Ever since the Jimny was showcased at the Auto Expo 2020, there have been rumours about the SUV being launched in India. According to Autocar India, Maruti Suzuki has greenlit Jimny for the Indian market. This information was shared by the manufacturer at a dealer conference that was recently held. The timeline for the launch of the Jimny has not yet been confirmed.
What is confirmed, is that Maruti Suzuki will be launching the 5-door version of the Jimny in the Indian market. The spy shots of a long-wheelbase Jimny are already on the internet. So, Suzuki is already developing the larger versions of Jimny.
The Jimny 5-door will measure 3,850mm in length, 1,645mm in width and 1,730mm in height. It will have a wheelbase of 2,550mm. So, the length and wheelbase will be increased by 300 mm. The wheelbase is slightly longer than the Vitara Brezza. So, there should be enough space for the rear occupants. Still, the SUV will measure under 4 metres. You might think that this means that Jimny would be able to take tax advantages.
Also read: India-bound long wheelbase Maruti Suzuki Jimny spied for the first time
However, that is not the case. Jimny 5-door will be using the 1.5-litre, four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine which means that Jimny will not be allowed to take the tax advantages. The naturally aspirated engine produces 102 hp of max power and a peak torque output of 138 Nm. This is the same engine that we have seen on other Maruti Suzuki vehicles such as Vitara Brezza, Ciaz, S-Cross, Ertiga and XL6.
It would also come with a proper 4×4 drivetrain. The transmission duties will be done by a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Having said that, we hope that Maruti Suzuki replaces the 4-speed automatic gearbox with a new 6-speed torque converter unit that just debuted on the 2022 S-Cross.
The engine will also come with a 12V mild-hybrid technology. It provides torque assist function at lower speeds and enables the idle start/stop functionality. So, whenever the car comes to a stop, the engine shuts down automatically and also starts automatically when the person presses the clutch. This helps in saving fuel, reducing emissions and increasing fuel efficiency.
Maruti Suzuki is already manufacturing left-hand drive versions of the Jimny in India for export purposes that is why they are spotted quite often. According to the sources of Autocar, now, Maruti Suzuki has also started manufacturing a right-hand version of the Jimny. So, there are chances that in the future if Jimny is successful then Maruti Suzuki launches the three-door right-hand wheel drive version of Jimny in India.
There will be no direct rivals to the Jimny 5-door. The only two vehicles that can be considered competitors to the Jimny are the Thar and the recently launched Force Gurkha. Mahindra is working on a 5-door version of the Thar and that would be the direct competitor to the Jimny 5-door but the Thar would be priced higher than the Jimny but then it also comes with more features and equipment.
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