A JALOPY or whatever quotation you may seek to describe the Suzuki Jimny, it matters not.
But on the road it does its job- so agreed the naysers as they stopped and looked at this boxy shape of a design.
Albeit, I did not take it off-road as customary, it did bode well though from one point to another as a result of errands and church services, et al.
It has that robust shape that adds to Jimny appeal and a chunky “let’s go off-road” feel.
This 4×4 provides enough visibility for both driver and passenger, so does for passengers
And it accommodates everyone from the tallest to yes, you know what I mean, lol.
This brings me to the point- most of the drivers came as tall and burly, that really shows how well has it been received in the market. It continues to outshine its competitors, according to Suzuki SA.
The Jimny has a 4 cylinder multi-point injection 16 valve motor that offers 75 kW of power and 130 Nm of torque at 4000rpm.
The 1.5 engine delivers good torque over a wide range of revs. It comes standard with alloy rims and tyres that are 195/80/15. In the off-road department, the Jimny has a departure angle of 49˚, a break-over angle of 28˚, an approach angle of 37˚ and ground clearance of 210mm.
The plan was to cross the border to Swaziland for the MTN Bushfire; but that did not happen. Since Jimny boast the 50/50 rear split seats when folded flat, it provides ample packing space for four- depending on the luggage. I had insisted to my travelling crew ‘no over-board bags’ or ‘ladies’ luggages, since space is very limited.
In most cases we did about 2200rpm at 80km/h and just above 3000rpm at 100km/h from Soweto to Magaliesberg and Brits for a mini camp- mostly on tar roads.
Safety features include dual front airbags, seat belt pretensioners, Isofix child restraint mounts at the rear, side impact beams, ABS, stability control, hill descent control and brake assist.
The interior offers a 12v socket, a USB port, a multi-function steering wheel with audio, phone and cruise control functions. It has a tilt adjust steering column, central locking, electric windows, touch-screen infotainment system, power steering and air conditioning.
The Jimny is available in a variety of colour options.
It also has a shift lever that allows you to switch between 2H and 4H up to speeds of 100 km/h. It also incorporates a (LSD) Limited Slip Diff and electronic stability control which redistributes torque to the wheels with most traction when out on the 4×4 trails.
The (HDC) Hill Descent Control maintains a descent speed of 10 km/h in 4WD high range and 5 km/h in 4WD low range.
Jalopy or not- Jimny continues to be my ideal 4×4 since fuel has increased.
The Jimny has a 4 year/60 000 km service plan and a 5 year/200 000 km mechanical warranty.
It retails for R 336 900
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (5)
Fuel 1-10 (3)
Image (The Jimny has that lets go off road appeal).
