After almost 20 years, Suzuki has finally replaced the first-gen Jimny with an all-new model.
Instead of adhering to current market trend that want SUVs being focused on tarmac instead of off-roading, Suzuki kept the Jimny as close as possible to the original recipe, meaning a ladder frame chassis, solid axles and a tiny footprint.
This makes the new Jimny not only one of the most off road-capable SUVs in the market today, but also the most affordable one.
Power comes from a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 100hp and 95.8 lb-ft (130Nm) of torque. It may not sound that much, but the engine apparently gets the job done, especially in off-road conditions along with the standard low range transfer case. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a four-speed automatic is an option.
Perhaps the bigger concern for off-road fans is the absence of locking differentials; Suzuki has instead equipped the new Jimny with a torque-vectoring system that applies the brakes on the free-spinning wheel in order to shift torque across the axle.
So, the new Jimny is quite capable, but can it follow a Toyota Land Cruiser (in its rather tasty three-door, barebones, manual version) on a demanding off-road course? Autocar finds out in the video that follows.