Suzuki Jimny - what is a good SUV and what equipment to choose

There are few real SUVs left in the world. There is a logical explanation for this - most drivers do not need frame cars with solid axles and a simple spring and / or spring suspension. Moreover, they are always more expensive than the same crossovers.


The difference in price is explained simply, frame SUVs are cars of an archaic design, originally from the time when cars were made for decades. Accordingly, they are reliable and maintainable, and this implies the use of high-quality materials.

One of the few "old school" frame SUVs is the Suzuki Jimny. This car has been in production since 1970. Now in Russia they are selling new fourth-generation SUVs. They debuted in 2018.



New cars offer from 2 rubles in the most budget configuration. In the "top" for an SUV, they ask from 419 million. But you need to understand that this is the initial price - if you order a car with a number of additional options, the cost can increase by 000-2,649%.

Does it make sense to pay such a huge amount of money for a miniature Suzuki Jimny? And how does the basic equipment differ from the “top-end” one, if the difference in cost is essentially small?

Features of the Russian versions

Let's start with the fact that all Suzuki Jimny are assembled exclusively in Japan. This is good, but for Russia, engineers from the land of the rising sun have prepared a simplified version. If we compare the models for our and for the European market, they have many differences.



For example, for Russia, all cars, even in the "top" configuration, are equipped with two airbags. European versions have six of them.



The Japanese explain this simplification of the design simply. After analyzing the markets and purchasing power, it was decided to supply just such Suzuki Jimny to Russia. This made it possible to offer customers low prices, especially since customers already resented the cost.

Exterior and interior

If the third generation Suzuki Jimny looks like a toy, then the latest regeneration model looks more serious. The SUV is somewhat reminiscent of a Mercedes Gelendvagen in miniature - it is not for nothing that some companies produce tuning kits that help to achieve the identity of two cars.



The car looks serious and no longer causes condescending smiles. It is immediately clear that this is still an SUV. Although an outside observer will not suspect a leader in cross-country ability in this little car, not only in its class.

Inside, the new Suzuki Jimny surprises with unexpected spaciousness, especially compared to the previous generation model. There was a cabin filter, which was not there before. In the "top" configuration there is climate control with a display, in the basic versions there is air conditioning.

The most expensive modification received a multimedia system with a color touch screen and standard navigation. There is also control of the descent from the mountain. The basic version is devoid of these "excesses". Surprisingly, the latest generation Suzuki Jimny demonstrates the build quality in the cabin and the absence of "crickets".

The transfer case is switched not with a button, but with a lever, as it was with the car of the second regeneration. The Japanese manufacturer listened to customer complaints! Driving with all-wheel drive on asphalt is not recommended, otherwise it will fail after a year or two of such operation.

The car is considered a four-seater, but in fact only two are comfortable here. It is better to fold the back row and adapt it for luggage - then you can even go on a week-long trip. Buying a Suzuki Jimny for a family is far from the best decision. Passengers will remember a trip of 100 or more kilometers, especially in summer. Although, if someone had experience in operating the Zaporozhets, it would be quite convenient.



The trunk of the Suzuki Jimny is only 98 liters. If you fold the rear row, it will increase to 830 liters. But the carrying capacity of the model is only 300 kg - this is together with the driver and passengers.

Technical features

Although the fourth generation looks much more brutal than the third, in this miniature car you can’t guess a full-fledged SUV.

Suzuki Jimny has a number of attributes to be called a real "rogue":


✅ Frame
✅ Continuous bridges
✅ Spring suspension


New cars have one drawback - road tires. Most buyers for whom the Suzuki Jimny will be the second or third car in the family immediately change them to something “evil” and “toothy” designed for off-road use.



Although Japanese cars are notorious for their low corrosion resistance, the Suzuki Jimny is off the charts in this regard. For example, its frame is covered with a thick layer of a special anti-gravel compound, and this is the most vulnerable part of the structure on cars from the land of the rising sun.

The transfer box is covered by standard protection. It is not plastic, as on some crossovers, but from honest steel 2 mm thick. Such protection, even from strong blows, will not be broken - at most it will bend.



The engine under the hood of the Suzuki Jimny is new - now it is a power unit under the K15V index. The working volume of the engine is 1,5 liters, but it develops a power of 102 hp. With. The gearboxes are the same as in the third generation model - a modified 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmission.

The engine is picky about the quality of fuel and calmly “digests” 92 gasoline, although the owners recommend pouring 95 all the same.

How does it go?

In the city, the Suzuki Jimny engine is enough for a dynamic ride. The visibility and square mirrors are pleasing, in which everything that is happening behind is visible. The windshield is almost vertical - for the city it's good.

Despite its compactness, a small SUV is not designed for sharp maneuvering - the height of the body and the profile of the seats do not contribute to this. In sharp turns, the car rolls dangerously. But the regular stabilization system helps out. But the brakes do not cope with sudden stops.

On the track, the car accelerates to 80 km / h, then a failure occurs. At a speed of 100 km / h, overtaking is already difficult. If you want more dynamics - you need to choose a car with a manual transmission. The four-speed automatic transmission is too “thoughtful”.



But one has only to pull off on a country road, as Suzuki Jimny demonstrates its advantages. Suspension "swallows" all the bumps. Unlike the third generation model, the new Suzuki Jimny is not "goaty", although there is enough energy intensity.

What if you get a used one?

If it’s a pity to pay for a new Japanese SUV from 2,49 million rubles, maybe it makes sense to look for a decent copy on the used market? So-so idea, given that this car is asked for from 2 million, and its condition can be unpredictable.



Suzuki Jimny is a toy for off-road lovers. In fact, this is a "Niva" of the Japanese assembly. Is it worth paying that kind of money for a small SUV - everyone must decide for himself.