2019 Suzuki Jimny - Reasons that justify its price

We are sure that even you must have fallen off your seats when you head the price tag of the 2019 Suzuki Jimny. The all-new Jimny price in the Philippines is pegged at Php 1 million plus, as disclosed at the 2018 PIMS  were the car was put on display. That’s a lot of money for a neo-retro SUV. This one will only seat two as well. Suzuki says that the so-called highish price is what you pay for Japanese reliability as well as modern creature comforts one can find in the Jimny SUV. Are they right? Does the Suzuki Jimny actually ditch the bare minimal theme and pack in modern goodies? Finally, does it justify the asking price or is Suzuki way too optimistic? Let’s find out.

Local Gelandewagen?

Yes for sure. The 2019 Suzuki Jimny, especially in that fetching green color, will definitely be a mini G-Wagen. After all, that was the purpose of buying this Japanese runabout. It has all the tools (maybe we exaggerated a bit there) to take on the rough. Plus spares will not be ridiculously priced when compared to the Mercedes. Scrape a fender or dent the door, no worries. Roadside mechanics, as well as Suzuki, authorized units will be happy to help you out. No need to wait for the towing van or even include some premium roadside assistance. The internals of the vehicle is not so complicated as well. If you buy a Jimny, be sure to add on that snorkel.

Safety is paramount

More and more Suzuki vehicles are now being built with a strong focus on safety. The updated Suzuki Jimny for that matter comes with DSBS. When in motion, the Jimny makes use of two sensors—a monocular camera and a laser sensor—to determine if there is a risk of collision with a car in front or a pedestrian/animal. If it senses a potential collision, the Jimny’s safety aids take the following decisions. First, it warns the driver through the audio and visual warning. If the driver doesn’t act, it will prim the brakes, and Brake Assist is called for. This is done to ensure maximum braking is available if the driver decides to panic brake. The third case will be that the driver still hasn’t dabbed on the brakes, the system will overtake and apply emergency brakes.

High Beam Assist is also part of the package. This one will detect the vehicle ahead and accordingly adjust to low beam. The condition is that auto headlight should be on at speeds of around 40 kmph. If the need arises, once there is no vehicle ahead, the system will switch to high beam automatically. Weaving Alert, lane departure warning, as well as traffic sign recognition, too are offered. There are six airbags and ABS with EBD as part of the safety aids. Check out how the new Jimny performed at the EURO NCAP test. 

Off-road aids

The Suzuki Jimny was always known to be an off-road vehicle and one that can manage the tarmac as well. To this very effect, the part-time all-wheel drive is now on offer with the AllGrip technology from Suzuki. There is four-wheel high as well as low ratios on tap as well. Did we also say that the Suzuki Jimny comes with a lofty seating position, good all-around view, as well as 210 mm of ground clearance? Well, it does. The 15-inch alloy wheels have also been tested over millions of kilometres for their sturdiness. Suzuki has given on-off road performance, and these will do an excellent job on the tarmac and off it as well.

Engine to match the show

Suzuki will offer a new 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. It will produce 102 PS of power and 130 Nm of torque. These numbers, as well as the capacity of the engine, are up from the 84 PS and 110 Nm from the older 1.3-litre motor. A 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic will be offered. Kerb weight overall has gone up by only 5 kg. This means performance should be good and so will the fuel economy. Classic case of having your cake and eating it too.

Seating and comfort features

At this price point, the Jimny will offer fake leather upholstery with contrast stitching, seats for four, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, 8.0-inch infotainment system, and retro dials. There will be grips to hold on to for each door. The boot space is low at 293 litres, but the rear seats can be flipped ahead to liberate more space. Storage spaces too are plenty. Suzuki is, after all, giving you a piece of history with modern vibes.

If reasons mentioned above aren’t enough, remember this. The Suzuki Jimny is more reliable than the G-Wagen can ever be or aspire to. It is a Suzuki after all.