Why I feel the Jimny is worth buying: Observations post a test drive

Posted on : 07/10/2023
Why I feel the Jimny is worth buying: Observations post a test drive
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May not have the sheer size of the Mahindra Thar but definitely looks the part. People and I mean everyone on the road gives it a second glance.

BHPian themotorhead_doc recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Visited Nexa Andheri East on last Saturday to complete payment formalities for a family friend who’s buying a Grand Vitara. Noticed the change in the display car for Jimny which meant that the earlier one is now a TD vehicle.

Our SA was prompt to grab the keys of the Kinetic Yellow Jimny Alpha AT and offered it to us for a TD.

Here are my few observations after a good 10 kms TD (drove it purely in 2H throughout):

  • May not have the sheer size of the Mahindra Thar but definitely looks the part. People and I mean everyone on the road gives it a second glance especially in this kinetic yellow shade.
  • The overall design still looks cohesive with the 5 door layout.
  • The boot space is pretty limited but enough to pack in a couple of bags and some nick knacks.
  • With the rear seats folded there’s plenty of space to haul luggage.
  • The rear seat experience is best described as satisfactory with the legroom being decent but the seat base lacking under thigh support.
  • Also the rear bench is best suited for two with the third person being best avoided.
  • The front seats are good enough and provide good range of adjustments to find a balanced driving position with a good view of what’s outside.
  • The flat bonnet here helps gauge the front end of the car.
  • The interiors are nothing to write home about but feel built to last with hard wearing plastics all around. Special mention to the large rotary dials which make the operation that bit easier.
  • The touchscreen feels smooth to operate with negligible lag paired up to a decent audio set up that will suffice the most average users.
  • The MID is reminiscent of the gypsy(orange backlit) with some modern flair in the form of an MID.

The driving experience is a mixed bag with some strong positives and some obvious negatives:

  • The K15B with the grandpa 4-speed TC is well tuned for use within the city confines and only till early triple digits.
  • The engine feels smooth throughout with better punch than the newer k15C engines helped by the slushbox giving smooth shifts throughout.
  • There’s some initial hesitation in building momentum but goes up to highway speeds fairly quick( managed to hit 110 on the elevated airport corridor).
  • This brings me to the most important aspect of the Jimny: THE RIDE QUALITY.
  • Suzuki have nailed the suspension setup with this one as it rides over most of the city roads without much unsettling. Yes, you do feel the road imperfections but these are minimal feeling much better than the Mahindra Thar.
  • The Jimny is simply unfazed by anything the GREAT INDIAN ROADS throw at it. The ride quality is a highlight of the package IMO.
  • The smaller size which is often regarded as lack of lack of agreed cred shines within the city with the Jimny feeling light on its feet and managing to squeeze in gaps when required with minimal planning( the wide arches do require some attention though). Also tight U-turns are doable with one single reverse.

 Overall the Jimny has a distinct charm which despite it’s shortcomings makes it not only a car worth getting our hands on but an experience worth indulging into! With this I head back to my grind to earn some moolah that’ll bring this cute little dream of mine closer to reality.

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