Fancy yourself as a Sunday cruiser or an off-road enthusiast? Then you have hit the jackpot! The Suzuki Jimny ticks both boxes brilliantly to ferry you around in great comfort and when it is off-roading time, proves itself to be a commendable off-road warrior. This 4x4 is thus a highly versatile machine as both a cruiser and an off-roader.
Before we get to the behind the wheel experience, let's get down to the nitty gritty. This third generation JB43 3-door Jimny is powered by a 1.3L M13A 4 cylinder DOHC engine with 16 valves that channel 62.5 kw of horsepower and 110 Nm of torque to the part-time 4WD (with 2WD, 4WD and 4WD-L mode) either through a 5 speed manual transmission or a 4 speed automatic transmission. Fuel distribution to each 4 cylinders will be taken care of by the multipoint injection system.
Stopping task will be taken care of by front disc brake and rear drum brake.
Both ends are suspended on Suzuki's 3-link rigid axle with coil spring. The front wheels are steered by the recirculating ball type steering and power assistance is provided by the hydraulic power steering.
Onto the exterior, the 4x4 sports 3 doors. Exterior colours are available with the options of Silky Silver Metallic, Superior White, Ever Green and Quasar Gray.
Headlamps are halogen multireflector, and fog lamps are standard for both manual and automatic variant.
The Jimny rolls on 205/70R15 with either steel wheels (manual variant) or aluminium-alloy wheels (automatic variant). The spare tyres also share the same dimension and rim material.
Now onto the interior. Open the door and you will be greeted by a rather spartan interior and its comfortable fabric seat, and by the way, the Jimny is a 4 seater only, both on the manual and automatic variants. If you are looking to ferry more than 4 people then this may be a deal breaker.
Power adjustable side mirrors, power windows (front), manual air conditioner and rear window demister are standard on both manual and automatic variants.
Luggage capacity is 816 litres, but you can add an extra 324 litres thanks to the 50:50-split single folding rear seat. Cup holders are available, front and back.
Just below the air conditioning control knobs are the buttons for switching between 2WD, 4WD and 4WD-L. To engage 4WD, make sure it is done with the 4x4 stationary and move the gear selector to neutral. Hold the 4WD button for a good few second until it makes a 'thud' sound signalling that it is engaged.
Onto the safety front, SRS dual front airbags, 3-point ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) seatbelts (front and back), ISOFIX child seat anchorage, anti-lock braking system and immobiliser will keep you secure behind the wheel.
Power adjustable side mirrors, power windows (front), manual air conditioner and rear window demister are standard on both manual and automatic variants.
Luggage capacity is 816 litres, but you can add an extra 324 litres thanks to the 50:50-split single folding rear seat. Cup holders are available, front and back.
Just below the air conditioning control knobs are the buttons for switching between 2WD, 4WD and 4WD-L. To engage 4WD, make sure it is done with the 4x4 stationary and move the gear selector to neutral. Hold the 4WD button for a good few second until it makes a 'thud' sound signalling that it is engaged.
Onto the safety front, SRS dual front airbags, 3-point ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) seatbelts (front and back), ISOFIX child seat anchorage, anti-lock braking system and immobiliser will keep you secure behind the wheel.
This 4x4 retails at (if you live in the Peninsular) RM 83,755.23 for the manual variant and RM 88,893.03 for the automatic variant, both OTR with insurance and inclusive of GST.
So how is it behind the wheel? I would say it is more of a cruiser, so do not expect any sports car performance. If that is what you are looking for, then the Jimny is not for you.
The 4x4 filters out road bumps superbly, great not to draw complains from your spouse. It's steering is light and precise and offers decent feedback.
However, overtaking can be a chore no thanks to it's lethargic automatic transmission (no manual variant available on the day of test drive). Floor the throttle, the engine rev spikes up but the extra rev does not translate into smooth, quick overtaking manoeuvre. The pick-up feels like orang makan angin punya style.
Onto the brakes, the Jimny seems to take ages to stop. Stomp on the brake as hard as you want, the Jimny does not stop with great alacrity.
So to reiterate about it's cruiser reputation, please do not treat it like a Porsche 991 GT3 RS or whatever sportscar that you can think of. The Jimny is built for on-the-road comfort cruising, not adrenalin pumping spirited driving.
How is it when off-roading? Well, according to my sister's friend (who tagged along and took the wheel off-roading since he is an experienced off-roader), the Jimny feels a lot lighter in contrast to his Hilux, hence responsive. Extrapolating from his views, this writer feels this 4x4 is a highly capable off-road warrior that will appease any off-roading enthusiasts seeking to find great pleasure in their off-roading experience.
To sum up, the Suzuki Jimny is perfect for a comfortable long distance cruising and muddy trails plus uneven terrain.
