Suzuki Jimny GLX 4AT

Honestly, I’ve been wanting to drive the Suzuki Jimny for years! Back in the day, my friends and I had so many fun adventures aboard its siblings, the Beaver and Samurai, so coming home to an all-new Jimny in my driveway was a thrill.

- Maribelle Alba

DESIGN

The Suzuki Jimny is a small utility vehicle, designed to navigate narrow trails and difficult terrain inaccessible to larger vehicles. Its square, boxy body is purely utilitarian, with little regard for aerodynamic curves. Instead, practical design elements were taken into careful consideration, such as the large molded bumpers to guard against chips and scratches, the drip rail that prevents water from dripping offthe roof, the large LED headlights with washers to ensure visibility even when driving through muddy tracks.

Retaining its classic looks, the all-new Jimny is instantly recognizable as a “jeep” with its iconic round headlights and separate turn indicators, as well as the vertical front grille and clamshell bonnet. The two-tone version that I got as a test unit had a black roof atop a solid kinetic yellow body, exuding both toughness and fun.

The interior is spare and straightforward, consisting only of essential controls. The dashboard is similarly boxy, and its horizontal lines are supposed to help orient the driver in uneven terrain. The seats have also been designed to provide better shock absorption as well as free body movement in rough conditions. Seating is for two adults in the front bucket seats and two adults in the rear bench seats. The premium GLX variant has a leather steering wheel with audio controls and cruise control for just that teeny-weeny bit of luxe.

EQUIPMENT