The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is not for the fainthearted. Its rugged looks and the mechanical driving experience do bring back memories of a direct connection between the person behind the wheel and the vehicle, which is no longer there. With a legendary offroading status, we decided to take the SUV out of its comfort zone and drive it in daily urban conditions, where it tackles the slowmoving traffic on tarmac rather than exploring the roads less travelled. We find out if the compact 4×4 SUV is a onedimensional vehicle or can be adjusted to the demands of city life.
The compact dimensions of the Jimny make it a breeze to drive around the city, especially when one is forced to weave through the traffic or drive in narrow lanes. What will surprise you is the dimensions of the Jimny, as it is shorter in length and narrower in width than its sibling, the Baleno. Even though the oldschool SUV has a marginally longer wheelbase of 2,590 mm as compared to the hatchback’s 2,520 mm, the Baleno is 3,990 mm in length (+5 mm) and 1,745 mm in width (+100 mm). Another advantage the Jimny offers is the ease with which it can be parked, as one doesn’t need a lot of space.
The space in the Jimny is like a doubleedged sword. Sure, the compact dimensions of the SUV can be slightly deceiving. There’s enough space for four adults, who can sit comfortably and go for long drives. They can stretch their limbs and enjoy the road trip. The flipside is that the four adult occupants will have to pack light, as the Jimny only offers 211 litres of boot space, which is quite limited. If only two people are travelling, then the second row seats can be folded down, which offers 332 litres.
In terms of storage options in the cabin, it’s quite limited. Narrow door pads are present, aside from the glove box in front. For rear passengers, they have to make do with the seatback pockets. The second row also lacks a USB charging port, rear air conditioning vents, or even an armrest. There are only two cupholders in the cabin, which are placed in the centre console.
Before we get into the details, you have to keep in mind that we are only looking at how the Jimny behaves in city limits. Based on a ladder frame chassis and armed with a threelink rigid axle with coil springs for the suspension setup, the Jimny is a beast on rough, challenging terrains, but the same cannot be said on the tarmac. It takes a bit to get used to, but it has a bumpy ride and tends to wallow a bit, and the bouncy nature of the coil springs can be very evident for rear passengers. The Jimny trashes potholes, ditches, and even speed breakers, but feels a bit nervous on flat roads.
What goes go in the Jimny’s favour is the traditional boxlike shape that gives the person behind the wheel a clear view, along with the tall, upright seating position.
The Jimny has some rough edges, like the electrically powered steering wheel, which is quite frankly quite heavy and will not get many takers. To add to the challenge is the Jimny’s long turning radius that makes it difficult to take a quick Uturn, as you’ll have to take a wider line. This may not always be possible with chockablock traffic.
Let’s start with the 4speed automatic torque converter transmission, as we were driving the automatic version. It offers muchneeded driving convenience in the city, especially during the rush hour traffic. Yes, Maruti Suzuki has been slammed time and time again for using an archaic gearbox with tall gear ratios, but it gets the job done. The Jimny is not a vehicle that can be pushed around when you want to quickly accelerate; rather, you have to take a measured approach, but it easily cruises over the threedigit speed. As the fivespeed manual gearbox is quite vague, doesn’t slot in smoothly, and sometimes leaves you searching for the right gear, the automatic spares you from all that headache.
There is no easy way to say it, but the 1.5litre naturally aspirated petrol engine is fairly underpowered, and the figures of 103 bhp and 134.2 Nm are below average for your daily commute. Keeping in mind that the Jimny weighs around 1.5 tonnes, once it picks up pace, the engine tends to start gulping down fuel. In realworld driving conditions in the city, the Jimny automatic returned over 14 kmpl, but we achieved this by keeping an eye on the fuel gauge. Otherwise, it should offer a mileage of 12 kmpl.
The Jimny has managed to cover all the basics when it comes to features. It has a 9inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a scratchresistant dashboard, four speakers, all power windows, and an analogue instrument cluster with a multiinformation display.
It comes standard with six airbags, ABS with EBD, hill hold and hill descent controls, a rearview camera, and ISOFIX child seat anchorages.
The Jimny is only available in 4×4 and is available in two trims—Zeta and Alpha—priced at Rs 12.76 lakh and Rs 14.96 lakh, exshowroom. Currently, Nexa dealers in Delhi are offering at least Rs 1 lakh off on the top model. The Jimny is not for everyone, though it has a road presence like no other vehicle. It lacks the creature comforts one is used to and makes one feel like a fish out of water on the tarmac. Though the Jimny continues to be the ultimate offroading machine, it remains a great second car option.
