By Otsile Kadiege

The Suzuki Jimny is the Japanese automaker’s highly sought-after, off-roading stalwart which recently gained two extra doors thanks to a stretched wheelbase as well as a bunch of new features. The 5-door Jimny joins its 3-door sibling on showroom floors and will be offered with the choice of GL and GLX specification and five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The newcomer is still powered by the reliable K15B 1.5-litre petrol engine.

Exterior design

Apart from a stretched wheelbase (2 590 mm) and an overall length of, measured from bumper to bumper, 3 820 mm, which allowed engineers to add two more doors to improve its practicality, the Jimny 5-door’s box-shaped design and modern-retro styling remains the untouched.

Other vital statistics remained very close to those of the three-door model. This includes a width of 1 645 mm and a height of 1 720 mm. Ground clearance remains an impressive 210 mm, while the approach, break-over and departure angles are measured at an impressive 36 degrees, 24 degrees and a very handy 47 degrees respectively.

Suzuki will introduce an exclusive two-tone paint option for this model range. The two-tone colour option matches Chiffon Ivory Metallic, Kinetic Yellow and Sizzling Red Metallic (new) with a roof painted with Pearlescent Bluish Black paint. For buyers who opt for a single colour, the choices include Celestial Blue Pearl Metallic (new), Arctic White Pearl, Silky Silver Metallic, Bluish Black Pearl, Granite Grey Metallic (new) and Jungle Green.

Interior design, tech and practicality

Like the exterior, the interior design remains the same with the exception of a new 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in the range-topping GLX model derivative. The GL derivative uses a smaller 7.0-inch touch display.

In terms of practicality, the 5-door Jimny will have a 50:50 split rear bench, an additional power socket in the luggage compartment and a multi-functional steering wheel that is height adjustable. With all seats in upright position, the 5-door Jimny has a luggage capacity of 211 litres which can be expanded to 332 litres. The cabin has 1 113 litres of space in total.

All five-door models also have a unique design feature that allows the front seats to fold completely flat and integrate with the rear seats to offer two lay-flat beds. This will prove extremely useful for overlanders who often sleep in their vehicles in extreme conditions or short overnight stops.

Safety

All models have Electronic Stability Program (ESP), ABS brakes, side-impact beams in all doors and three-point seatbelts for all four seats. Both rear seats are equipped with ISOFIX child-seat anchors. The Jimny, in GL-specification, has two airbags and the GLX-models have six, including front-side airbags and curtain airbags that run the length of the cabin. All models also have central locking, a digital immobiliser and rear parking sensors as standard.

Powertrain

The 5-door Jimny is still powered by Suzuki’s much-loved K15B 1.5-litre petrol engine. It delivers 75 kW at 6 000 rpm and 130 Nm at 4 000 rpm. The power is delivered through a five speed manual transmission (available on the GL and GLX models) or a four-speed automatic transmission (GLX only) to the rear wheels under normal circumstances or all-four wheels when the transfer gearbox is engaged. The Suzuki Jimny is fitted with a complete off-road system, including a transfer gearbox with 2H, 4H and 4 Low Range modes.

The Jimny also has a new version of the well-known AllGrip system, called AllGrip Pro. This system amplifies the capabilities of the four-wheel drive system with electronic assistance, such as selective braking on wheels with no traction that emulates a traditional differential lock. All five-door models further have Hill Descent Control, Hill Assist and Brake Assistance as standard.

Pricing

Jimny 1.5 GL AllGrip 5-door manual – R429,900

Jimny 1.5 GLX AllGrip 5-door manual – R457,900

Jimny 1.5 GLX AllGrip 5-door auto – R479,900