Sold Out Suzuki Jimny
Finally, almost two decades after the current Jimny's launch, Suzuki is about to introduce a new gen and we have official images of the tiny crossover. The latest Jimny was first launched on the Japanese domestic market last year and unveiled for Europe at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. It became available in New Zealand earlier this year and quickly sold out, with orders extending to the end of 2019.
Suzuki pulled out of the North American market back in 2013. But many of us have been pining for the tiny off-road jewel that is the Suzuki Jimny for much longer.Suzuki just announced the 2019 Jimny, and we want it!
Sadly, though, Suzuki is just going to tease us. It doesn’t need us. The brand has sold the Jimny in “194 countries and regions” since 1970. In total, it has sold more than 2.85 million so far, and not one was sold new in the U.S. That’s a lot of tiny off-road vehicles.While diminutive off-roaders haven’t shown strong sales in the U.S., maybe times have changed. The only “small” true off-road vehicle currently offered on the American market is the Jeep Wrangler. And with alone, the Wrangler managed to outsell the overall top U.S.-selling vehicle, the Toyota Camry.
Suzuki's Off-Road Samurai Gets High-Tech RebootSuzuki teased an off-road concept ahead of its Tokyo Motor Show unveiling this month. And it looks like a (post) modern twist on an old favorite.Clearly, there’s an American market for capable, smaller off-road vehicles.
2019 Suzuki JimnyWhy would we want this compact off-roader? Because it should be extremely easy on the wallet as well as capable, fuel efficient, and looks stunning!The fourth-generation Suzuki Jimny will be a proper off-road vehicle. It will have a ladder frame, which looks to be boxed and cross-braced for serious durability and rigidity. And it will sit on solid axels and have a selectable low range as well as a legit part-time four-wheel-drive transfer case.
Source: SuzukiWhile all the specs aren’t out yet, we do know that the Jimny will be offered with a four-speed automatic and a five-speed manual transmission. Details on the powerplants remain vague.The Japanese market will probably get an engine as small as a 660-cc inline three-cylinder.
The rest of the world will probably have a few options, up to a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder. Don’t expect a V6, like in the Wrangler, or what American’s truly love, a big V8.Besides being rugged, capable, and probably massively fuel efficient, the little Jimny will also be pretty comfortable.The interior looks utilitarian but also has some nice creature comforts. It has a sizable touchscreen infotainment system, keyless push-button start, air conditioning, cruise control, and a multifunction steering wheel. You even get such modern touches as LED headlamps, halogen fog lamps, and electric retractable door mirrors.Suzuki is even thinking about safety. It has outfitted the Jimny with a forward collision warning and braking system. The system uses sensors and cameras to apply emergency braking when approaching obstacles at too high a rate of speed. The Jimny Is CuteBesides all its capabilities and modern refinements, we really want this little off-road machine because it looks cute as hell!
We do mean small, as it’s a four-seater — and a snug one at that.The Jimny has a chiseled, boxy shape, which should last the test of time. Think Land Rover Defender, Willys Jeep, and Mercedes G-Wagon. Boxy works, both for optimum space and longevity on the market.Initially, the Jimny will be offered in eight color options. I really like the two-tone options with the blacked-out roofline. They remind me of old Land Rovers.And the two-tone “Chiffon Ivory Metallic” might be my favorite. It looks very safari ready. Nope, No Jimny for USSuzuki no longer sells vehicles in the U.S.
And doesn’t plan to. The Jimny is going into its fifth-generation, the first redesign since 1998. It finally has the features and comforts American buyers are looking for but has no brand dealer base in this country to sell through.Maybe someday, but for now we can just keep dreaming. We have to just look at the rest of the world and their tiny Jimnys with desire and resignation.Suzuki, we want the Jimny!
We also have some rather funny spy shots of a prototype undergoing testing on public roads while disguised to look like a downsized Mercedes G-Class. The attached pictures remind us of an old Jimny transformed into a we talked about earlier in the year.Getting back to the slider images, one of them allows us to take a good look inside. The right-hand-drive example has a significantly changed cabin compared to the outgoing model, with the infotainment’s screen positioned up high on the center console.
Sold Out Suzuki Jimny 2018
Below sits a pair of square air vents featuring a different design than those on the sides, which frankly look like they’ve been carried over from the outgoing generation. The Jimny illustrated in the official image was fitted with an automatic transmission and had a steering wheel quite similar to that of the Swift. Speaking of which, the supermini’s three rotary dials on the center stack will likely make the transition towards the next Jimny, but with a few changes.Very few technical details are known at the moment of writing, but the next-gen model is rumored to employ Suzuki’s Allgrip Pro 4x4 system for true off-roading capabilities enhanced by low-range gearing. It will not ride on the same platform as the Ignis and Baleno since it’s expected to retain the ladder frame construction. As for power, the turbocharged 1.0-liter BoosterJet three-cylinder unit could be in the offing, along with a smaller turbo 0.66-liter and a naturally aspirated 1.2-liter mill.When will we see it?
Considering today’s substantial leak, Suzuki might want to host the world premiere late October at the Tokyo Motor Show, with a market launch set for early 2018. It won’t be in Frankfurt next month as the will be the company’s main star at the event.