I got an overall average fuel efficiency of 14.5 km/l during return - through significant traffic.

BHPian RDS recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I completed another approx. 850 km trip to the Himalayas. It was a fabulous one.

Because of dimensions, Jimny was highly manoeuvrable in cities and tight spots. Well, I never had issues with a "long" turning radius, and with a little practice, it is easily manageable.

I took the Ramnagar route due to the rush on the main route because of the holiday season. It is a kind of single-lane road with lots of twists and turns, but with Jimny, it was a non-issue.

Whenever I passed through broken roads, it was joyful because I could cruise at 30-40 where others were doing 5 to 10! This was especially true when during my return, I took a less used path through a slightly remote area because of great jams at tolls.

Highway manners were pretty good. As a matter of fact, till 80-90, Jimny behaves almost like a hatchback from the driver's perspective, composed and manoeuvrable.

I was able to access remote areas that I would usually not go to on a monocoque SUV or sedan. Used 4H when stuck and Hill Descent control sometimes, it was a wow experience. I also used OD off on mountains significantly and it was fabulous.

I got an overall average of 14.5 km/l during return - approx 360-370 Km journey through significant traffic, which I would term as beyond my expectations. I had 3-4 bars of fuel remaining after reaching home - no fuel filling even once. I started around 90% tank full.

Now that 4000 Kms are complete and the engine should be pretty well set, I am looking forward to start using EVCX to make the trips even more enjoyable after another 500-1000 Kms.

One last major and very important point - As per my last post, I mentioned that as soon as the last bar is left, you still have 8-10 litres of fuel remaining.

This time I again noticed the same, and this is now re-confirmed. However, one should not wait till empty to refill, as that can impact systems.

But, yes, there should not be high anxiety when you just reach the last bar, the indicator shows a 30-35 km fuel range and the next pump is 50-60 KMs away!!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

My other car in India is a Honda city and that’s hardly driven after Jimny’s arrival.

BHPian Catamaran recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Installed the "Jimny optimized sound package" by Pioneer and what a difference it made. The sound delivery is in a different level now compared to the stock speakers. It’s a six speaker plug and play set up with the additional tweeters installed on the A Pillar. Came with the woofer baffles and tweeter brackets for A Pillar. Looks very neat. The tweeter bracket is precisely made for the Jimny A Pillar and doesn’t look like an aftermarket fitment.

Done damping on all 4 doors and the sound output is crystal clear. However the bass is just adequate due to the absence of a sub-woofer. All in all well worth the investment and highly recommended if you are looking for a speaker upgrade, without the fuss of making modifications on the door pads and pillars.

Meanwhile was in Kochi for the last five days and had ample fun in the Jimny. Took her to Vagamon hills and nearby off road tracks to Uluppuni tunnel where only the rented Jeeps are going. Also took a short cut mud road to Moolamattom, with only stone and rocks (all sand was washed out in the rains). The car handled the all the terrain with ease.

Last two days was completely in the Kochi city traffic, raining heavily and the diminutive size (both width and length) and ground clearance really helped. Parking and driving the car in the traffic is a breeze and you dont need to bother the large crater like potholes. My other car in India is a Honda city and that’s hardly driven after the Jimny’s arrival. Honda City is now reserved only for long drives with family and for rest, its the Jimny . Few pictures of the drive:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

They even drove another BHPian's SUV to determine if it was specific or could happen to any Jimny.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A few days back I received a call from the Regional Service Head from Maruti about this matter. I explained it to him over the phone. They are aware of this Team-Bhp thread too.

He asked me to bring the car to Jyote Motors, so people from their technical team could come and inspect the issue.

I reached the service center on time and their technical team was already present. They acknowledged the issue.

First, they checked all the measurements, and then whether all the bolts related to this were tight with the correct torque or not.

After this preliminary check, they installed a camera where the propellor shaft rubbed against the cross-member and took the car for a test drive. I insisted that I would like to join them for the test drive, but let their driver drive the car. They obliged.

They were monitoring it live on their phone connected to the recording camera.

From the test drive what I incurred is, with 4 people on board when the car crosses a hump or an undulation or a dip at a higher speed and the time when the shock absorbers (especially the rear one) sag the propellor shaft goes very close to the cross member or it may touch. We checked it under articulation too, but there was a sufficient gap when the car was stationary even with 4 people on board. Seems like this can be replicated in a moving car with some load in the car (of course within the permissible range) on an undulated surface, but not that easily in a stationary car.

Just after taking the TD in my car, they drove another Jimny which belongs to Bhpian arghyaheart. Both of our cars have similar ODO readings, both are stock cars with stock tyres, and both are manufactured at the same time. Mine is a 2023 July manufactured car, and Arghya's is a June 2023 manufactured car. Arghya's car does not have any marks on its propellor shaft.

So the idea was to check whether it's a car-specific issue or it can happen in any Jimny. They took the test drive on the same road with the same load and similar speed. The movement looked similar to my amateur eyes. I will refrain from commenting here, as let their technical team have a look at both the videos and then decide.

They have not provided me with any time frame, on when they are expecting to resolve the issue. All they said was- that with the data they collected their technical team would be working on it. Once they get a solution, they will do the needful.

They have not shared any data or any info on how they are planning to go ahead with this issue.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is available in two variants – Zeta and Alpha.

According to a media report, Maruti Suzuki dealerships are offering a discount of around Rs 1.5 lakh on the top-spec 'Alpha' variant of the Jimny.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is available in two variants – Zeta and Alpha with prices starting at Rs 12.74 lakh (ex-showroom). The Zeta variants are offered with a discount of Rs 50,000.

The Jimny is powered by a 1.5-litre K-series engine that produces 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 134.2 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. The engine is paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.

In India, the Jimny is positioned as a niche product. Unlike other models in Maruti’s line-up, the Jimny isn’t selling like hotcakes. The carmaker has been offering heavy discounts, in a bid to attract more buyers.

Much like the Thar its a simple vehicle, no bells & whistles. What you see is what you get.

BHPian Ksingh544 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi,

Congratulations on getting your Jimny! Nice to hear from a fellow Thar CRDE owner.

Positives -

• The suspension is way more comfortable than the Thar. I have done some long drives 500 to 700 km covered in a day and you don't feel fatigued
• Safety features like the 6 airbags
• The overall fit, finish, and experience of Japanese engineering, with no rough or unfinished parts
• Much like the Thar it's a simple vehicle, with no bells & whistles. What you see is what you get.
• Basic stuff like Apple car play, Android Auto, and Screen are company-fitted
• A very good AC and heater, I have the Zeta model, and currently, it's over 45 degrees in Delhi, and it's working very well. The heater worked well in -1 in Lahaul Spiti last month
• 5 Doors with proper seating in the rear and decent boot space. I did an airport run last night, the boot took 1 full-size suitcase, 1 medium suitcase, and 1 full-size suitcase on the rear seat.

Negatives-

• There is a slight lack of power in this engine, it's not a deal breaker. But coming from the Thar which had immediate power on tap and so much low-end torque, you will miss those extra BHP
• Lack of storage space inside the cabin for bottles, phones, et
• It looks smaller than it actually is, it's only when you are seated inside you realise how much space the Jimny has.

I drove it up to Darcha and Bara Lacha Pass on the Manali-Leh highway in mid-May and the vehicle had no issues, this included driving through fresh snowfall.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Its superb ride quality & the ability to make small patches & potholes on the road vanish is a highlight. The SUV delivers good fuel efficiency too provided one is easy on the accelerator.

BHPian tacho9000 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I got my Jimny Zeta MT delivered on 23rd December 2023. Have since then driven the vehicle for well over 10K kilometers. Presently odo is standing at 19700+ kilometers. The vehicle has been nothing but a joy to own at least for me. Upgraded the stock 60/55W Philips H4 bulbs to Osram 100/90W H4 with factory-fitted relay in the vehicle. Reliable, and compact enough to get into quite a few narrow lanes in and around my locality.

The superb ride quality and the ability to make small patches and potholes on the road vanish is a highlight definitely for me. The only bothersome aspect of the car for me personally has been the large turning radius. Have got a few mods done to improve the car's long-distance driving comfort from what it already is. Most of them have been bought from Amazon Japan store. All of them are more or less reversible. I have always added things to my car to increase the utility of the vehicle.

The car delivers good FE too provided one is easy on the accelerator. It can gather speeds but that is pointless. Best to stick to a comfortable speed and cruise along all day long.

Attaching a few pictures of my car.

Delivery Day

Interior view

First long trip to Ghatshila

Random clicks around Ghatshila

Dalma Hill Top, Jamshedpur

Very Dirty, But I love this look post any road trip

Low Beam

High Beam

Somewhere near Bongaigaon in Assam

Sevoke Road

Near Fulbari Bypass, North Bengal

Grille changed to the Sierra Grille, Spare Wheel Cover changed and 10K service done with Amsoil 0W-16 API SP Fully Synthetic oil

Zeta doesn't come with leather-wrapped steering wheel. Got it done from Imperial Leather, Bangalore when I visited Bangalore.

Post detailing

In Bangalore

Random Clicks

Rear lights in action

Armrest from Amazon Japan

Hood struts from Amazon Japan. Fitted These as DIY. Very easy to install and is a great convenience factor

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

If you want to make a style statement or do some show-off, the Maruti Jimny will not suffice in any of it whereas the Mahindra Thar RWD will take on these needs with aplomb!

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Index

• Why Jimny?
• Dealership Experience
• Pros & Cons
• Exterior
• Interior
• Lights, wipers & defoggers
• Driving the Jimny
• Taking the Jimny off the road
• Living with the Jimny

Why a new car?

We were more than happy with our Duster AWD.

But then a few factors made us reconsider retaining our Duster.

If I list a few:

• The frequent diesel bans on NCR. This made me think about the future of BS4 diesel cars.

• The fuel injectors in the Duster were already very sensitive, but especially when the BS6 diesel came into the picture, I was not very sure how they would hold up in the long run.
• The car was out of warranty, and any parts replacement in the Duster was pretty costly.
• The availability of spare parts off the shelf was not always the case. For a few spares, we had to place an order and wait for a few days. This made me think about what would happen if something went wrong while on a trip. We can be stuck for a few days.
• Especially after the launch of so many new 4wds, the resale value of the Duster was declining fast.

Plus the discounts Maruti offered on the Jimny were one of the major deciding factors too.

Which cars did we consider?

The budget we fixed was roughly Rs 20L.

A few things that were non-negotiable-

• It had to be an AWD/4x4
• Manual transmission
• We were strictly looking for

These ruled out the ScorpioN & the Gurkha. The XUV7oo AWD was not in my consideration. It was too sophisticated for my liking! I wanted something that would be more raw & abuse-friendly.

Though diesel, I still loved the Compass AWD, but at that price, we could have grabbed the Hilux with all the discounts Toyota was offering! I have always drooled on a red Hilux! If the above cars were available in petrol with an AWD/4x4, this ownership review could have been for a different car!

So the options left for us were the Maruti Jimny, Toyota Hyryder AWD/Maruti Grand Vitara AWD & the Thar Petrol MT.

Toyota Hyryder AWD/ Maruti Grand Vitara AWD

Checked the Hyryder AWD & the Grand Vitara AWD. But I couldn't justify paying Rs 20L for a car that will have better features than the Duster but will be a downgrade in terms of performance and capability. I am not even bothered about some of the features these cars offer.

Had the manufacturers given the Grand Vitara AWD in Sigma or Zeta trim, or the Hyryder AWD in 'J' or 'G' trim, I would have considered any of these. I was not ready to shell out Rs 20L for a car providing 103 Bhp and 137NM torque! If I let go of the AWD, at Rs 20L cars like Kushaq/Taigun 1.5 are available!

Mahindra Thar Petrol MT HT

I checked out the petrol Thar. I loved the car.

But it was not a practical choice for me. The lack of rear doors made accessing the rear seats a cumbersome affair for elderly people. The boot space was surprisingly much less. The ride quality felt a bit bouncy.

Finally, after some quick math, I let it go.

With the current price of petrol, and considering the low mileage of the Thar, it turned out to be less economical & impractical for my purpose.

Maruti Jimny MT

I was eyeing the Jimny for a long time. There was no immediate plan to get the Jimny. I casually took a few test drives and drove it off the road too. I liked the car, though, I was well aware of the shortcomings of the Jimny.

But I always felt paying 16L+ for the Jimny was not worth it. It felt overpriced by a couple of lac rupees.

In December 2023 when Maruti came up with a good discount, then it was no barrier for me to pick up the Jimny. I got a good deal for my Duster from Cars24 and I let the Duster go, and bring in the Jimny.

Why do I opt for the Alpha variant over the Zeta?

1. Cruise control
2. Tinted glass
3. Fog lamps
4. Alloy wheels

What do I like in the Zeta variant over the Alpha?

1. It has got a key to start the car! I hate this push-button switch!
2. The yellow halogen bulbs can be upgraded in the Zeta, whereas I can't do much to the stock-led lights of the Alpha!
3. The stock rims on the Zeta look cool.

Dealership experience

We bought the car from Machino Techno, BT Road, Kolkata. The deal they gave was fantastic and the lowest we could get in Kolkata.

The final OTR price was Rs 14.42L. This included the following-

• Comprehensive B2B insurance with RTI
• 5 years extended warranty
• 2 years CCP
• Life Time Tax
• Thunder Kit

However, the dealership experience was strictly subpar.

They promised me an OCT/NOV manufactured car, but when I did the PDI, it turned out to be manufactured in July. Overall the car passed all the parameters during the PDI, so I went ahead with the purchase.

A couple of pics from the PDI day-

I asked them to get the insurance from Tata AIG, Go Digit, or ICICI Lombard, and they agreed on that, but without my permission they got it done from Iffco Tokio. I had a bad experience with Iffco Tokio with my Ford Figo earlier, so I wanted to avoid it.

I asked them for a registration number which ends with an odd number. As my other car ends with an even number. So by any chance, if the odd/even rules come into the picture in West Bengal, I can have one car at my disposal anytime. They ended up giving me an even number.

The good part is, though I got an even number, the number looks fancy.

On the delivery day, the cleanup was shoddy and I could see a lot of swirl marks on the black paint.

A couple of pics from the delivery day-

Pros & cons

Pros

• Peace of mind. Be it the mechanicals of the car, after-sales service, or the rough roads, one does not have to worry about it.
• This car can easily cruise between 90-110 km/hr on the highways for the whole day. I have pushed the car to higher speeds too, it can reach high speeds, but that is pointless in a Jimny. It's not meant for that.
• The body-roll & ride quality are quite sorted for a body-on-frame car. I will not compare it with the Duster, but it is quite sorted if I look at this car individually.
• The small footprint with high ground clearance is just tailor-made for rough hilly terrain. This car is very easy to drive under any circumstances.
• In 2WD itself this car is highly capable. At places where local drivers suggested 4WD will be required, with the ESP off in 2WD mode this car easily crossed those sections.
• This car is a mighty capable off-roader even in its stock form. During off-roading, the Allgrip-Pro with all the electronic aids works like a charm.
• The ESP is very aggressive. Even before the tires screech on fast turns, the ESP gets activated and cuts off the power.
• The AC is a chiller, & the heater works like a charm.
• The 1.5L NA engine is super tractable for perfect throttle modulation on steep inclines or bad roads. I felt the throttle input to be perfect too. I won't be going for an additional throttle controller.
• Regarding the stock tires, all I can say is, that it's adequate for touring. For serious off-roading, it's better to upgrade.
• Fuel economy. This might come as a surprise, but the manual easily delivers a mileage of 11+ in bumper-to-bumper city traffic, and on the highways, it is possible to get a mileage of 14-15 km/L. No other body-on-frame petrol SUV with a 4WD delivers this kind of mileage!

Cons

• This is not a fast car. If you want to keep pace with the turbo diesel/petrol SUVs, one has to work a lot on downshifting and revving the engine to higher rpm. Still, you will lose them most of the time, if they get an open stretch of road!
• The brakes are strictly average. It's best to rely on engine braking while driving fast. Avoid late braking with this car. Better tires might improve the braking a bit.
• The rear suspension tune-up is not to my liking. Sometimes it feels a bit too bouncy and with load, it sags down a lot!
• Maruti made the 5-door Jimny to fit more people in comfortably, but they forgot to look at the modularity part. Simple yet functional parts like an armrest, a dead pedal, a few more bottle holders, and some storage spaces are sorely missed.
• The 3-door Jimny has a turning radius of 4.9M. With an increase in wheelbase of 300+ mm, the turning radius of the 5-door Jimny came to 5.7 meters which is cumbersome at times. This shows Maruti has made no changes to the front suspension/steering components to improve the turning radius.
• 40L fuel tank capacity is quite less. On highways, the sweet spot is to refuel after every 400 km, and on the hills, refueling after every 300 km is safer.
• Space. The rear seat lacks under-thigh support and it won't be comfortable for a tall person during long distance travels.
• Though the boot space is adequate to accommodate a couple of medium to large suitcases vertically, it's still quite small when compared to other SUVs. Though it's bigger than a Thar 3 door.
• This is a car for 2 people if considered for long tours. The available space is at a premium. Families with kids will have a tough time accommodating their luggage for a long road trip.
• Maruti is yet to solve a few niggles reported by the owners.
• Do I dare to say road presence?

Can a Jimny be used as a primary car?

Yes, if the number of people on board will be limited to 2-3. This car officially is a 4-seater.

Who should buy the Jimny?

• Serious off-roaders will enjoy this car. The scope for modification is endless.
• People who frequently participate in car rallies.
• A family of two or max three people can use this car for their daily drive, as well as road trips, plus fun weekend off-road drives.
• As a second fun car for a bigger family.
• This car is ideal for people who live on hills.
• People who know the shortcomings of this car.

Who should not buy the Jimny?

• People whose machismo depends on the size of a car!
• Jokes apart, this is not a car for any regular person who puts his/her car into normal usage like going to the office and a few highway drives.
• It's a strict no for families having more than 3 people. Going for more than a 500 km drive with 4 people on board won't be comfortable.
• People who do not need a 4WD. A 4WD is not at all required for 99.9% of the people. And if the 4wd part is taken off from the Jimny the rest of the car is a compromise! Cars like Tata Punch or Ignis can serve the purpose of a 2WD Jimny at half of its price! At the price point of the Jimny, one can get much more accomplished cars. At Rs15-16L buying cars like the Honda City, Virtus/Slavia, Nexon, 3XO, Grand Vitara, Creta/Seltos, and many more makes much more sense than buying a Jimny.

Why the Jimny's market share is minuscule?

• Firstly I will blame it on Maruti's greedy pricing at the time of its launch. It was way too close to the much bigger, more powerful & accomplished Thar.
• People in India love butch and powerful SUVs. Jimny is nowhere close to it!
• If you want to make a style statement or some show-off, the Jimny will not suffice in any of it, whereas an RWD Thar will suffice these needs with aplomb!
• It does not have a 2WD version or a diesel version. Though I appreciate Maruti for this.
• This car offers nothing special to a regular family man who needs a car for his/her daily purpose and these buyers dominate the majority of the market.
• Jimny as an individual product is pretty unique & well-engineered, but Maruti failed to market it properly.

Exterior

If a kid is asked to draw a Jeep, the closest the kid will come up with will be looking very similar to the Jimny!

Personally, I love the boxy design of the Jimny. This design has that retro feel. The dimensions are ideal for any kind of usage.

I love keeping my cars stock, so I have not changed the stock grille to the Sierra grille. The chromes do look odd. But as of now, I have not thought of any modifications.

There is nothing to write about the side profile of this car. If asked about the proportions, I find the 5-door Jimny to be quite proportionate. It does not look like a forcefully stretched version of the 3 door Jimny.

I find the rear design to be cute! The Jimny may be the only SUV, on which one can use the term cute!

It has a ribbed roof for additional strength.

The underbelly lacks protection. People who are into regular/serious off-roading can get the aftermarket underbelly protection installed. There are a lot of options available aftermarket for Jimny.

The most vulnerable part while off-roading is the radial arm guards.

The sump, oil filter, and front radiator are securely placed. It is hard to damage other components like the transfer case, silencer box, differentials, etc, unless one is too careless or abusing the vehicle beyond the limit.

For regular touring in hills or bad roads, no underbelly protection is required.

Safety and build quality

The build quality seems to be better than the other Marutis. This car feels solid & well-built. The build quality of the Jimny can be compared to the S-Cross. The interior is well put together. The bonnet is heavy, the door closing sound is reassuring, and the boot door also feels heavy (that may be due to the spare wheel). Plus the boot door comes with a hydraulic strut, which ensures the door opens slowly on its own.

The overall build quality does not feel flimsy or light from any angle. But then again, it can't be compared with the Germans/Italians or our own desh ka Loha Tata & Mahindra!

The bonnet hood lacks an insulation material from the inside. The lid feels heavy to lift. I miss the hydraulic struts which was there in my previous Duster AWD.

The safety features provided by Maruti are- 3-point seatbelts (for both front & rear passengers), 6 airbags, BLD, ESP, ABS, EBD, HDC, hill-hold, ISOFIX child seat mounts, reversing camera, and rear parking sensors.

The HDC works only when the 4wd is engaged (10km/hr in 4H & 5 km/hr in 4L).

After giving all these, I have no idea why Maruti missed out on providing a TPMS for an off-road vehicle! Also giving an inclinometer & a 360-degree camera would have been a good addition!

Paint and fit & finish

The fit and finish are typical Japanese. The panel gaps are consistent all over.

From the initial days, the paint quality seems to be good, but it's too early to comment now. Let's see how the shine and the paint hold on for long-term usage.

Tires

The Jimny came with Bridgestone Dueller HL 195/80/R15 tires. The recommended tire pressure is 26 psi in all four tires, but when the car is fully loaded then it's recommended to fill 26 psi in front and 29 psi in the rear.

The Alpha came with all 5 alloy wheels. The alloys look good in a gun metal finish. I like the design and the look of the alloys.

Regarding the stock tires, all I can say is, that it's adequate for touring. For serious off-roading, it's better to upgrade. I have driven on slush, steep gravelly inclines in 2WD itself, and the tires never gave up. But they do not aid much confidence either!

On fast corners, the ESP kicks in a bit early, but maybe with a better tire, that will improve.

I will be happy if any company comes up with an AT tire with the stock size. I am not too keen to upgrade to a fatter tire on a 5.5J rim. The most common upgrade is the 215/75/R15, whereas 225/70/R15 is another good choice. I won't recommend anything beyond 225 on the stock rims. Anything beyond that must come with a new set of rims and a lift kit.

When I bought the car, everyone recommended I upgrade the tires. At that time the tyre shops were hardly giving something between Rs2000 to 3000 per stock tyre. The max I could get from the 5 tires was Rs15,000. So I was like, let's use the stock tires, and if I need to upgrade, the loss won't be much. Hence I kept the stock tyres and till now am okay with it. If anyone is not taking this car for regular OTRs the stock tires can be used.

To date, I have encountered a couple of punctures in this 7,500 km.

The jack mounting point to change a tire-

To mount on a hydraulic lift, the jacking point will be below the radial arm guard.

And when a single tire needs to be replaced the stock jack can also be mounted at the same place.

Ground clearance

The ground clearance is 210 mm. Which is more than adequate for most of the situations. The approach angle is 36 degrees, the break-over angle is 24 degrees and the departure angle is a whopping 50 degrees. This makes the stock Jimny itself a go-anywhere vehicle!

At 2590 mm the wheelbase of the Jimny is longer than the Thar 3 door. But the 210 mm ground clearance managed to give this car a decent break-over angle.

The above specs are good enough to keep one safe during touring or some weekend off-roading. For serious off-roaders getting a lift kit is suggested!

Continue reading Samba's Maruti Jimny review for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

While the Gurkha is available only with a diesel engine and the Jimny comes only in petrol, it is the Thar that offers both diesel and petrol engine options.

BHPian Omkar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Force Gurkha

What you'll like:

• Macho styling & incredible street presence. Robust build too
• Far more user-friendly than the old Gurkha due to superior interiors & better amenities
• Shift-on-the-fly 4x4 with low range, diff locks, satisfactory all-round visibility & 233 mm GC. Excellent gradability, approach, departure & break-over angles make it a potent off-roader
• Choice of 3-door and 5-door (7-seater) versions gives it an edge over competing off-roaders
• Rides noticeably better than other purpose-built offroaders in the market (especially the Thar)
• 5.5 m turning radius (3-door) is not as wide as its competitors
• Homologated accessories mean no cop trouble for owners (windscreen protection bar, roof carrier, ladder, headlamp & fender lamp grilles etc.). Snorkel is factory-fitted!
• 500L boot space (3-door) is enough for a family's vacation luggage
• Features such as the hard top, LED headlamps with DRLs, rear wash & wipe, 9-inch touchscreen HU, power & eco drive modes, TPMS, dead pedal, rear A/C vents...

What you won't:

• High floor makes ingress & egress very difficult for the elderly in particular
• Braking capability is below average. Pedal travel is long too
• No soft-top or convertible options like the Thar. No Petrol engine or Automatic transmission either
• Tall stature equates to lots of body roll and poor handling
• Despite the increased power & torque, the Gurkha's outright performance is mediocre
• Overall fit & finish, quality of interior plastics, ICE audio, camera display…
• Notchy 5-speed MT has long throws and is cumbersome to use
• Missing features such as 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold / descent control, sunroof, auto headlamps, auto wipers, driver's seat height & lumbar adjustment, auto-dimming IRVM, electrically folding ORVMs etc.
• 5-door variant's 3rd-row captain seats cannot be folded or flipped. You'll need to place your luggage on & around them (or get a carrier)

Review Link

3-door Gurkha Drive Report

Mahindra Thar

What you'll like:

• Fun, fun, fun! A loveable car that will bring you loads of laughs & smiles
• Handsome Jeep styling & brute character. Tough build too
• Far more user-friendly than the ol’ Thar due to superior interiors & the amenities
• Very competent, refined turbo-petrol & diesel engine range
• Butter-smooth 6-speed Automatics available with both engines
• 4x4 hardware, offroad capability & 226 mm GC. Get ready for slush, muck, deserts, jungles & the mountains!
• Practical hard-top or fun convertible available in the Thar – take your pick
• Features such as removable doors, ESP, cruise control, hill hold / descent, TPMS…
• 4-star rating in the GNCAP crash test (more information)

What you won't:

• Very bumpy ride quality. The Thar is never settled, no matter what the road or speed
• Poor road manners at high speed. Best to cruise at 100 - 110 km/h only
• Impractical due to the 2-doors, 4 seats (not 5) & difficult access to the back seat
• Laughably small boot simply isn’t enough for holiday luggage
• Petrol AT is thirsty due to its hefty weight, 150 BHP & torque-converter AT
• Premium pricing for the higher variants. Lot of money for the Thar's limited usability
• Sad feature list for a 17-lakh car. No reversing cam, auto-dimming IRVM, auto headlamps & wipers, electrically-folding ORVMs, rear wash & wipe…
• Apprehensions of niggles & Mahindra's hit-or-miss after-sales service quality

Review Link

Maruti Suzuki Jimny

What you'll like:

• Extremely stylish retro-modern SUV with loads of character. A total head-turner that’s available in very interesting colours
• Build quality is more solid than you’d expect of a Maruti. Even the interiors feel hard-wearing (note: plastic quality is nothing to write home about)
• An agile mountain goat! 4x4 with low range, satisfactory all-round visibility, 210 mm GC, good wheel articulation and excellent approach, departure & break-over angles make it a potent offroader
• Compact size & lighter kerb weight (than the Thar & Gurkha) bring advantages off-the-road and on it (in urban confines)
• Stylish interiors with good space utilization for 4 adults
• 4 doors make it more practical & family-friendly than the competing 2-door offroaders
• Smooth torque-converter automatic transmission available
• You can expect lots of modification & customization options, as is the case internationally. Go out & personalize your Jimny!
• Features such as the hard top, tinted green glasses, near-flat reclining front seats, LED auto headlamps with washers, rear wash & wipe, cruise control, 9-inch touchscreen HU...
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all, ESP, brake-based limited-slip differential, traction control, hill hold / descent control and ISOFIX mounts
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

• Small size doesn’t give it the presence of a Thar or Gurkha
• Unexciting 1.5L petrol engine with merely 103 BHP and 134 Nm. Don’t expect Maruti-esque fuel economy either (we saw high single-digit FE in our test-drive of the MT variant)
• Notchy 5-speed MT with a heavy clutch pedal. MT owners will find the footwell to be cramped
• Firm steering requires effort to operate. Vague on-road behaviour, weak return-to-centre action and wide 5.7 m turning radius
• Just a 4-seater (even legally). Not being able to carry 5 limits family-wise practicality
• Imperfect ride quality. Don’t expect road manners like a monocoque crossover, yet it is superior to the Thar’s bumpy ride
• 4-speed AT feels very old and outdated (has an “OD” button like in the ‘90s!). That being said, the gearbox has smooth shifts & proven reliability
• Missing features such as a sunroof, DRLs, rear A/C vents, auto wipers, TPMS, driver's seat height & lumbar adjustment, steering reach adjustment, auto-dimming IRVM, dead pedal…
• Boot space is just 208 litres; however, it is useable and more accommodating than the Thar’s. Disappointingly, the Jimny’s cabin has very few storage options & cubicles
• No soft-top convertible or 2-door options available. Forget about the joy of open-top cruising
• No diesel engine for those with high running. The market still loves diesels in body-on-frame SUVs

Review Link

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

1st choice for me is the Mahindra Thar & I put my money where my mouth is. Love the 2-door Thar and the pleasure it brings.

Second choice from the current list would be the Scorpio-N 4x4. It's quite good off the road, while the SUV itself is very useable & family-friendly on-road.

Wouldn't buy the Gurkha as it doesn't have an AT. Wouldn't buy the Jimny as it's just not my kind of car. Too small, too slow.

Here's what BHPian buzzy_boy had to say about the matter:

I drive a 10-year-old Force Gurkha. The vehicle has clocked> 1L KMs.

The good thing about the Gurkha is that it gets plenty of attention. Many strangers walk up to me to talk about it. The three-door version, with its compact size, is city-friendly. You get great views all around. The vehicle feels like a tank to drive.

This is where the good things end. The actual driving experience is pretty average with a decidedly non-tractable engine, and non-existent NVH and dynamics. Plus, you get a fair share of niggles.

Overall, the Gurkha is not for the common person. So voted for the Scorpio N.

Here's what BHPian rakesh_r had to say about the matter:

Currently drive a 2022 Gurkha. As someone mentioned, it's an attention magnet, you feel like a VIP when it attracts attention from all, male, female, children or senior citizens. The Gurkha is something which is best to be kept as a secondary vehicle, although I know quite a few in my circle who use their Gurkha as their primary vehicle. Owing to its height, it's a difficult task to park it in underground parking, it's no mall crawler for sure. Most of the time I have to do some "Footwork" to check if my Gurkha would fit. Service centres are wafer-thin. Not all FM service centres cater to the Gurkha.

Despite all the shortcomings, I still like my car, the commanding road presence gives me a good view of the road ahead. Call me old skool, but I appreciate the fact that it doesn't have any complex gizmos, although I would have appreciated 6 airbags as standard. Mine despite being a BS6, doesn't require ADblu, which is the biggest advantage. In two years, didn't face any DPF clogging issue (Touchwood) as the truck does a mini regen on its own. I did face an issue with the NoX sensor, it was promptly taken care of by FM SVC though.

I did TD the Thar, and although I like the powertrain options, I felt the interiors to be a bit claustrophobic to my taste. Not speaking about the ride comfort as the same has been discussed in detail. Found the Scorpio N 4x4 to be apt for the purpose, so my vote goes for it.

At the same time, I test drove the new 5-Door Gurkha and would like to appreciate FM for updating the lineup. Although I didn't like the instrument cluster (the previous gen had a nice analog one), some of the updates like the inclusion of armrests, internally adjustable ORVMs, better cabin insulation etc have indeed made the Gurkha a bit more upmarket. The undercarriage looks clean. The control arms have been nicely tucked in. The older ones used to protrude, but at the same time were very abuse-friendly. Only time would say how the new ones would fare. Although the power has been bumped up, I wouldn't say it is mediocre, but the powerband is way too narrow, something similar to the Traveller. The steering definitely feels way better. The pedal travel is way less than its previous Iteration.

For peeps missing out on AT, FM is working on bringing out a Gurkha with an AT GB, probably by 2026.

Here's what BHPian Love4Cars had to say about the matter:

Voted for the Jimny till the 5-door Thar is launched. Out of the current 3 cars, only Jimny offers 5 doors practicality + Petrol AT (NCR).

Bought one in Dec 23 for my Dad, very happy with the purchase. It is our go-to car for crowded city places. The compact size is a blessing and it can be parked in tighter spaces.

Yet to take this mountain goat in its true zone.

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Briefly considered leaving the Jimny at the farm, this is as much fun as a buggy - while sitting out of the dust & heat; but decided against it. I'll use it as my daily for a while, before shifting it to the farm.

BHPian blueberry recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Off-roading (soft-roading) with the Jimny

Finally got around to checking out the off-road abilities of the Jimny. The loose surfaces meant I could safely engage 4H and 4L. It is wonderful piece of fun, and great to be a hooligan with (of course in safe and protected spaces).

I briefly considered leaving the Jimny at the farm, this is as much fun as a buggy - while sitting out of the dust & heat; but decided against it. I'll use it as my daily for a while, before shifting it to the farm.

• Where - At our farm in my village. It wasn't difficult to convince grand dad to let me do this  (he had his share of fun in his youth).
• Space used - 400x400 ft (~4 acres)
• How did I get to do it - This plot of land is cultivated only when there is rain / Canal water. In summers, its a barren plot of land.
• Did I kill any vegetation - No, the land is tilled every 2-3 months, to keep the weeds out & for the stumps from the previous harvest to decompose.
• Is it bad for the land - Driving on tilled soil will compact the soil again, which would require the land to be tilled again before sowing season.
• Next sowing season is in November - the land will have to be tilled again anyway.
• It certainly is not friendly to the small worms & snakes that inhabit the land.
• Will I get to do it again - only in summers, after the land has been tilled 2-3 times post harvest
• Risk - Hard stumps from previous harvests (if any) can damage the tyres.
• Recovery Vehicle - John Deere Tractor (just in case)

The farm land, before & after

Couple of shots in action

Efficiency figures, when redlining the car in 2nd gear (4H and 4L)

This is just as efficient (/inefficient) as Formula 4 (Formula LGB) car at the track. But significantly more cost effective in terms of wear & tear (clutch, brakes, tyres).

Is it just as fun as a F4 car? - Possibly an unfair comparison. Deep sleep and good food are both wonderful - but can we pick which is better.

Rear side of the Jimny has picked up the most dust (rwd). Needs a deep cleaning post the session.

Coconut trees are the perennial vegetation in this part of the country. Low effort in maintenance. Increasingly more farms are shifting from seasonal cash crops to Coconut palms.

The cacti are dragon fruits, which we planted during 2020 Covid Lockdown.

Jimny in action - video and slow mo.

The engine doesn't sound sweet at full throttle, it isn't unbearable either.

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I have 2 mesh jackets, 1 leather jacket, 1 full racing suit, 1 riding pant and 1 riding jeans but wasn’t wearing any of it.

BHPian doga recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Had an ungraceful touchdown yesterday on my commute to work. Thanks to the numerous bumps and craters on the Mumbai roads, splattered generously with gravel on the sides. My haste was also to blame, should have been slower.

The traffic in front came to a halt rather suddenly and I couldn’t brake properly due to the bumps. Right after the bumps I grabbed the front brake and the front let go. On motorcycles there is no point of return in a split second I found myself lying on the tarmac.

Nice skin peeling on the forearms and the knee. Walking with a limp. I was wearing gloves with Knox sliders, short city riding boots, and of course helmet so palms and feet were fine. Sadly wasn’t wearing any other gear. I have 2 mesh jackets, 1 leather jacket, 1 full racing suit, 1 riding pants, and 1 riding jeans but wasn’t wearing any of it. Tried a few times and always landed in the office dripping in sweat.

Been riding without most gears and for many days I would think what would happen if I go down. Well, it is not if but when. Almost an inevitability of going down in a big city in India thanks to atrocious road and traffic conditions. Weather makes sure that gear is very uncomfortable. I am beginning to contemplate giving up the motorcycle commute altogether. The 45 mins to 1 hour I save over both ways is not really worth the hassle.

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