Suzuki Jimny 2018 review

Design-wise, the old Jimny was beginning to show its age, so there’s some irony in the fact Suzuki has modernised it by giving it something of a retro design. The new model is sharper and boxier, while retaining familiar Jimny traits such as the round headlights, independent indicators and front grille design.

It gives the new car something of a mini Mercedes G-Class vibe, served with a side of micro-sized Japanese fun. This is subjective but, to this tester, it looks fantastic.

Fantastic and tiny. The new Jimny retains the small size of its predecessors: in fact, while it’s 45mm wider and 20mm higher, this new model is actually 30mm shorter than the old one. Those dimensions ensure a variant of the Jimny (fitted with a 650cc engine) qualified for Japan’s kei car class.

That small size means this remains a small car inside. The driver’s footwell feels a little cramped, with the accelerator pedal right up against the transmission tunnel.

There are only two seats in the back, without much leg room on offer, and the luggage capacity is a mere 377 litres – and that’s with the rear seats folded down. With the seats up, there’s just 85 litres of storage, accessed through a sideways-opening boot. Still, that 377-litre total is a 53-litre improvement on the old car.

The old Jimny’s 1.3-litre petrol engine has been replaced by a new 1.5-litre unit – the only option, with Suzuki moving away from diesels – which offers 100bhp, 95lb ft of torque at 4000rpm and a top speed of 90mph. Our test car featured the five-speed manual 'box, and a four-speed auto is also available.

As those specs might suggest, the Jimny is not an especially fast car. The revvy engine takes some working to get up to speed, especially with the long gearstick’s substantial and slightly agricultural throw.

Running on 15in wheels and chunky 195/80R15 tyres and with the electrically assisted recirculating ball steering, the Jimny doesn’t offer much in the way of direct feel or driver feedback, although the short wheelbase makes it extremely direct and nimble to drive. And, as you’d expect given the car’s serious suspension, it soaks up even the biggest of bumps with ease. 

The Jimny’s retro-cool styling gives it real appeal. But those seeking a stylish mini G-Class city runabout would probably find the engine lacking power and refinement, an annoying gearchange, floaty steering and handling, an unrefined interior, under-sized rear seats and an impractically tiny boot.

This fourth-generation Jimny might have brought it into the 21st century, but it’s still not exactly at the cutting edge. But, then again, it’s not trying to be. And all of those faults listed above, flipped on their head, are what makes the new Jimny superbly fit for purpose, as a truly capable mini off-roader.

This is a niche car that exists almost in a class by itself, and for the 1300 or so people who buy a Jimny each year and need a pocket-sized off-roader, this new model is capable, confident and utterly compelling. Which is probably why Suzuki has already been swamped with interest from eager buyers.