An update for the Suzuki Jimny three-door will see it return for local sale in early 2026. It will feature safety technology that's already present in the Jimny XL five-door.A new petrol-electric hybrid powertrain will join the LandCruiser 300 Series line-up in the second half of 2026. A version of this engine already features in the Tundra pickup. Want to know what other new models are due in 2026? Check out our rolling coverage by clicking on the links below. Best EVs Australia 2026Best Small Cars Australia 2026Best Ute Australia 2026Best New Cars 2026 AustraliaBest Family Cars Australia 2026Best Hybrid Cars Australia 2026Best SUVs Australia 2026

Modern 4x4s are packed with clever tech - but at what cost?

The Suzuki Jimny has finally been updated to gain new safety tech and some other simple features that most cars have had standard for years - including a colour digital driver display.The updated 2026 Suzuki Jimny 4x4 has been revealed for its home market in Japan, where pricing is up significantly.Japanese outlet Best Car reports the local pricing has increased by as much as 309,100 Yen, which directly converts to $3178.The pricing increase isn’t so extreme in its raw figure, but for the variant that price applies to it’s an increase of 13.6 per cent. Pricing rose from 1,962,400 Yen to 2,271,500 Yen.In Australia, the corresponding model is the Jimny Lite manual, currently $34,990 drive-away. A 13.6 per cent price jump would see it cost just over $39,700.The update, only available in Japan for now, adds much-needed dual-sensor AEB (autonomous emergency braking) and lane departure prevention. Auto models also gain adaptive cruise control.The Jimny also now supports Suzuki Connect with app functionality, and according to the brand’s Japanese website a colour display replaces the black and white unit currently found between the physical speedo and tacho dials - which remain as such even after the update.Expect to see an Australian market announcement for the updated Suzuki Jimny closer to its 2026 launch.

What feature of your car annoys you the most? I’ll go first. Our eight-year old Skoda locks itself after about 30 seconds. Sounds good, but it isn't. It’s led to all manner of annoying moments, but locking itself while the keys were inside the car probably wins — don’t ask.

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A bold successor for the Mazda CX-3 is in the wings at last. Believed to be badged the CX-20, the company’s smallest SUV and second best-selling model after the evergreen CX-5 mid-sizer is set to surface sometime before the end of next year, as a 2027 model.

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It appears Suzuki is saving its most exciting releases for the Indian market.Debuting at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi last week were two new concepts of the brand’s most iconic models – the Swift ‘Champions’ and the Jimny ‘Conqueror’.According to Carscoops, though, Suzuki said the models are purely for demonstration purposes to gauge consumer responses.None of them actually feature chassis or powertrain upgrades, rather, they are just cosmetic and accessory upgrades.That said, it could signal that Suzuki is gauging demand for future special-edition Swift and Jimny variants, such as a successor to the Swift Sport as Suzuki looks at adding more fuel-efficient variants to its line-up.The brand has already confirmed the Sport will wrap up production in Japan next month, with Suzuki planning on releasing a special-edition ZC33S Final Edition Swift Sport in Japan from March.=Plans for Australia remain unconfirmed, however, Suzuki Australia General Manager, Michael Pachota, told CarsGuide he was hopeful a replacement was in the works after Suzuki switched the entire swift hybrid to a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid set up late last year.“I hope so,” he said. “At this stage, we haven’t been told if there’s going to be a vehicle that replaces Swift Sport down the track in the current guise.”That could suggest a mild-hybrid iteration of the current Swift Sport, which remains equipped with the previous-generations 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine that adds an additional 42kW of power over the mild-hybrid's 61kW.It could be a case of adding cosmetic upgrades as opposed to extra power, as is the case with the track-ready Champions concept, which adds an aerodynamic body kit with a rear spoiler, a front splitter and a small rear diffuser.There are blacked-out multi-spoke alloys wrapped in slick tyres with a white racing graphic, along with a huge Swift decal adorning front bonnet and door panels.Moving over to the Jimny, it too gets a fancy ‘Jimny’ and ‘4x4’ graphic in a rugged khaki and black paint scheme, along with all terrain tyres which literally spell out ‘All Terrain’ in white.Additionally, there's a front winch, roof racks with mounted recovery tracks, a rear-mounted spare tyre, ladder, a side-mounted cargo box and a miniature shovel.Maruti Suzuki, Suzuki's Indian arm, has also extended unique exterior treatment to other models, though none that are currently on sale for the Australian market.

It feels like the Suzuki Jimny has been around forever, but compared to its predecessor, the fourth-gen 4WD’s six-year vintage means it is still a long way from its mid-life crisis.