Suzuki Jimny SZ4 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Suzuki Jimny SZ4
Prices: £11,495 – on the road
Insurance Group: 7
Emissions: 171g/km
Performance: Max Speed 87mph / 0-60mph 14.1s
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 39.2mpg
Safety: twin front airbags / ABS with EBD
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 3625/1600/1670

SUZUKI’S OFF-ROAD OFFER

Our Rating: 4.1 / 10

The Jimny from Suzuki has been around for a while but its off-road prowess gives it an edge over younger models. Steve Walker reports.

The Jimny is Suzuki’s miniature 4x4, a model with the dubious honour of being one of the longest serving cars currently on sale in the UK. It was launched in 1998 and it’s battled on with only minor revisions through to the present day. So why would customers want to purchase a Jimny when there’s plenty of other metal out there that’s years younger? The answer lies in the dynamics of the 4x4 market and the simple fact that while other small 4x4s have evolved, growing softer and more car-like, the Jimny has stood still. There days, there’s nothing else quite like it.

Back in the days when Suzuki was designing the Jimny, off-road vehicles were used for driving off the road. They needed to be able to do this without getting damaged or stuck. Since then, such abilities have grown less and less important as the 4x4 has become a trendy lifestyle accessory for buyers who’d never dream of venturing away from the tarmac. The market has moved away from the Jimny but there are still people out there who want an affordable off-road vehicle and Suzuki’s stalwart largely has them all to itself.

The downside of the Jimny’s undoubted ability when the going gets bumpy and grip becomes scarce is a rather choppy ride when it isn’t. There’s bounce in the heavy duty suspension over undulations in the road and it’s not particularly cosseting over pot holes and other surface imperfections. The Jimny has a decent turning circle and good visibility for manoeuvring around town but it doesn’t respond well to brisk cornering where the elevated ride height contributes to pronounced body lean. All will still be forgiven by those who use the Jimny in its native habitat. The sturdy 4x4 mechanicals and low range gearbox make it genuinely capable in the rough. Being comparatively light and narrow, it will even access areas where larger, more expensive off-road vehicles would struggle to tread.

Power is supplied by a 1.3-litre petrol engine with 84bhp and 110Nm of torque. It’s not the liveliest unit, with 0-60mph taking 14s and the Jimny running out of puff at just 84mph. It’s also a little too vocal at higher revs, so it’s at its best either off road or around town where higher speeds aren’t necessary. A five speed manual gearbox comes as standard but a four-speed auto is also available.

The tough ladder frame chassis and low range transfer box mark the Jimny out as a proper 4x4 from a time before the glut of soft-roaders and crossover models filled the market. Suzuki’s Drive Select 4x4 system allows the driver to select high or low range 4x4 modes as well as a front-wheel drive setting while on the move at speeds of up to 62mph. The Jimny also has 190mm of ground clearance and is designed with its wheels pushed right out to each corner of the car, producing steep approach and departure angles. The Jimny may be small but it looks the part with its chunk dimensions and neat detailing.

The interior is showing its age these days, but the robust construction that’s common elsewhere in the Jimny is evident here too. There’s not much adjustment in the driving position but this Suzuki sits you very upright and most people will be able to get comfortable behind the wheel. The same can’t be said for the rear seats where legroom is very tight and there’s very little boot to speak of behind. The best course of action is to settle for two seats, fold the rear bench down and use the area for your luggage. There’s 113-litres with the seats up and 324 litres when they’re lowered.

The Jimny is available in JLX or SZ4 trim and for the £500 premium, the plush SZ4 models look like the way to go. All models come with a high specification including roof-rails, front fog lights, electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, twin front airbags and ABS. The SZ4, however, includes air-conditioning which is worth the premium alone, as well as 15" alloy wheels, part lea