Suzuki has finally begun road-testing the much awaited Jimny 5-door, and although initial spy shots have surfaced from Europe, sources tell us that the mule is most likely made in India and sent overseas for testing. The Jimny 5-door will be a global model and is expected to make its India debut at the Delhi Auto Expo 2023 in January.
- Jimny 5-door will get a minor facelift
- Will get a larger touchscreen from the Brezza, more features
- Expected to get the new K15C petrol engine
Suzuki Jimny 5-door: what the spy shots reveal
These fresh spy shots show the car with a proper five-door body shell and prominent outline for the rear passenger doors, confirming the development of a five-door Jimny. While the heavily covered mule doesn’t reveal much except this, sources tell us that the Jimny will get a minor nip and tuck to its styling, which will also be seen on the standard three-door version. On the inside, the model will get a few more features and a new 9-inch infotainment screen, similar to the newer Maruti Suzuki and Toyota models seen in India.
As far as dimensions go, sources tell us that the Jimny 5-door will be around 3,850mm in length, 1,645mm in width and 1,730mm in height. The 5-door version will be similar in length to the Swift (3,845mm), while being shorter than the new Brezza (3,995mm).
The Jimny 5-door will have a wheelbase of 2,550mm, a 300mm increase over the 3-door Jimny that has a wheelbase of 2,250mm, with an overall length of 3,550mm. It will have a 210mm ground clearance and weigh around 1,190kg, 100kg more than the 3-door version.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-door: K15C engine expected
Maruti Suzuki has replaced the K15B 1.5-litre petrol with the new K15C DualJet engine in most cars in its India line-up, and the same is expected for the 3-door and 5-door versions of the Jimny as well. This new engine delivers 103hp and 137Nm and will be mated to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox. Four-wheel drive options are expected to continue as is. More importantly, the engine will come with Suzuki’s mild-hybrid fuel saving tech.
Despite measuring under four metres in length, the Jimny 5-door will not qualify for compact car excise benefits in India as it has a 1.5-litre petrol engine. However, if Suzuki decides to use the smaller 1.2-litre engine on the Jimny, the model could qualify for the lower excise bracket, and this, coupled with local production, could give it a tempting entry price in India.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-door: India launch timeline
Although the Jimny 3-door is manufactured in India, it's only for exports. The Jimny 5-door, as we'd reported earlier, will be the one sold here, with an Auto Expo 2023 debut highly likely for the India-spec Jimny 5-door. The SUV will go on sale at Maruti’s Nexa outlets thereafter.
The SUV may not have a direct rival in India upon launch, but it will face competition from the bigger Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha SUVs. Expect Maruti Suzuki Jimny prices to overlap with higher variants of the Brezza in India, although both models are expected to cater to a separate set of buyers.
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