Suzuki Jimny 4X4 SUV spotted in Mumbai

Maruti Suzuki has announced that marketing plans for the Jimny 4X4 are being firmed up ahead of the SUV’s launch in early 2023. Meanwhile, a Suzuki Jimny 4X4 has been spotted on Mumbai roads. Don’t get too excited though, for the Jimny spotted in Mumbai is a private import from Dubai, a country where the SUV is already on sale.

Images courtesy CarCrazyIndia

The Jimny that’ll be sold in India will get a right hand drive dashboard layout, and will be built in one of the many factories that Maruti Suzuki operates here. Notably, a long wheelbase version of the Jimny has been spotted testing abroad. It remains to be seen if Maruti Suzuki brings in a long wheelbase, 5 door version or chooses to stick to the 3 door, short wheelbase model. In India, the Jimny is expected to be sold as a Gypsy replacement.

Mechanically, the India-spec Jimny is expected to use the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder K15C petrol motor, paired to either a 5 speed manual or a 4 speed torque converter automatic gearbox option. A four wheel drive transfer case is likely to be standard fare. In India, the Jimny will square off against the Mahindra Thar – available with turbo petrol and turbo diesel engines – and the Force Gurkha – sold with a turbo diesel engine.

Also read: 5 upcoming Maruti cars: Baleno Facelift to all-new Vitara Brezza

The Jimny is one size smaller than both the Gurkha and Thar, and is expected to be priced quite competitively. While the Gypsy – despite the very limited volumes it used to sell in – was priced at about Rs. 6 lakh before discontinuation, the Jimny is likely to sit nearer to the Rs. 10 lakh mark. The Jimny is a few generations ahead of the Gypsy in nearly every aspect, and the price premium should reflect that.

The Jimny – like the Gypsy – will sit on a ladder frame chassis that should give it excellent rough road and off-road performance. The short wheelbase, light weight, and four wheel drive layout with low and high ranges should make it a ‘mountain goat’, just like the Gypsy. Where the Jimny will be different though is in terms of the on-road comfort, creature comforts and safety features it offers over the Gypsy.

Six airbags (thanks to the latest Government mandate), ABS+EBD, ESP, hill-hold and hill-descent control are the various safety features that the India-spec Jimny is likely to pack in. Independent suspension on all four wheels as opposed to the leaf springs on the Gypsy will make the Jimny a lot more usable as an everyday car. A touchscreen infotainment unit with Bluetooth connectivity,  satellite navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will make the new 4X4 SUV a compelling daily drive.

Also read: 10 DC Design cars & how they look in the REAL world: Maruti Swift to Mahindra XUV500