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Does the Maruti Suzuki Jimny AT manage to leave a mark on the hearts and minds of enthusiasts? We find out

- Sayantan De

It is no secret that we enthusiasts like to row our own gears, that feeling of smoothly downshifting into a corner or slamming the gear home on a spirited launch, all of these experiences help us connect with our cars at a more intimate level. However, considering how congested our roads have become over the years and the pathetic traffic conditions that plague most of our cities, it makes sense to have a car equipped with an automatic transmission as your daily. While the Maruti Suzuki Jimny is competent enough to fill a single-car garage with a little bit of a compromise, is the automatic version worthy of that coveted spot in an enthusiast’s one-car parking? We drove it in the city, on the highway as well as on some trails to find the answer to this question.

A lot has been said about the looks of the Jimny, but I would still like to touch upon the fact that pictures fail to convey how absolutely tiny it is, with a much narrower track than other 4x4s in a similar price bracket. While the Jimny has grown in size over the Gypsy, the wheelbase is actually shorter, though the track is wider. Also, the Jimny is taller than it is wide, which gives it a rather unique stance. Park a Jimny next to a Gypsy and even the most obtuse observer would be able to discern that the former is a successor to the latter. The round headlights seal the deal.