Overall it's a fun vehicle with a lot of character and the new price just makes it seem like a really value-for-money product.

BHPian himalidaa recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I bought the Jimny 4 days before the official discounts came in. Luckily I had already received a 2L deal so I'm not mad.

A few keen observations after driving my Jimny (Zeta MT) for 700kms.

1. The dreaded turning radius is annoying and it led me to look up the same for the 2 door Jimny. Turns out the 2 door has a tight 4.9m radius while the 5 door has a 5.7m radius. I think they just increased the length of the car and called it a day. No mechanical adjustments from the look of it. The steering also feels too slow. Could this be the reason?
2. The ride is amazing when the car is empty. However, once you load it up, you'll realize the rear suspensions are really soft and the ride quality kinda vanishes. Another con was the bad handling. On taking a right turn in my loaded Jimny, the rear left tire basically sunk in and the car felt lifted from the right front.
3. The engine feels peppy to drive if you push it a little. Shift around 3000 rpm and you'll understand what I mean. You can just zip through traffic.
4. Initially I considered a throttle controller to make the car respond better. I've since gotten used to it and I'm no longer eager to get one.
5. The mileage I'm getting is about 11.5 kmpl. Maximum I've seen is 15.4kmpl.
6. The halogen headlights on the zeta are just about enough. I don't think I need a change but they're definitely not the brightest.
7. The family likes how cute it looks. Older people like how easy it is to get in and out of this car. Runs fine with 4 people in the car except for the suspension issue I mentioned earlier.
8. I will not be upsizing the tyres as these seem adequate. Any upsize would be majorly for aesthetic reasons. My Innova for example runs on 205 section tires and it's a much bigger vehicle.
9. The wireless Android Auto sometimes disconnects. I don't understand why. Other times it just stops playing music for a second and then it's back on again. Weird.
10. The particularly small windshield took a day or two to get used to.

Overall it's a fun vehicle with a lot of character and the new price just makes it seem like a really value-for-money product. The final price I paid for the base variant was 12.87L. Bought it from Magic Nexa, Sec-9 Dwarka. The dealership experience was many times better than what I had experienced with Toyota and Honda.

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I read some encouraging reviews from Thar owners, hence, decided to take a test drive.

BHPian vprao recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I had booked Jimny but cancelled it the day the pricing was released. Had a good look when it came into the showroom and didn't regret my decision. Didn't even bother for a test ride as I knew the specs weren't impressive at all.Still, there was this doubt somewhere inside that it could be the one that I could trade my Petrol manual Thar with. Not that I wasn't happy with my Thar. Just toying with the prospect of having an off-road-er with 5 doors, a slightly bigger boot and a better economy. The human mind is never satisfied with what it currently possesses

Somehow this thread popped into my newsfeed late and I read some encouraging reviews from Thar owners. Decided to go for a test ride anyway. I had automatic in mind as I was getting a bit tired of manuals. That was another excuse actually to justify the test ride.

Honestly speaking, other than the ride quality, I didn't find anything impressive in the Jimny over my Thar. Here are the negatives I found:

1. Noisy engine. The whine is just irritating. Even my wife complained about that.
2. Low seating. I'm short. I just love the high seating of Thar. I don't have to stretch my neck and spine while off-roading. I found the Jimny seating very low. Even if I stretch I can't see the left corner of the bonnet, thanks to a huge infotainment system that juts out in the centre.
3. Lethargic engine. While I'm a laid-back kind of driver, I do need that reserve power when required on the highways for overtaking. The Jimny doesn't give you that confidence at all.
4. Claustrophobic feeling. While I didn't notice it as all my eyes were on the road, my wife felt claustrophobic in the Jimny.
5. The tyres. As long as you maintain momentum, the stock tyres might do the job. However, with stop-and-go on muddy trails, you'll find yourself shifting to 4L often.
6. Jimny is cute but I'm spoilt by the Machoness of Thar, especially my wife. The Jeep is a man thing for me. The mere sight of Thar in its parking space makes me happy.

At the end of the test ride, I was more than happy to be back in my Thar!

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In Australia, the Jimny XL will be sold alongside the 3-door version.

Suzuki has launched the Jimny 5-door in Australia. The off-roader has been christened Jimny XL down-under.

The Jimny XL is manufactured in India and exported to Australia. It measures 3,985 mm in length, which is 340 mm longer than the three-door version that is already on sale in the country. It looks identical to the India-spec Jimny.

Inside, the Jimny XL features a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, a twin-dial instrument cluster and a 3-spoke steering wheel.

Moreover, the Australia-spec Jimny 5-door gets ADAS, with safety features like Autonomous Emergency Braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, high-beam assist and weaving alert. The SUV also gets 6 airbags, ESC and traction control as standard.

Powering the Jimny XL is a 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 100 BHP and 130 Nm, which is slightly less than the Indian version. The engine is mated with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic and a four-wheel drive system.

The Jimny Thunder Edition costs Rs 2 lakh less than the entry-level variant.

Maruti Suzuki has silently introduced the Jimny Thunder Edition India. The off-roader is available in Zeta and Alpha trims with prices starting at Rs 10.74 lakh (ex-showroom). 

The Jimny Thunder Edition comes equipped with several accessories as standard. These include a front skid plate, side door cladding, door visor, door sill guard, grip cover, floor mats and exterior graphics. The car also gets a silver garnish on the front bumper, ORVMs, fenders and bonnet.

The Jimny comes with a 3-spoke steering wheel and a conventional twin-pod analogue instrument cluster. The centre console houses a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The car is equipped with 6 airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, ESP, Brake Limited Slip Differential, Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, ISOFIX, and Rear View Camera.

The Jimny Thunder Edition is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 134.2 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. The engine is mated with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny costs approximately Rs 19.5 lakh in South Africa.

The made-in-India Maruti Suzuki Jimny has been launched in the South African market. The SUV is priced at R4,29,990, which is equivalent to about Rs 19.5 lakh.

In South Africa, the Jimny 5-door is available in two variants – GL and GLX. The Jimny comes equipped with a 9-inch SmartPlay Pro+ touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, just like the Indian version. It also gets features like automatic LED headlamps, automatic climate control, cruise control and keyless entry.

The Jimny is powered by a 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine, which puts out 103 BHP and 134 Nm and is paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. 

The Jimny is based on a ladder-frame chassis and features a 3-link rigid axle suspension. It gets Suzuki's AllGrip Pro 4x4 system as standard. The safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, traction control and hill-hold assist.

The manual seems to be the driver's car as the automatic does not allow you to savor the famed 1.5L NA engine in its truest form.

BHPian shibujp recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got a chance to check out the Elevate a few days back. On display was the manual top spec version in Golden Brown Metallic. The colour looks quite good but kind of dulls the expanse of the black grill and the fog light enclosures. I like the contrast better so perhaps a lighter colour.

The overall design is non-polarising, typical Honda India - elegant and classy. I actually loved the design of the Elevate in the launch pictures itself. The SUV may seem to have limited road presence externally but offers a completely different perspective behind the wheel. More of that later.

What I really like about Honda interiors is the seats, especially in the City and now the Elevate. The way the seats are shaped, designed and contoured will make a car from the luxury stables proud. The rear has good legroom and the upward slanted floor is a very nice feature. However, I was not too convinced about the H point and felt that the backrest could be a little more reclined. Didn’t spend too much time so it is just a quick inference.

I loved the upholstery and there is always a certain class and finish to these kinds of things in a Honda. The dashboard by current standards is a bit plain but the ergonomics are spot on. The gear knob in the manual though is that small golf ball-like knob in the Honda. Something more substantial would have been good. 6-speed manual.

Providing buttons for the HVAC control is a welcome comeback. I am not a fan of screens jutting out of the dash but that seems to be the order of the day. Did not spend much time on the screen so don’t know how slick it is. Boot space too was very substantial and built up from the Honda City.

The variant available for a test drive was the automatic. Visibility too was very good all around. Inside behind the driver's seat, the vehicle feels substantial. The upright bonnet means that the whole expanse of the bonnet is visible to you and it feels a much wider vehicle than it actually is. Gives you a feeling of piloting something pretty substantial.

The automatic gearbox was not very enthusiastic and my attempts to poke it into life by punching the accelerator only resulted in the typical rubber band effect and a free-revving engine before it selected the right ratios. What is good though is that the paddle shifts are very helpful in smoothing out the shifts and are very intuitive to use. One thing though, I noticed that they don’t turn with the wheel so that caught me out a couple of times mid-corner. If you dial back things a bit it does translate to a very smooth and efficient affair silently going about its business. The manual seems to be the driver's car as the automatic does not allow you to savor the famed 1.5L NA engine in its truest form.

Overall I liked the Elevate for what it offers. Is the 1.5 NA a bummer among the current crop of turbo-charged petrols and what you have? Yes, possibly, but I now happily cavort around in a 1.5 litre NA Jimny and just love the experience. So performance will be any way better. However, before a final verdict, I need to drive the MT as I feel that that will be the true driver’s variant.

Features are not as plentiful and flamboyant as the competition but it does come with ADAS. However, the feature of the camera view when you put in the indicators is implemented on the central screen rather than on the instrument cluster as in the Seltos which I felt was a bit of an anti-pattern. Somehow it feels more intuitive to glance at your mirrors. Overall at 18 lakhs on road for the MT top spec in Trivandrum, I think it is one of the best-value SUVs on the market today.

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The test drive was on a bad stretch in which I had tried out the Scorpio-N, XUV700 and Jeep Compass.

BHPian motorworks recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Quick test drive feedback on the Jimny AT.

We are not actively looking for a new car, bought a Compass Diesel AT 4x4 a year ago and my wife has a 2018 Elite i20, ideally, we replace cars between 5-6 years so the i20 is due for replacement next year, preferably with an AT.

So, my wife’s 10km daily city run doesn’t really call for a car like the Jimny, but I was bombarded with calls from Nexa and I just thought let's take a test drive anyway ( obviously the festive offer of a 50k exchange bonus plus 50k customer discount played on my mind).

The test drive was a short one, but this was on a bad stretch in which I had tried out the Scorpio-N, XUV700, and Jeep Compass before finally settling down on the Compass. So it's a road that I'm sort of accustomed to. The ride in the Jimny is a bit bumpy, and if you are in the back seat you would get tossed around as is the case with most ladder-on-frame cars.

Anyway, the Jimny felt reasonably well built relative to say something like a Fronx or the Baleno, etc. The petrol engine is smooth, the gearbox even though outdated is more than adequate for city runs and it even responded well when I floored the pedal. Extremely smooth combination.

However, the interior space management is not that great, ergonomics are a bit off. The rear seat is a joke, not because it's a 4 seater overall, but because the rear seats don't have any thigh support at all.

The Jimny is a great car if you want it for its utility. It's not an all-rounder by any stretch. Families are better off buying cars like the Nexon and saving a few lakhs.

I couldn’t just comprehend that the Jimny base AT costs nearly 18 lakhs on-road in Bangalore! The top end is nearly 19.5 lakhs!

Before anyone jumps the gun, yes, I know, the jimny is great as an off-roader, and it is. I just want to caution the family folks not to fall for the Jimny based on its looks. Your use case should be very different if you buy the Jimny. City runs? Look elsewhere!

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There was also a Scorpio-N and a Thar, to accompany our 4x4 SUV.

BHPian SUVolens recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It’s been nearly three weeks since I drove back from this year’s Ladakh adventures. Since then, I’ve put in another trip to the mountains (this time work), wrestled with a bout of the seasonal flu, and generally debated with myself on penning down the Jimny experiences for all here. While plain laziness got me this far without scribbling a word, objectivity won out in the end, so here I am, trying to put together in words the journey of 3000 km over 9 days.

Some of you are already familiar with my occasional posts and know that I drive an MT Zeta in Bluish Black. But to set the context properly, it’s fair that I give a small rundown of the vehicle to start with:

1. Mine’s bog standard by intention. That means – no tyre upsizes, steel rims and everything as it came from the factory, bar the pair of OEM foglamps that I’d installed more for visual symmetry than for any real use.
2. Given how the Jimny is built I’d have to make some concessions to the limited space inside to make it suitable for overlanding over long distances. The following is a list of accessories I procured, in chronological order:
3. Rear windscreen defogger wire cover. This turned out useful eventually since the luggage piled up higher than the exposed cables and probably would’ve snagged/damaged them on the rougher patches.
4. Cargo net and luggage hooks. Again, a big thumbs up since it held all the luggage together and prevented them from bouncing about.
5. 20 L range-extending petrol tank. Really great product was found on Amazon. While planning, it was clear that there would be patches of travel where our tanks just wouldn’t suffice, hence.
6. A seat-back organizer. Again, great for storing those extra bottles of water that the Jimny is just not built to accommodate, as well as other trip knickknacks.
7. Some seat hooks for hanging those hats and garbage bins
8. A sunglass holder
9. Some blind spot mirrors to watch out for those rocks below the undercarriage while off-roading.
10. And the most imp accessory of all – a TPMS system that worked like a charm!

I thought this kind of made the little Jimny as ready for the haul as it would ever be, and I wasn’t wrong.

Our adventure was to have 8 people in total. Three in the Jimny. Three in the ScorpioN and two in the Thar. The other two vehicles belonged to fellow TBHP-ians Roshun Povaiah and Suman Ghosh, and we’ve been friends and travel mates for over two decades now. The trip itinerary was something like this:

• Day 1. Delhi to Udhampur
• Day 2. Udhampur to Srinagar
• Day 3. Srinagar to Leh
• Day 4. Leh
• Day 5. Leh to Hanle via Pangong
• Day 6. Umling La and Hanle
• Day 7. Hanle to Leh
• Day 8. Leh to Manali
• Day 9. Manali to Delhi

Day 1. The long highway runs to Udhampur

Truth be told, in the 1500-odd km that I had raked up in the Jimny, prior to this trip, I had made my peace with the fact that this was not the car to set land speed records in. I was never uncomfortable with that, since I generally find it easier to stick south of the speed limits than north. Still, jokes had to be made in the present company and the running one was that they (the Mahindras) would already know the meal orders for the Jimny occupants, and have our choices preordered and ready by the time we pulled up at each rest stop. Turns out, unnecessary. Although the other two remained largely invisible in my windscreen for most of the first day, we never pulled up too late either, keeping a steady 100 comfortably and gaining a stellar fuel efficiency to boot. The only bit of adventure that punctuated day 1, was a broken bridge just before Jammu, that required all vehicles to get down to the riverbed and cross/get hauled out with tractors-on-the-ready to make a quick buck. Being ahead of the pack at this time, I decided to cut away from behind the long queue of anxious sedans and hatches and lowered the Jimny from a steeper angle into less than knee-deep waters. In 2WH. Turns out I shouldn’t have. We stalled within seconds, the rear wheels just not finding traction among the loose, round river rocks below the water.

A quick glance out of the windows and I could only see eyeballs from the assorted buses, cars, motorcycles (yes, them too) and tractors, all staring at us. Glee writ large and a tractor was already making its way towards us. The shame.

Without a moment wasted, I jammed the shifter to 4H, waited only briefly for the green lamp to lock in and hit the gas. All eyeballs swivelled with the black streak that shot clean out of the river and didn’t stop until it had reached high ground, back on the highway. Hahahaha! So long suckers!

The Mahindras later reported that I may have caused some kind of a stampede with our derring-do and that resulted in a massive jam on the river and got them stuck behind a melee of stranded cars and super-busy tractors.

We reached our hotel just after daylight went out. Highlights from the day:

1. The Jimny is a happy cruiser with three + luggage on board, between 90-110 km/h where allowed. This also gives a pocket-friendly gas mileage of 17 km/l +/- The ride in front was never a cause for complaint, and neither I nor my passenger complained of a bad ride all through the 12 hrs we took to complete this stretch. The rear passenger was an unproven quantity, for this was a first for us. Pleasantly enough, she reported that there was no discomfort for lack of space or harshness of the ride. I am 6’ and my passengers are 5.2’ on average. Ergo – a semi-loaded Jimny passed the highway tests just fine.
2. While high-speed stability on the Jimny is reported anywhere between bad to acceptable, I found no unpleasant surprises on this route. Cross-wind vulnerability is evident in some places, but it’s not as if you are getting blown into the weeds. The slow and easy steering is predictable and once you’re used to and at ease with this vehicle’s nature, it is no more harder to helm than any other car. The much-harried OEM 195/80 R15 rubber works great. Period. They do not lack in grip, don’t tramline over ruts and provide excellent ride-cushioning even when the car hits a bad patch at speed. Most crucially, for me, they don’t rob any more power than they need to, from this modest engine.
3. The Jimny isn’t a diesel and therefore, asking it to bring to the table gobs of torque is futile. On that riverbed, I bet diesel would’ve powered through without summoning 4X4. The Jimny will not reward you for being lazy. Nope. Do you want the demon? Get involved.

Continue reading BHPian SUVolens's travelogue for more insights and information.

Maruti Suzuki also manufactures the 3-door version of the Jimny in India.

Maruti Suzuki has commenced the export of the Jimny 5-door. The made-in-India Jimny is being shipped to markets in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

The Jimny 5-door was unveiled at the Auto Expo 2023, before going on sale in the Indian market in June this year. The 5-door version measures 3,985 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 2,590 mm.

The Jimny 5-door is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 103 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 134.2 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. The engine is mated with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.

Maruti Suzuki also manufactures the 3-door version of the Jimny in India. Production of the Jimny 3-door began in November 2020. It is exported to markets in Latin America and Africa.

Driving on rumble strips over 30 km/hr, the rear tends to get unsettled or sway side-ways.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got to drive an Alpha Manual for quite some distance.

Nexa sales staff were courteous and pretty eager to show the car.

A small fun part to begin with.

The sales guy: Sir, four Team-Bhp members came and test-drove this car a few days back, & they certified this car, so you should not have any doubts regarding this car.

Me: What is Team-Bhp?

The sales guy: Sir, that's a very renowned automotive magazine.

Me: How can people be a member of a magazine?

The sales guy: Sir, you can Google about Team-Bhp. They are quite big and popular. If a Team-Bhp member certifies a car, you can buy that car eyes closed.

Me: Great, let's go for the test drive then.

The sales guy: I can only give you a couple of kilometres test drive.

Me: But I am not an expert like the Team-Bhp members. So I need a longer TD to understand the car. Can I get a longer TD?

The sales guy- Okay Sir, let me get approval then.

Me: Thank you.

Few on-road observations:

• The gear lever vibrates while starting the car.
• The clutch is light and the clutch travel is perfect, it's not too long or too short.
• Slotting the first gear was not seamless, had to push it a bit hard. The rest of the gears including the reverse were fine.
• By no means it's a fast car. When pushed hard, the engine makes a sound, but it takes its own sweet time to build speed.
• Best to drive it in a relaxed way. Give some time to reach 90-110 km/hr, then this car can cruise at this speed for the whole day.
• The low-end power delivery is good. The car climbed a small incline in 1st gear without touching the accelerator.
• Crossing speed-breakers in 2nd gear is easy. One does not have to slot the 1st gear.
• In moderate traffic, the 3rd gear can be used as an AT!
• Best to up-shift at 2200 rpm.
• I tried slotting to 5th at 40 km/hr, but with my driving style, I was more comfortable in slotting the 5th gear at 60. For sedate driving the 5th gear can be slotted at 40 km /hr, but I felt it may lug the engine.
• The engine is very refined, but on accelerating hard, the engine gets loud. Though I liked the sound, for many this can be a deal breaker. The overall NVH level is just okay.
• The brakes felt a bit spongy, but on pressing hard, the brakes worked as desired, plus on down-shifting, the engine braking was good.
• Took a couple of 'U' turns, but the turning radius was not a bummer for me. With a proper approach, the turns were completed in one shot.
• The steering feedback is just okay, & the auto centring is slow. The steering needs a bit more turns than I am used to.
• At triple-digit speeds the steering constantly needed small corrections.
• I tried to drive in between two barricades at a higher speed, and the body roll was sorted, but again the steering needed more than the required input to keep the car on my desired path.
• On driving over rumble strips over 30 km/hr the rear tends to get unsettled or sway side-ways. Though this is not scary, one can feel it.
• I intentionally crossed a speed-breaker at a high speed, just to replicate what may happen if we miss one while driving at high speed. I was satisfied with the way this little car handled it. The rear definitely got unsettled, but the car didn't lose its overall composure. So in case a driver misses out on a speed breaker or some big hole, regaining control won't be an issue.
• The overall ride quality is bumpy, but it's acceptable for a body-on-frame vehicle. The front seats are much more comfortable than the rear seats. Plus the rear seats lack under-thigh support.
• For a 500 to 1000 km highway drive this car won't be as fatigue-free as your regular sedan/hatchback/crossover.
• The AC is good.
• The music system has a lot of features, but the sound quality is just okay. Music lovers need to upgrade the speakers. With more bass, the sound gets boomy.
• The LED headlights are awesome with perfect spread and cut-off. Night driving will be easy.

To sum it up, one must not forget that this is basically an updated Gypsy. By DNA it's a true blue offroader which can do the duty of a regular car too.

I have shared my Off-road observations about the Jimny over here

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.