The Jimny 5-door has finally been introduced in our market and Suzuki Auto SA chose to show off its newcomer’s talents by giving it a starring role in a Botswana adventure. We tagged along to see if the longer and more practical Jimny is the one to have.
The Jimny is one of the Hamamatsu-based brand’s most iconic models. What’s not to like? It’s a refreshingly simple pint-sized off-roader with formidable capability and adorable Kei-car styling; it tugs on the heartstrings – that’s why Suzuki has sold thousands of units across 4 generations of the model.
However, the Jimny’s detractors will be quick to say that its compromised practicality limits the appeal of the product; even in its latest (4th) iteration, the Jimny’s 85-litre load bay and 3-door configuration are big drawbacks considering the versatility offered by equivalently priced compact crossovers or SUVs.
Enter the Jimny 5-door.
What’s New?
To create the Jimny 5-door, Suzuki extended the wheelbase of the ladder-frame-based 4th-gen model by 340 mm. That additional length allows for the fitment of 2 more doors and the load-bay capacity to more than double to 211 litres. The resultant kerb weight increase is not huge: a gain of just over 100 kg.
Mechanically, the Jimny 5-door uses the same powertrain as the 3-door. As a reminder, the engine on duty is the K15B naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol mill. Outputs of 75 kW and 130 Nm are claimed, and customers have the choice of either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed automatic.
Suzuki Auto SA offers 3 derivatives of the 5-door variant: an entry-level 1.5 GL and the 1.5 GLX in manual and automatic guises. For a detailed look at the specifications and features, click here.
What is it like to drive?
Our vehicle of choice for the evaluation drive was a Chiffon Ivory 1.5 GLX automatic. It passed its first test all right: I could fit my luggage in the load bay! Remember, if you want even more load space, you can fold the rear seats down. Then I attempted a sit-behind-myself test (to sit in the back behind the driver’s seat that had been set up for me)… Again, success, although headroom for tall people may be an issue.
We’ve always preferred a stick-shift in Suzuki models because the brand’s 5-speed manual tends to be easy to use thanks to a slick shift action, but, to be fair, the 4-speed automatic has never disappointed.
The auto ‘box performs satisfactorily at urban speeds, but once you’re travelling at near the national speed limit, the vehicle does tend to feel ill at ease, not that manual derivatives fare any better in that regard. At this point, you’re probably thinking the Jimny is ponderous and yes, it’s not great at cruising or in cut-and-thrust driving conditions, but remember it’s an off-roader: being sprightly isn’t its core focus.
To illustrate my point: at 120 kph, the Jimny’s engine is revving at above 3 000 rpm and sounds quite buzzy, so we would advise reducing speed to 100 kph to enjoy a more relaxed and refined open-road cruise. Otherwise, the engine revs freely and performs willingly when you drive in a sedate manner.
The big question is: Can the engine cope with the 5-door additional 100 kg of weight? We’d say yes.
Seeing as punchy in-gear acceleration is NOT the Suzuki Jimny’s forte, you need to adopt a measured approach (and apply some patience) when overtaking slower traffic. Despite some full-throttle overtakes on the open road, however, the 5-door was frugal, with our trip computer displaying a tidy 7.5 L/100 km.
The Jimny’s 15-inch alloys (wrapped in chunky 195/80 tyres) help to soak up the road’s imperfections, which is just as well… The R521 and R572 tar roads near the hamlet of Alldays are in appalling condition and riddled with potholes – many of which are substantial enough to cause serious damage. Many late swerves were required to avoid those treacherous pits and that was when we were reminded that the Jimny exhibits quite a bit of body roll, but that’s to be expected, given its ladder-frame underpinnings.
Can the Jimny 5-door still 4×4?
The Jimny 5-door’s so-so road manners are soon forgotten the moment we slowed down and headed off the tar, however. Despite its additional length, the more practical Jimny seems to have retained its iconic off-road capabilities. Once we hit the trails, the diminutive Suzuki put all its remarkable talents on display.
For the stats fans, ground clearance is rated at 210 mm and the approach, breakover and departure angles are an impressive 36 degrees, 24 degrees and 47 degrees respectively. The AllGrip Pro is a part-time system with the user able to select from 2High, 4High and 4Low range. The Jimny also features hill descent control and can simulate a differential lock via selective braking courtesy of the ABS software.
Our launch route took us through the Botswana border at Platjan over the Limpopo River and we then spent most of the route traversing many of the dried river beds. These are made up of thick sand with quite a few rocks that needed to be climbed, and the Jimny proved highly agile over those obstacles.
When I drive off-road, I prefer to use as little of the 4×4 hardware as possible, so I can judge under which conditions a vehicle will be at ease and where/when it may struggle. Bigger/heavier off-roaders may have required 4L and low range on some parts of our trail, but the Jimny could keep up with the convoy in 4H.
Our 2-day adventure pushed the Jimny 5-door’s talents (not to mention its pilots’ skillsets) to the limit and, while we suspect few owners will tackle such extreme off-road conditions in their plucky lil’ Suzukis, it’s comforting to know that this cute-looking off-roader is far more 4×4-biased than may appear.
How much does the Suzuki Jimny 5-door cost in South Africa?
Jimny 5-door derivatives come with a 5-year/200 000 km warranty and 4-year/60 000 km service plan.
| Jimny 5-door 1.5 GL Manual | R429 900 |
| Jimny 5-door 1.5 GLX Manual | R457 900 |
| Jimny 5-door 1.5 GLX Auto | R479 900 |
Summary
If you were thinking about buying a new Suzuki Jimny only to be dissuaded by its limited practicality, the 5-door largely addresses that shortcoming. Even if it isn’t sprightly, the tiny off-roader is well suited to commuting – its compact dimensions and excellent exterior visibility make it easy to drive and park.
However, the Jimny remains a niche model and still has other shortcomings, such as its performance (or lack thereof) at triple-digit speeds, and not everyone will appreciate its ruggedness and off-road abilities.
Still, if you desire an undeniably cool vehicle that offers “many smiles per mile” and will positively ace a gravel track or potholed road, then the Suzuki Jimny 5-door should be towards the top of your list.
We know that the Jimny can tackle the rough stuff with ease, but what will it be like to drive closer to home? We look forward to driving the 5-door variant extensively in the near future.
Further Reading
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