Maruti Suzuki Jimny road test, review

How does Maruti’s characterful and tough off-roader perform in our exhaustive road test? Read on to find out.

Published on Sep 23, 2023 10:00:00 AM

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The Jimny’s cabin is quite high above the ground, and in the absence of a side step, ingress and egress isn’t as easy as walking into a similarly priced compact SUV. However, once you’ve climbed inside its cube-like cabin, its upright walls certainly feel special. Like on the outside, there are several design elements in the cabin – such as the exposed faux bolts, fixed grab handle on the passenger side, and the twin pod-like instrument cluster with orange backlighting that are reminiscent of earlier generations of the Jimny. The design is nice, but the quality of plastics in many places isn’t, though it isn’t something Jimny buyers will find a reason to complain about.

Clockwise from left: 4-speed auto can be limited to second or third gear for steep descents/ascents; Backlit analogue dials draw inspiration from the Gypsy’s; Gets a proper 4-wheel-drive low range. Design is a clever mix of retro-cool and utilitarian bits.

The driver gets limited adjustment – the steering doesn’t adjust for reach and the seat can’t be raised or lowered either. But thanks to the dashboard, which is pushed all the way to the front, and the upright glass area, visibility outside is excellent. Seats are comfy, but the soft cushioning isn’t ideal for long drives.

Knee, head room is surprisingly good, but it’s a certified four seater only.

Some might find the rear door aperture a bit small, and the door sill high. The seat itself is spacious enough for two average-sized adults. But adults will brush their elbows with each other because of the car’s narrow width. To note, there are only seat belts for two at the rear and the Jimny is thus certified as a four-seater. Annoyingly, the company hasn’t included load sensors in the rear seat, so the rear seat-belt alarm will trigger for around 90 seconds, irrespective of whether the back seat is occupied or not. To circumvent this, you must keep the rear seat belts buckled in at all times.

Lacks driver’s seat height adjustment. Cushioning is soft on all seats.

Storage areas are limited: the glove box is small, there are only two cupholders for the entire cabin, and the door bins can’t hold anything more than a couple of magazines.

Thankfully, there is a slot to stow your smartphone in front of the gear lever, and the front seatback pockets are quite handy for knick-knacks. Impressively, with the rear seats in place, there’s room for a couple of medium-sized suitcases. To accommodate even more cargo, the backseat can be folded down in a 50:50 ratio.