The long-awaited Maruti Suzuki Jimny will go on sale in India on June 7. The model will be launched with a 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine, offered with a 5-speed manual and 4-speed auto gearbox options. Suzuki’s AllGrip Pro four-wheel drive system is standard fit across the range. Interestingly, there are no plans for a lower priced two-wheel-drive version in the future.
Sources say a two-wheel-drive version was not on the table as Suzuki wanted the Jimny to be true to its off-road legacy. The original Jimny was launched in Japan in 1970 and the nameplate has since become synonymous with off-road ability. Even the Gypsy that was launched in India in the '80s never got a 4x2 system throughout its lifecycle, which ended in 2019.
Mahindra Thar 2WD variant helped sales
Launching a lower priced, two-wheel-drive version is a strategy that has worked wonders for Mahindra. The Thar 4x2 petrol-automatic (Rs 13.49 lakh) is Rs 2.3 lakh more affordable than its 4x4 equivalent, while the Thar diesel-manual 4x2 range starts at an enticing Rs 10.55 lakh. This pricing has been made possible by the move to a smaller engine, which helps it qualify for the ‘small car’ tax benefits.
Also see: 50 years of the Suzuki Jimny
The lower price tags have opened up the Thar to a whole new set of buyers lured by the off-roader’s image, but without use for its actual off-road ability. That there’s a 17-month waiting period on the Thar diesel-manual 4x2 should tell you about the scale of its popularity. Incidentally, Mahindra delivered its 1,00,000th Thar last week.
What community is saying on the Jimny?
It’ll be interesting to see how the Jimny is priced vis-a-vis other Maruti SUVs as well as off road rivals like the Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha.
Also see:
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Suraj Viswanathan
Hormazd Sorabjee
Kiran Murali
