Jimny brims with enthusiasm

When you look at a Suzuki Jimny driving on the road, I am sure the first thought that comes to mind is “that looks just like a dinky car”. Just like a book cannot be judged by its cover, so too can a Jimny not be judged by its appearance.

The Suzuki Jimny is built to be used.  Its ladder-frame chassis and three-link rigid axle suspension are old-school in the best possible sense, prioritising strength and durability over soft-roader pretence. On rough terrain this design is a winner, soaking up bumps and ruts while keeping the cabin calm. Even navigating the cratered streets of Johannesburg, the little Jimny felt planted and self-assured, as if potholes were mild suggestions rather than obstacles.

The five-door version cleverly adds practicality without diluting its cheeky “miniature monster truck” personality. Yes, those round headlamps are still irresistibly friendly, but the 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped in chunky 195/80 tyres hint at a tougher role. The black wheel-arch cladding doubles as protective armour, ready to shrug off the scuffs that come with a life lived outdoors.

Technology inside the Jimny follows a philosophy of “give me what I need and skip the unnecessary details”. The GLX includes a 7-inch touchscreen with smartphone connectivity, including Android Auto, which kept me on course whether I was heading across town or towards a gravel road escape.

The cabin layout is intuitive. Buttons are chunky, tactile, and exactly where one expects them to be, which makes life easier when threading through tight traffic. Automatic climate control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise control add a welcome hint of polish to what remains, proudly, a functional environment.

Visibility is excellent due to the upright seating position, a genuine advantage both in city traffic and on winding tracks. Storage in the doors is admittedly narrow, perhaps a nostalgic wink to the days when maps were folded rather than downloaded, but the rest of the interior is rugged and wipe-clean practical. The rear seats suit children nicely, and when folded they create a flat load space that eagerly swallows camping gear, shopping, or the paraphernalia of holiday life, or a student returning to university with everything except the kitchen sink.

The Jimny comes alive once the tar ends. Selecting four-wheel drive via the mechanical lever is satisfyingly simple, allowing shifts between 2H, 4H, and 4L with clarity. Point it at mud, rocks, or rutted tracks and the Jimny gets on with the job, brimming with enthusiasm.

Low-range gearing is the secret weapon, allowing the vehicle to creep over obstacles with impressive control. With 210 millimetres of ground clearance and strong approach, breakover, and departure angles, I rarely felt anxious about what lay beneath. Hill hold and hill descent control add reassurance, gently managing steep gradients so that I could focus on steering rather than second-guessing gravity.

On tar, the Jimny is largely civilised. The engine is not built for speed, and overtaking requires a little planning, but it feels engineered for longevity. My average consumption hovered around 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which felt entirely reasonable for a proper four-wheel-drive machine. At just under four metres long, it glides into parking spaces that leave larger SUVs circling in frustration.

Driving the Jimny brings unexpected joy. Fellow Jimny drivers offer friendly flashes of headlights, as though acknowledging membership in a cheerful secret society.

*Pricing for the Suzuki Jimny 5 Door GLX 4AT starts at R487,900.

* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.