2019 Suzuki Jimny: Still ploughing a Jimny furrow

The new Suzuki Jimny – arriving in the UK in 2019 – promises to be as able as the Jimny always has been, but with better dynamics and a new 1.5 litre petrol engine.

The Suzuki Jimny has been around so long it’s got past being ‘old’ and has instead become ‘iconic. Which isn’t bad for a cheap as chips little SUV that’s not exactly a joy to drive. Well, it’s not a joy to drive on road.

But what the Jimny does do is tackle the rough stuff in a way nothing else can – certainly nothing else remotely close to its price – and the new Jimny, due to arrive in the UK in 2019, promises more of that, but with an added dose of modernity.

We had a bit of a peek at the new Jimny a few weeks ago, but now Suzuki has delivered more detail ahead of the new Jimny arriving in the UK in 2019.

Much the same size as the current Jimny, and looking not a lot different, the new Jimny is still boxy and upright and looking like a mass market mini take on the Mercedes G-Class. It’s no funky urban warrior, and so much the better for it.

Under the bonnet sits a new 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with 101bhp which mates to a five-speed manual gearbox (or four-speed auto option), there’s a ladder chassis and a drivetrain with 2WD, 4WD and low range selection, short overhangs (the Jimny has an approach angle of 37 degrees and departure of 47 degrees) with coil springs front and back.

That all works well off-road, but Suzuki promise the new Jimny will be more forgiving on road with the more rigid ladder frame and steering damper. But don’t expect it to drive like a cuddly urban crossover, because it won’t.

Inside the new Jimny is more appealing too, with a 7″ touchscreen in the middle with Bluetooth and Smartphone Apps, a bit of a driver information display, a bigger load area, switches you can use with gloves on and robust, wipe clean, plastics.

There’s also modern safety stuff like Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure and High Beam Assist as well as Hill Hold and Descent Control and Traffic Sign Recognition.

It seems likely the new Jimny will cost more than the £13k starting point of the current Jimny. But not a lot more.