Suzuki Jimny ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

What do you think dogs and cars have in common? You would think nothing but actually they both age very quickly and have relatively short lives compared to us Humans. The average life cycle of a car is much shorter than a few decades ago at around six years but there are a handful of models that soldier on for a lot longer. Suzuki's pint-sized mudplugger the Jimny has been on sale since 1970 yet is only in its third generation. The current model has been around since 1998 but has received some very minor tweaks recently but is there still life in the old dog? Read on to find out.

The Jimny is an old school offroader through and through with its ladder frame construction with beam axles at both front and rear. Together with the selectable low ratio box it's a formidable tool for tackling the tough stuff that few rivals can match. It's tiny overhangs make for impressive entry and departure angles and the long travel suspension ensures that the Jimmy is never wanting for traction when the going gets really tough.

Unfortunately the ancient architecture will leave you wanting when back on road. For starters, oddly the ride tends to shudder over smaller undulations yet smooths out larger ones and it feels overly spongy. Things don't improve when cornering as there isn't much grip, there's lots of body sway and mid-corner bumps ricochet through the steering column. Furthermore the agricultural gearbox isn't nice to use and the steering feels distant in it's responses forcing the driver to make minor corrections when cornering.

Under then bonnet is a trusty 1.3 litre petrol engine that produces 84 bhp. It's a characterful unit that needs to be worked hard to get the best from it constantly stirring the gearbox to keep make the most of the power on offer. It's tiny capacity makes it pretty economical for a car of this type returning over 40 mpg whilst with us, its just a little bit of a letdown that its not cleaner as it falls into tax band G.

The cabin is very primitive in its design and construction. Although it is clearly built to withstand whatever life throws at it in true Suzuki tradition but it lacks the squidgy materials that are available in rivals. Equipment levels are also decent with electric mirrors, remote central locking, CD player, faux leather seats and ABS. Also despite no steering wheel adjustment or height adjustable drivers seat its very easy to get comfortable with brilliant visibility thanks to the Jimmy's low window line and slim pillars. It makes the car shrink around you giving plenty of confidence zipping around congested cities.

Space in the front is plentiful with comfortable, supportive seats and access to the rear is excellent as the seats slide well out of the way. Once in the rear legroom is at a premium if the front seat occupants are of reasonable height but headroom is fine, the boot is also a useful size. For added versatility the seats can also be folded increasing its carrying capacity by some margin.

There is still lots to like about the Jimny's appearance despite its age. It has a squared-off, upright, cheeky look that has all of the rugged features (bulging arches and tailgate mounted spare wheel) that you would expect. The recent refresh has seen revised bumpers but the changes are hard to spot. Even so you can't help but smile when you see the dinky Suzuki.

Tech Data

Price as tested: £13,295
Engine: 1.3 litre 16v 84 bhp - 0-62 mph: 14.1 secs - Maximum Speed: 87 mph -
Economy: 31.7 mpg (urban) –47.1 mpg (extra-urban), 39.8 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 162 g/km - Band G (12 months): £215
Dimensions: Length: 3675 mm - Width: 1600 mm - Height: 1705 mm - Wheelbase: 2250 mm
*data from Suzuki UK

DriverVIBE Verdict

Despite the Jimny's age it still does what is was designed to do very well indeed. Off the beaten track there is nothing quite like it for the money. Its also cheap to buy and run and makes a good city car because of those dinky dimensions. That said on longer journeys its unrefined ride, breathless engine and poor handling make the little Suzuki very tiresome. It also lacks the practicality of newer rivals. Still the Jimny has lots of charm and character which for a lot of people will be exactly what they are looking for.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.co.uk).