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N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A
JANUARY 25 - 31 | 2019
> available online - www.nemedia.com.au
LITTLE MASTER: Nothing else looks quite like a Suzuki Jimny - or drives like one.
All new
Suzuki Jimny By EWAN KENNEDY crossovers and SUVs on sale, none are ‘real’ 4WDs with a body-on-chassis ladder-frame construction. The engine drives all four wheels through 2H, 4H and 4L modes. It even has a ‘proper’ lever on the centre tunnel to select ranges, not the silly dashboard buttons on the superseded Jimny. We’ve just attended the Suzuki Jimny launch in Queensland. (Queensland Suzuki operates independently from the rest of Oz, though the two importers are quite good friends these days.) Though we loved the new Jimny’s shape in photos I reckon it’s not quite so appealing
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in the metal - it looks just too boxy. Then again, it’s stunningly practical in the way every square centimetre inside can be used. Obviously beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so call into a Suzuki dealer to see what you think. We do love the new interior, it’s got a neat old-style look with big easy-tosee instruments and Suzuki’s excellent infotainment screen. Power comes from a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 100 horsepower (75 kW in Aussie numbers) and 130 Nm of torque. The latter is at a relatively high 4000 rpm, but it feels grunty enough over a wide range. The engine is let down because it’s sitting in front of either a five-speed manual or
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four-speed automatic transmission. One more gear in the self shifter and a couple more in the auto would have made Jimny nicer to drive. Our brief on-road testing was done only in a manual. The engine is running at 3000 revs on country roads when almost every other new vehicle is turning over in the low 2000s. The engine is reasonably well insulated from the cabin but it does sound busy. Ride comfort is way ahead of any other Suzuki Jimny, Sierra or LJ Series 4WD we have driven. It’s perhaps not quite to the same standard as a Swift or Baleno, but comes mighty close.
Continued page 2 21d13123-v28/0119
WE can’t remember the last time a new vehicle has had such a dream run as the Suzuki Jimny. Since the first pictures of the chunky looking new model were released midway through 2018 Suzuki dealers have been bombarded with enquiries from potential buyers. Showing they are serious many have put down deposits, with a global waiting list of about two to three months. The Suzuki people in Queensland won’t reveal their figures, but the smiles on their faces are a giveaway. Even better for Suzuki, the Jimny literally doesn’t have any competition. No other company builds a low-cost small genuine 4WD. While there are many small
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