New Suzuki Jimny production begins

All-new Jimny seen for the first time in production guise.

Published On Jun 06, 2018 10:10:00 AM

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Suzuki has begun series production of the next-gen Jimny SUV at its Japanese facility ahead of an official unveil, which is scheduled to take place later this year.

The new SUV has not been softened with a more road-biased look. It actually looks significantly more rugged, with retro styling that shares design cues with its predecessors.

The fourth-generation Jimny is being developed with the feedback of existing Jimny owners in mind, who rank its effective off-road capabilities and robustness more highly than on-road performance. The new model's road handling characteristics have been improved according to our sister publication Autocar UK, however, the vehicle is expected to still stick to its original hardy and rugged nature.

As such, the new Jimny's design reflects its 4x4 status with a simple, box-shaped body. Much of the design appears similar to that found on the Mercedes-Benz G-class such as the squared-off wheel arches and tail-lights located low on the bumper. To top it off, Suzuki is also expected to offer the lime green shade, which was popular with the previous-gen Mercedes- AMG G-class.

Images leaked onto the internet revealed the look of the SUV’s interiors late last year. Although it gains modern features such as touchscreen infotainment, the overall design remains clunky - likely due to a priority for function over form to enable users to operate controls and buttons even with gloves.

The brand has remained tight-lipped as to what will power the future SUV, but sources expect Suzuki’s turbocharged 1.0-litre, three-pot Boosterjet to be offered, with the brand’s naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre a potential entry-point engine.

The lithe and capable Jimny has a faithful fan following the world over; those who value its capability-to-cost ratio. In India too, the Gypsy is popular in off-roader circles and has been a trusted companion for the Indian Armed Forces for over two decades. While there is no confirmation from Maruti as yet, the all-new Jimny could just be headed to India as well.