Suzuki Jimny vs Hyundai Tucson

What's the difference?

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.

The updated Hyundai Tucson Elite Hybrid N Line offers families space, features and easy-enough handling for everyday stuff and the occasional weekend adventure pursuits.

The price point is higher than the previous non-hybrid model but you get a lot of bang for your buck and my family was comfortable this week.

The Lite is, like the rest of the Jimny line-up, retro-cool and classic with a striking straight-up-and-down appearance sure to draw more admiring glances than sneering ‘WTF?!’ looks.

The three-door Suzuki Jimny is 3650mm long (with a 2250mm wheelbase), 1645mm wide, 1720mm high, and it has a kerb weight of 1100kg.

The Jimny has it over any rivals in this category when it comes to exterior design.

The Jimny’s interior is plain and practical. It has cloth seats, expanses of durable plastic and an overall utilitarian look and feel.

It is spartan inside, but this all-pervasive no-frills approach best suits the Jimny's simple spirit.

The Hyundai Tucson has seen a minor facelift on the exterior but most of the changes are in the cabin.

The N Line pack means that you get 19-inch alloy wheels over the standard 18-inch version as well as extended body panelling instead of black plastic trims. There is N Line badging across the car too, but N Line option pack does limit you to just four exterior colour choices.

The front features new stacked LED DRLs which tie in with the fang-like design of the rear LEDs. The origami-styled panelling looks more severe than the previous model which helps it stand out in a class that’s heavy on rivals. 

The cabin features a completely reconfigured dashboard and now sports a large curved display panel that houses those upgraded tech screens and a new 6.6-inch climate control panel.

The centre console has been redesigned to look like it’s floating and now adds an extra-large storage cubby underneath it.

The upgraded interior makes the Tucson a leader for the mid-sized SUV segment and is very pleasant to spend time in.

Functionality is highest on the agenda with the Jimny rather than any attempt at a semblance of plushness.

Having said that, it is comfortable inside, but it is very basic, which is actually part of its charm though some people may rapidly grow weary of its bare-bones interior.

The big news in this small 4WD is the fact it now has a new 7.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That screen is too small but the hands-on controls everywhere else remain one of the refreshingly simple aspects that is easy to like about the Jimny.

There’s also now a 4.2-inch digital driver display between the analogue dials and that includes a speedo, as well as fuel-consumption and driving range details.

With the three-door Jimny's second-row seats in use, boot space is listed as 85L. With the second row stowed away, there’s a claimed 377L of cargo space.

Payload is a claimed 350kg and gross vehicle mass is 1450kg (the Jimny is 1100kg) so there’s not a lot of flexibility in terms of how much camping gear, dogs, or Abba CDs you can pack into this diminutive 4WD.

While others may offer more in terms of comfort and general amenities, the Jimny still wins out for day-to-day durability.

The cabin up front is spacious with plenty of head- and legroom on offer. You also won’t jostle for elbow room either when you have a passenger.

The seats are comfortable with their heat function but you might still get fatigue on longer trips as you only get adjustable lumbar on the drivers side and it's simple at best.

The back seat has really good space for the class and no matter the passenger, they were comfortable back there. The seats in the rear are well-padded and access to this row is good for sliding in a child seat as the door aperture is wide.

Other amenities are average with directional air-vents, a single reading light, and a fold-down armrest. My seven-year-old son found the window sills to be quite high, so he didn’t get the view he wanted.

The individual storage is excellent for the class with the redesign as you get a dedicated storage shelf in front of the front passenger and a massive cubby that easily fits a handbag underneath the mid-sized centre console.

There are two cupholders and two drink bottle holders per row but the rear storage bins are skinny. The rear row also gets map pockets but again, these are shallow.

The upgraded technology is a must have and the new multimedia system is easy to use once you spend time with it and looks great with its graphics. The system has built-in satellite navigation, over-the-air updates and wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Connecting the CarPlay is simple and maintains a strong connection.

Charging options are great with two USB-C ports per row and the front also gets a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket to choose from. The centrally located position of the charging pad is handy and the liner grippy - so no phone movement.

Rounding out the practicality is the boot, which has a wide aperture and a loading space level with 582L of capacity available with all seats in use, which is good for the class.

The back row has a 60/40 split but don’t fold flat – they sort of spring up a bit, which might annoy when you do a big Bunnings run. 

There is a 12-volt socket, a space-saver spare tyre underneath the floor and you get a powered tailgate in this model – which I always like.

There are now six variants for the Hyundai Tucson with the release of the hybrid powertrain and all six have the choice of being either a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive with either the petrol engine or hybrid powertrain. And every grade gets the option of adding the N Line style pack. So, there is no excuse for not getting the combo you actually want now.

The model on test is the mid-spec Elite Hybrid with the N Line option pack and its priced from $55,100 before on-road costs. That positions it towards the top end of the market but you get an SUV that's more feature-heavy than most of its rivals.

The standard equipment for the upgraded Elite Hybrid N Line now includes dual 12.3-inch technology screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 6.6-inch climate control touchpad.

Other equipment includes a powered driver’s seat, heated front seats, suede/leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging pad, digital radio, four USB-C ports, keyless entry, push-button start, space-saver spare wheel and a powered tailgate.

The Kia Sportage SX hybrid is more affordable at $45,950 MSRP but unlike the Elite Hybrid it misses out on wireless connectivity for phone charging and phone integration apps.

The Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD is priced from $52,585 MSRP but misses out on the newer and bigger technology screens that the upgraded Elite Hybrid has.

The Nissan X-Trail Ti 4WD e-Power is the closest rival in terms of price ($55,090 MSRP) and available features.

This entry-level Suzuki Jimny has the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the rest of the line-up, producing 75kW at 6000rpm and 130Nm at 4000rpm, and it has a five-speed manual transmission.

The Jimny is always zippy, manoeuvrable and punchy off the mark simply because it is so small and light, however, it feels underpowered on the open road and strained at highway speeds.

It has a part-time four-wheel drive system with high- and low-range, and off-road traction control.

While it’s far from offering the best power and torque outputs, even in the small 4WD realm, the Jimny is so light that there’s enough here to work with.

The Elite Hybrid N Line model features a hybrid powertrain that combines an electric motor with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. They combine to produce 172kW of power and 367Nm of torque. Which is more than enough to make the mid-sized Tucson feel spirited.

This particular variant is AWD and uses a six-speed automatic transmission, which can over rev at times but is mostly smooth with its gear changes.

The Suzuki Jimny has official fuel consumption of 6.4L/100km (on a combined cycle).

I recorded 7.2L/100km on this test but, as always, I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing.

The Jimny has a 40L fuel tank so, going by my fuel figures, a full tank should give you a driving range of about 550km.

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is a low 5.3L/100km, and my real-world usage came out at 6.0L after doing a lot of open-road driving where hybrids tend to be at their least efficient, so that is an excellent result.

The Tucson hybrid is the second best for fuel usage after the Toyota RAV4 hybrid, which sits at 4.8L/100km for combined usage. Overall, the new hybrid powertrain has proven itself to be pretty frugal. 

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 53L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 981km, which is great for a family road tripper.

It may come as no surprise to any of you who have actually driven a Jimny but it is rather ordinary on road.

It's a small vehicle and quite light so it does get buffeted by passing traffic, thrown around by any wind stronger than a mild breeze, and this Zook’s ride and handling are barely the right side of atrocious.

But – and it’s a big BUT – the Jimny is still a lot of fun to drive, even as wild as it is on-road, and it absolutely comes alive when you hit the dirt.

Being light and nimble may detract from the Jimny's performance on sealed surfaces, but those characteristics help immensely when you go 4WDing in this little car.

It is highly manoeuvrable – it is very agile around the bush through tight tracks and up tight wheel-rutted hills – and it’s incredibly easy to find and maintain the correct driving line in the Jimny because it is so small and there's a tyre at each corner so you know where your wheels are positioned at any one time.

Low-range gearing is good and there's a nice spread of torque across a decent rev range. Traction control is reasonably well calibrated, although it is a little choppy in application now and then.

Basic but crucial physical aspects, such as the Jimny’s off-road angles, are well suited to off-roading with approach, rampover and departure angles clocking in at 37, 28 and 49 degrees respectively. Those help to make this little vehicle a champion in the dirty stuff.

Ground clearance is listed as 210mm but feels like more and while wading depth is not listed, it’s fair to say it’s about the 300mm mark.

Warning: the three-door Jimny is bouncy because it's so small, light and quite tall for its size, and has a narrow wheel-track.

It is very tippy and bouncy and you do get bumped around a lot but that's kind of the point of off-roading in the Jimny. It’s a barrel of laughs purely because it is such a dialled-in and driver-focused experience.

But those characteristics may rapidly become tiresome and tiring for some people who have grown accustomed and attached to more comfort and cushioning in modern vehicles.

This is a very capable off roader and it’s one of the few vehicles you can drive straight out of the showroom and have a tonne of fun in, in the dirt, but it is somewhat let down by its showroom-standard tyres (Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 195/80R15). Replace those with some more aggressive all-terrain rubber and Roberto’s your uncle.

As mentioned earlier, payload is 350kg, GVM is 1450kg.

Towing capacity is 350kg (unbraked) and 1300kg (braked) so you’re limited in how much you can drag with the Jimny, but that's okay because I don’t think too many people are buying a Jimny because they have to tow a caravan, horse float or boat. They’re buying it because it’s a shedload of fun off-road and the Jimny has that factor in abundance.

The new hybrid powertrain offers respectable power delivery that makes the Tucson feel zippy in the city and a relaxed cruiser on the open road.

There can be some over-revving when you’re trying to get up to speed and the accelerator and brake feel touchy at first until you get used to them.

On the hybrid side of things the Elite Hybrid has regenerative braking and there are moments of pure EV mode but it kicks in seemingly when it feels like it. When it is on, there’s practically no engine noise but when it's off, the cabin still remains fairly quiet.

My family went off the paved stuff this week and hit muddy and gravel roads on our quest to find a cool picnic spot, and the Elite Hybrid impressed with how it handled the different terrains. It’s not an off-roader but you can still do mini adventures.

The Tucson is mid-sized and has a very clear reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors, so it’s not too hard to manoeuvre or park.

The real negative feedback is that on three separate occasions, our test car randomly shifted into neutral while driving and to clarify, this did not occur while trying to shift into or out of 'drive' but while on the road, already in drive.

The first time it happened, I thought I had somehow bumped the column shifter but on the other two occasions, I happened to be watching my husband drive and he didn’t touch the shifter.

This is probably just a fault on out test car and not indicative of the model in general but it wasn't fun.

FINALLY! Hyundai has listened to the people.

They have found a workaround for the annoyingly intrusive beeping alerts associated with the traffic sign recognition and speed alert tech. Yes, they still alert unless you turn them off and yes, you still have to turn the damn thing off every time you get in the car, but you not longer have to access five to six menu pages to do so. Hurrah.

The Hyundai Tucson Elite Hybrid N Line has a robust safety features list and includes equipment like blind spot monitoring, driver attention monitoring, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, forward collision warning, LED daytime running lights, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, and front/rear parking sensors.

Our test model misses out on lane departure alert and the lane keeping aid is too intrusive for every day driving. It gets to the point where you wonder who is driving, you or the car.

The Hyundai Tucson has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and the hybrid variants are covered by this as well. It has seven airbags, including, the newer front centre airbag.

The Tucson has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tethers.

Auto emergency braking (AEB) is standard and features car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction assist detection which is operational from 5.0 – 80km/h (85km/h for car) but it's usual to see a higher top speed for the car detection (usually 180km/h).

The Suzuki Jimny has a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Suzuki offers the first service at two months/2000km for free, then under the capped-price servicing program, your Jimny is scheduled for a service every 12 months/15,000km at an average cost of $453.

Those costs are okay for something in the small 4WD realm.

Hyundai offers the Tucson with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty which is pretty standard for the class now. 

You can pre-purchase servicing for up to five years and the breakdowns are as follows.

Three years or up to 30,000km for $1240 (average $413 per service).

Four years or up to 40,000km for $1700 (average $425 per service).

Five years or up to 50,000km for $2040 (average $408 per service).

The five-year pricing is comparable to its rivals and not outrageous for the class.

Servicing intervals could get annoying if you put a lot of kilometres on your car as they sit at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.