Team-BHP - Maruti Jimny 4-door @ Auto Expo 2023

Quote:

Originally Posted by trishulpani (Post 5522702)

We (family of 2 adults and a kid) checked out the Jimny at Nexa Sarjapur (Bangalore). The unanimous reaction was 'meh'. I don't see this sold in large numbers as predicted by many - in fact, the general lack of interest was apparent from the near empty showroom on a weekend. Personally, the hype isn't justified. It didn't feel aspirational, lacks 2nd row space, will have negligible road presence once the novelty wears off and no driver seat hight adjuster. The vehicle maybe a good alternative for a 2nd/3rd car.

P.S. No intention of hurting any Jimny fans or sentiments. Just stating my opinion so please take this with a pinch of salt.

Duly taken with a pinch of salt however you are bang on- on the point of seat height adjustment, that is not pardonable Maruti. Everything else looks good to me. I am sitting on the fence, will only book post a test drive though.

Took a test drive of Grand Vitara at Nexa showroom, Thiruvalla, Kerala, today, not with any intention to buy it, but with the ulterior motive to experience K15B engine, which is to be plonked on Jimny. To express it without ceremony, it is an engine to be rejected outrightly, an absolute disaster, with no pull at all, even in second gear. Shame on a Company that marketed spirited 1.3s with torque to damn a truck in 2007. This engine seemed to be too lifeless with the only intention to generate astounding efficiency figures, which it may. Even if short gearing is employed in Jimny, I am afraid it will not justify the use of this engine, when compared to the rival in the market. ( I hate the new Thar with it's ponderous body and absurd grill, if that's what you mean )

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashley Nair (Post 5522802)

There is no Grand Vitara with K15B engine that is used in Jimny. Grand Vitara engine is K15C, which is turned a little bit towards efficiency than performance.

If you get any earlier Brezza or Urban cruiser, they had the same K15B engine. All Toyota Urban Cruisers had the K15B engine.

Side note: Even the K15B is not a 1.5 litre Turbo charged Gasoline direct injection engine with 150+ BHP and 250+ Nm torque figures. The Jimny with K15B will be slow. A true 4x4 SUV is expected to perform in off-roading scenario and not on racing track.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashley Nair (Post 5522809)

Sorry for putting it as K15 B instead of K15C. Anyhow, both the engines have same roots and more or less of the same character. One does not expect shattering on road performance on an offroader, but what I said is that this engine offered pathetic performance when driven with the sole intention as to "what it will be" by offroading standards. Please take a test drive, of the nearest offering available, before taking up the case.

They may have same roots, but they're different, B is pure NA engine. the C is with the hybrid tech. That hybrid tech actually bogs down the engine. I've used the B in Ciaz (again, can't compare) but with both the 5 speed manual and the 4 speed auto, it was a breeze and I absolutely loved it. It's a very nice engine. Just the tuning matters.

If you want more from that engine, get a throttle controller for starters, see if it works. I heard people saying wonders. Else, you always have a ECU remap option (not sure if the engine has more to offer) but go with caution on that slippery slope as it is recommended to upgrade your air intake and the exhaust also as they come as a set but be ready for a drop in fuel efficiency and reliability.

All in all - it's a nice engine and it'll work just fine.

Here's the differences for you to read up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_K_engine#K15B

EDIT : was looking at the K14C and I liked the numbers with a turbo. Any mod potential there?

EDIT 2 : This is indeed a rabbit hole. And a very deep one at that.

https://www.rotrex.com/centrifugal-s...rcharger-kits/
https://avoturbo.com/turbo-kit-sierra-jimny
https://en.trust-power.com/products/...-catalyzerless

further reading:
https://www.torquecars.com/suzuki/k-series-tuning.php
https://www.torquecars.com/tuning/adding-turbo.php

EDIT 3 : I wish suzuki released a turbo version or added a turbo to this sweetheart of an engine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashley Nair (Post 5522809)

As an owner of XL6 K15C 6AT and driven friend's Brezza K15B manual quite frequently, I would say K15B felt much peppier specially in manual form. This engine sounds even better at 4k rpm. So much that I end up shifting it like that on most occasions. Of course its not like turbo charged petrols available currently but nowhere did i feel its a slouch and resists revving. Even with all this FE never drops below 11kmpl. Try same with turbo charged engines available. One might just lift off the foot from pedal seeing those horrifying numbers.

I would recommend trying the manual Brezza K15B or the Jimny before writing off this engine.

If I ever get a second car in form of Jimny, it will be a manual one.

So I just checked today as to where I could see the 5 door Jimny. Turned out to be on display at Nexa Surakshaa E City (basically the Nexa on the E City Road beneath the elevated Expressway after the Hosa Road junction and before Citroen.)
So I went and took a look today. They had a lime green Jimny on display.

There were lots of people in the showroom and many curious people climbing in and out of the Jimny.
To me it looks pretty proportionate and the vehicle feels well built and pretty solid. Doors and all seem quite reassuringly solid. It feels small and yet rugged. With the seats down there is good luggage space. Pretty comfortable and practical for a small family.

I haven’t sat in it though the showroom chaps invited me to, because there was a large crowd there. But I will go and check it out again.

My first impression was that I liked it. It is very appealing to me as a small, practical, go-anywhere adventure vehicle.

Of course, any purchase decisions etc shall have to be made only after test driving it. Or else best simply wait for a year from now when many early buyers would have gotten tired of it and low run examples will become available in the second hand market.

One thing I will definitely say;
Many people seem to be polarised in their views - like either one has to a Mahindra/ Jeep person or a Suzuki/ Gypsy type person and the inference seems to be that never the two shall meet.

However, to me, both the Thar and the Jimny have their own merits and will succeed with different types of people for different reasons.

It would be great to see the 5 door Thar and how practical that is. Then I think it is best to test drive all the options and then decide.

Some people will choose to own both a Jimny and the Thar. Thats Great! Am happy that the market here is coming of age, in that sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari (Post 5523308)

This is one of those rare occasions when being the first to do something is moot when what you've done is hot garbage.

This video isn't worth even a cursory glance.

How do these guys get hold of these vehicles to ‘test’ prior to everyone else in the country? All normal people are told bookings have just begun and prices arent announced and test drives can only happen towards end of April. Etc. And even then, I am sure they will not have all variants available for test drives.
But yet, all these youtubers seem to get a hold of these vehicles.

I went again to the Jimny Showroom because it is quite close by.

I was able to spend 45 minutes of quality time with the vehicle and there are some little things I m going to put out here along with some pics, basis my observations.

1. It is a myth that there is no shoulder room.
2. The doors open nice and wide. Ingress and egress for a tall person, is easy in front but a bit harder at the back.
3. The boot space is decent with the rear seats up. And very generous with the rear seats down.
4. Even looking through the rear quarter glass, the boot space with the rear seats up, is clearly adequate
5. The glove box is reasonably roomy
6. The map pockets are tiny and narrow and won’t fit any bottles
7. The centre console is sans Armrest but I m sure one can get an accessory. The console has space for bottles though.
8. One might feel the tyres to be a little small but they do have very high sidewalls which are clearly engineered for cushioning. Tyres are HT. One may want to upsize them a bit and go for AT.
9. One can see the rear legroom is just ok. But for tall people for long distances it may need frequent stretch breaks.
10. The vehicle looks proportionate. It feels good. The seats are comfy and even I wasn’t unhappy with the support despite being a tall person.
11. The Fuel tank lid is on the right. It has no key so there is a remote opener.
12. The fit and finish of the vehicle is good. The weight of the doors feels good. It has no ugly panel gaps.
13. The vehicle is well proportioned and not an eyesore at all.
14. Yes it is a narrow 4x4 but that is fantastic for hill stations and narrow tracks, it will fit beautifully on those 8 feet wide estate tracks.
15. The interior space design and space management is definitely good.
16. The indicator on the console showing all doors open is a great thing to have.
17. I like the simplicity of the instrument console.
18.. The showroom chap was kind enough to start the engine too, so that I could hear it. Predictably it is a silent and smooth typical Suzuki engine. See the exhaust manifold and its lovely insulation.
19. The instruments are easy to read. The controls on and around the steering are easy to use. The knobs and buttons are easily accessed.
20. The steering adjusts for rake but not reach. But being a compact little vehicle, I don’t see this as a problem.

All in all this is definitely a good vehicle and I think it has been worth the wait. It will, as I said before, be good for a certain target segment. And let me state here clearly once again, that as the owner of a New Thar and a Gypsy, the Thar and Jimny are not really in competition with each other in that sense. Each of them has clear merits.
As I said before there are a number of people who will happily buy and own both.
I may very well become one of this group of people.
But I think it will be prudent and sensible to wait and see how the 5 door Thar is and test drive that as well as the Jimny AT and MT and then make a decision.