To put it as mildly as possible, older small Suzuki SUVs might have been excellent off-road, but weren’t known for their handling and grip on the tarmac. Thus, it’s only natural to wonder whether the new Jimny is any better.
The 2019 Jimny was subjected to the (in)famous ‘moose’ test, which has claimed quite a few victims over the years. The goal was to see if it can avoid an obstacle in front of it and then get back in its lane as quick as possible at moderate speeds.
At 76 km/h (47 mph), 1 km/h (0.6 mph) slower than the goal, the 2019 Jimny couldn’t complete this maneuver. The steering was slow to respond, requiring the driver to act extremely fast, and the low grip of the tires didn’t help either. The vehicle also failed to pass the test at 71 km/h (44 mph), as it knocked down one of the cones.
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By lowering the speed to 68 km/h (42 mph), the Jimny managed to complete the test. Nevertheless, it wasn’t ‘magna cum laude’, but rather OK-ish, mainly due to the electronic aids kicking in.
The slalom course concluded the test, with KM77 stating that the small SUV it has moderate body roll and that it takes time to change its trajectory.
So, the new Jimny, which uses a body-on-frame chassis, unlike the unibody of other subcompact crossovers, is an improvement over its predecessors. And, as long as it is driven at moderate speeds, it will handle better.