At the ongoing 2018 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) Suzuki officials have confirmed that the new Jimny (currently being showcased at the motor show) will be assembled in Indonesia for the domestic market and for export to ASEAN markets such as Thailand.
The Japan-spec Jimny comes in two variants – the Kei car with a 660cc, three-cylinder petrol engine and the Sierra-badged trim that gets Suzuki’s 1,500cc K15B petrol motor. The latter version has been confirmed for the Southeast Asian market, mated to five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions. The Sierra also gets thicker bumpers and cladding on the wheel arches to differentiate it from the standard Japan-only Jimny. Interestingly, the model displayed at the motor show was not equipped with a touchscreen infotainment system. Instead, it sported the same 2-DIN audio system found on the Indonesian-spec Ignis.
It has yet to be confirmed whether the Jimny Sierra will only be offered with rear-wheel drive or whether it will get an all-wheel-drive variant.
The Jimny has generated a great deal of interest in India ever since it was officially unveiled. The SUV has great potential for our market, underscored by Suzuki Motor Corporation President Toshihiro Suzuki’s statement back in 2015, “Except kei jidosha products (Kei cars), we will bring all new Suzukis to India.”
The fact that the Jimny Sierra shares its 104hp, 1.5-litre petrol engine with the soon-to-be-launched Ciaz facelift and the incoming second-gen Ertiga has lent veracity to rumours that the SUV may be India-bound. However, there is no official word from Maruti Suzuki regarding an India launch.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
