We Hit Trails In Cool New Suzuki Jimny

FIRST DRIVE Our verdict on retro-styled small 4x4 over challenging terrain, as well as on the road.

- Peter Lyon

Behind the wheel as boxy off-road legend is reborn

More power and low-down torque from 1.5-litre engine

ORDER a new Suzuki Jimny in Japan now and you won’t pick it up until early next year. That’s how popular the tiny, go-anywhere SUV has become. And Suzuki says it expects similarly strong demand in overseas markets, too.

Why? That retro styling, of course. The Jimny is a logarithmic improvement over the chunky, clunky outgoing model; born way back in 1970, this is the first all-new Jimny in more than 20 years.

So Suzuki has had time to think about revisions and get the packaging right. Penned in an unashamedly boxy style with strong hints of the Mercedes G-Class and Land Rover Defender, the new Jimny has proportions that make it appear bigger than it really is. But it’s not just that conservative, approachable exterior that’s generating such interest.

Pretty much every other aspect of the tiny Suzuki is exactly what the market wanted, according to chief engineer, Hiroyuki Yonezawa. “We kept things simple, but improved quality and functionality,” he told us. “But above all, its off-road capabilities.”