Suzuki Jimny (1998-2026)

Suzuki Jimny, BEST DAMN 4WD on the market bar none – See some on here rubbishing what is a GREAT small 4wd. They fail to understand it is made for around town and mainly OFF ROAD where it EXCELS beyond most 4wd's. When you buy something with an engine that depending on build year has between 59 and 65 kw's of power and around 100nm if torque to expect it to go like a Ferrari or Mustang is… Read more

exceptionally stupid !!! Accept it for what it's built for and utilise it accordingly and you will find it IS a Great little vehicle !!! I've had mine for about 8 or 9 years, it's 25+ years old and still going after over 230,000 km's. Yes the engine has a reasonable amount of wear and therefore probably doesn’t have the 59kw's of power anymore but it still does what is REASONABLY expected of it. Going up The Blue Mountains I don't expect anymore than 70km/h or 63+km/h if heavily loaded. Be realistic in your expectations of any vehicle and you will get more out of it. Work with it not against it. Don't flog it and it'll look after you.

Great Little 4x4 – * The car has zero issues getting up to speed on the freeway, have to do a bit of a run up on hills but it's no different to my Mazda 2, so I'm not complaining. Also, going all fast and the furious around corners is not a good idea. * The boot is small but I keep the back seats down which creates a lot of room to put stuff. Also my partner is 6'2… Read more

and fits easily into the front and back seats with a good amount of head and leg room.

* Connection to android auto never fails.

* Its quiet in the cabin so hearing where sirens are coming from, takes a bit of practice.

* The windows are quite big, I don't have any blind spots.

* Stock suspension and wheels are super good. Not much needs changing unless you put a bull bar on the front.

*Everything under the bonnet is super easy to see and understand and has heaps of room for any after market mods.

This is a great little car for a small family. I drive mine everyday 30mins to and from work which includes freeway and town roads, plus i do some dirt roads, beach and 4 wheel driving on the weekends. I do a petrol fill only once a week with 95 and costs me just under $40. I look forward to going to work everyday just so i can drive it there and home again, I absolutely love it.

A Hot Little Car – I'm not entirely sure what people expect when they buy these things. It does exactly what it says on the box; no more, no less. I've chewed through about 75,000 km in mine so far, I have had to do the standard amount of service and repair work for how hard it is being pushed off road. I have removed the back seats and put in a false floor,… Read more

which gives ample space for two persons worth of gear for a long weekend away. If you can't fit 4 days worth of stuff in the back with the seats out, you should probably think about leaving your entire kitchen at home and roughing it a little.

In town it is fine, I changed the suspension recently for something a little softer, but it was tolerable off the factory floor along rubbish Adelaide roads. It offers acceptable fuel economy (approximately 450-500km a tank) and is a breeze to park. The higher driving position adds a little confidence when driving, but if you want to survive getting slammed into after running a stop sign, you might want to look into a 100 series.

Service parts and after market improvements are readily available should that tickle your fancy. 215/75/r15s will legally go on the wheels without any clearance issues and that happens to be the cheapest size of BF Goodrich KO2s you can get. Most parts are relatively inexpensive due to the simple nature of the set up. The 95RON requirement is a bit of a pain, but I have run mine on 91 more than once out of necessity to no detriment.

At the end of the day, the car has a load of charm, is capable off road (if you actually know how to drive a short wheelbase car off road and don't load it up with 400kg of rubbish), a breeze to drive around town and quite reliable. The trade-offs are that it is noisy as hell on the inside, tolerably uncomfortable at 110km/h (you can always go 90, which is a much nicer cruising speed) and is fairly utilitarian on the inside. If you're looking for a plush highway cruiser or something to cart your 2.5 children and your full glamping kit around in, you're probably not looking in the right place. The old Jimny is honest with itself about what it is and if you are looking at one, you should be honest with yourself about what you need out of a car. If those two things align, you'll end up with something you love and that won't let you down.

ABSOLUTLY MAGIC – Very happy with my second Jimny. Bought the first in 2019 for $29,000 and sold it for $35,000. (Auto) Bought the manual in 2022. Done 12,000km and love it. The infotainment unit played up and the dealer had 4 goes at it and finaly fixed it. They did well. Will happily cruise at 110km all day. I go bush a fair bit and the Jimny will go anywhere… Read more

easily. So easy around town to drive and park. Here in Western Australia all the jimny owners wave to each other. They are just loving their car as well. It will wander a bit in high winds on the freeway but you just need to be carefull. I love the sticker for the rear window "GO AROUND, IF IT WAS MEANT TO GO FAST IT WOULDNT BE BUILT LIKE A BRICK" My rear seats are always down and plenty of room for my gear. My daughter loves it so much she bought one.

Drive it like a motorcycle – Great small 4x4, cheap to run, as reliable as a Suzuki motorcycle. Not a great highway car as it's got a small engine. Needs to driven like a motorcycle, that is revved out through the gears. If it isn't revved enough it won't make enough power. Keep the oil changed. No problems in 70,000 km of used ownership. Show details

Awesome 4wd – I use this car to commute to and from work everyday and to go camping in the hard to get to places I love this car and have never had a problem with it It’s an awesome little 4wd and I couldn’t live without it I absolutely love my little zook  Show details

Fun but impractical – I love the retro look, how the drive is so bumpy-you feel everything. It's great fun. However the engine is quite gutless, there was minimal thought or effort put into storage in the vehicle. Yes its a micro 4WD. But that is exactly why Suzuki should've thought to maximise storage space with what they had. You can't even put a cup in the door… Read more

pockets. You can't really put anything in them to be honest. It's such a tight, narrow little space they've created. The boot (when seats are not folded down) is negligible. Basically useless. There is no centre console. The sun visors are also useless. They are tiny compared to the enormous side windows-they don't protect you from the sun at all if it's coming at you on your side. Also if you are on the bigger side of life, or tall for that matter, I imagine you would struggle being comfortable in the Jimny. As it is micro, and very boxy, there is very little room to open your legs as you are driving. Think of it like being in a plane. And it's a thirsty little car. On the plus side, the head lights are amazing. You can see so well at night. It's like having high beams on 24/7. People flash me all the time at night because they think I've got them on. And it's a Suzuki. Like any Japanese car it's got bullet proof reliability. It's cheap to service.

Great car, disappointed head unit – Starting from about mid 2021 Suzuki Australia started to install a dodgy third party head unit into their cars which doesn't have built-in GPS or maps. This would be not too bad but they refuse to share its wiring or connection diagram thus preventing customers from finding a better replacement. As much as I love the car I hate the installed head… Read more

unit and don't recommend it to anyone.

Another negative point that my new car came with some rust on the frame. It's not visible unless wheels are removed. I found the rust when I was rust proofing the bottom of the car.

easy to park, gutless for freeway – Missus bought this car in 2016 second hand with 24000k's on it. Few weeks later started stalling. Useless Stealership couldnt find problem after many attempts. Finally they threw parts at it and fluked a result, the Throttle Position Sensor was faulty. Apparently has become common problem on later model Suzukis. After 2 years of this fix and out… Read more

of warranty it is intermittently doing the stalling again. Easy to drive around town at low - mid speeds and a breeze to park but ask anything of it on the highway and trucks overtake you up hills. The 1.3L engine is too small and gutless. Certainly don't get the stated fuel economy. Had my foot flat to the floor going up a hill in a 110 zone and it was doing 75 by the time we reached the top, not even that big if a hill tbh. No wonder they now come with a 1.5L engine. The ride is so harsh on anything slightly bumpy. Just not a comfortable or enjoyable car to drive. Cheap to service myself though but has to use 95 RON fuel, what a waste. Tyres are expensive for something half decent due to the type required. Generally have liked other Suzukis we've had but this one dropped the ball somewhat. Also no bluetooth on a 2014 stereo? Seriously pathetic. Hopefully it will last the distance in reliability like previous ones we've had.

A rugged 'go anywhere' little mate – I bought my new 5-speed Jimny in 2001 and have covered 225,000 almost trouble-free kilometres (only a faulty oxygen sensor and spark plug prevented a perfect score). For all that time it has been garaged at the top of a 3km rutted and rocky bush track. In addition to scheduled servicing I renew the engine oil and filter every 5,000km. Although… Read more

equipment is basic, it has everything a driver needs and is ideal for one or two occupants. Its sole modification has been the removal of the rear seats in order to lighten the car and increase load capacity. A steep windscreen and vertical windows mean that air conditioning is unnecessary, even on 40 degree days (I use the aircon mainly to dehumidify in winter). Build quality is both high and Tonka tough, visibility from the driver's seat is exceptional, it is a doddle to park and can get into places and spaces that would defeat all but an off-road motorcycle. Performance and fuel economy are acceptable and consumable parts are cheap. Tyres are good for 60,000km. Total running costs, excluding fuel but including servicing, registration and full insurance, has averaged only $1500 per annum. To top it off, it is nice to look at and gets plenty of compliments. I feel confident that it will easily exceed 400,000km. If I outlive it I will certainly buy another new one.

Awesome 4x4 – Reliable to a fault. Bit heavy on fuel if you keep the mud Tires on. Nothing fancy about the Jimny, it is a toy, but can be a work horse when you need it to be. it has a surprising amount of leg room, I am 1.89m tall and no worries. The Lo and High range ratio is awesome one button 4x4. smooth as. it takes a bit to get used to but I will try to always have a Suzuki in my drive way.  Show details

Little Rhino 4x4 – In my 50 years of bush bashing in Africa and Australia, I have tried most 4x4's on the market. These would include both big trucks and today's wagons and pickup's. Then in year 2000 I changed from Hilux 4wd to Suzuki jimny it had 40000 km on clock and I put another 140000 on it doing some pretty tough tracks. Apart from normal service's such as… Read more

oil change, shocks, brake pads the only major repair was the heavy duty clutch replacement for towing a camper. Then I decided to upgrade to a bigger 4x4 because of towing a camper. Six month down the track I new I had made a blunder. The suzuki used to get through mud on narrow tracks without any hassle where as my heavy 4x4 would drop in ruts or sink in the mud. This year in May I had had enough of big 4x4 I got my self a new Suzuki jimny I have already done a trip to Ayers Rock on the back tracks and could not be more happier with the performance. I am in the process of fully kitting out for off road use.

Lives up to Suzuki's reputation 100%. Reliable, capable, affordable small 4x4 – Bought a used, nice condition ( I crawled underneath with a torch and checked every inch) low km Sierra Jimny with 50,000km on it. It's auto which was because it was what was available and around town is much more convenient too. We have now owned it for 6 months and put 14000 km on it with no issues at all. I'm pretty anal about mechanical stuff… Read more ·  5

so have changed the oil three times to give it a good flush and coz of the short trip running we do. Running full synthetic oil in it as it's cheap insurance in the long run. Performance is good, only a 1300 (but twin cam) so runs out of puff on long high speed uphills and the plus side is it's pretty good on fuel, getting 400km per tank, which from memory is better than my old 1300 Sierra. This is my third Suzuki 4x4 after a break of 10 years and my first 1000 cc 4 speed ,1980 something one. Handling and ride OK, much better than my old Sierra and you can have a conversation or listen to music so much quieter too. Auto is great for convenience but I think loses out to a manual on dirt roads where I prefer the feel of a manual gearbox. Like another reviewer commented, the window switches are in an annoying place but..........

My wife and myself just did a weeks camping dirt road tour and had a ball. Zero issues, though I would like a spare battery or jumpstarted with an auto transmission as you can't clutch start it. Bought a spare tyre bag for firewood and rubbish, just enough room if you pull out the rear seats and pack conservatively. We saw some great out of the way places. Dams, bush back lots, mountains, fire trails etc etc

Recommend highly, but I love Suzuki's, I like reliability and longevity.

Would buy another – Owned a Jimmy from new. It's now 5 years old and has done 90,000 kms. I live in the city but occasional have to drive to outback Queensland for work. Have been half way up Cape York and the dry dusty lands of western Queensland. I wanted a four wheel drive just in case and it has been a great car. Just replaced the battery after 5 years (the… Read more

battery didn't die but was on its way out). Tyres will need replacing soon.

I'm 6 foot tall and it is comfortable for all day driving. I occasionally sleep in the vehicle when out bush, I have a board with some padding on it for a mattress. Wouldn't want to do this too often but it suits me now and again. Not sure how it would be if there were two adults, probably a bit of a squeeze.

Fuel consumption is usually around 6-7 l/100k, I drive very steady. On long runs usually sit at 95-100.

No problems with the engine or any parts. Just have it serviced once a year.

In the future I might buy a light camper trailer or a roof top tent.

Met a lot of people who have owned these cars. Rarely find anybody too upset by them. Just bear in mind they are not Landcruisers but take it steady, travel light and they will take you almost anywhere.

Great for weekend adventure, poor otherwise! – I have the facelift wich I have owned now for four years. Mechanical, it has been sound, reliability has been satisfying. This is a small load limited vehicle so it's not for a family or the adventurer who wants to travel great distances. The good: - it's easy to park in a busy city - the interior is neat and controls all though at a bare… Read more

minimum are well placed and functional.

- the 4x4 system is effective and well suited for this size vehicle, it makes tackling the beach or the roughest terrain a relatively simple adventure.

The Bad:

- not a family car, interior is too cramped for four persons

-not a towing car as the engine size is just enough to move the vehicle.

-the fuel consumption at 8.7 l p100km is poor

- the fuel tank is 40 L so outback touring is not encouraged.

- has little power so going up hills or overtaking is a slow process and highway travelling is noisy with the seats becoming uncomfortable at about a 100km of driving.

- 4x4 clearance at 190mm is not adequate

- beware aftermarket modifications like snorkels, bullbar, towbars, differentials are not easy to come by as 4x4 manufacturers of aftermarket parts have not catered for the facelift model so if you are into modifying then be prepared to modify the vehicle first before adding the modifications.

- the stock size tyres are not suited for off road and tyre manufactures don't make an all terrain or mud tyre size for the stock rims. This means larger tyres are required wich means a suspension lift , all at a great expense!

Encap safety rating is extremely poor so this is not well equiped with crumple zones, airbags or safety warning engineering.

Will I buy another one ... No!

Good Things Come in Small Packages! – I am impressed with my Suzuki Jimny. It was money well spent. Like everything else it has both good and bad points but the good far outweigh the bad. Suzuki Jimny is both stunning to look at and a pleasure to drive. I do not think the looks will ever be outdated. It does lag a bit when climbing hills but that is to be expected due to engine size.… Read more

The engine is great though. Older and proven technology that outlasts its rivals. This car is great in town, in the bush, in the snow and for moderate distance drives. The blind spots are minimal and due to its design it is very easy to see all around the vehicle both in the bush or in the town. Parking is a pleasure, due to the large mirrors and visibility all around. Driving in windy condition can be a challenge if driving over 90 kph due to its height and being a small car. But once you get used to it and drive to conditions, it is not an issue anymore. Fuel economy cannot be faulted. I have owned this car for just under 4 years and I am still happy with my Suzuki Jimny as I was on the first day I got it. The perfect little car for a new or seasoned driver who wants a town car, a car to venture into the wilderness and for those trips away. The perfect all purpose vehicle without breaking the bank.

Little honest car – This car is honest and easy to work on. Pros: cheap to run (rego and insurance). It's a proper 4wd with low range. It sits high, so view is really good. It's narrow and short, so it's easy to find parkings in city or pick your best lines when going 4wding. It's simple yet functional. It has front / rear live axels. So far for what it is, I have… Read more

no complains. Some wishes are listed below.

Cons: 8.5L/100, hmmm, I thought 1.3L can do better. It's not a race car nor I won't use it to tow, but 1.5L would make much better sense. When going uphill on a high way, I wish I could use a slightly more powerful engine. Even though it's a proper 4wd, ground clearance isn't very good. I'm thinking about changing to a bigger tire to increase ground clearance and give it a 2inch lift. If the fuel tank is a 60L, this would be fantastic. Find a suzuki dealer is rare these days, nor they want to provide good service.

Amazing – There is no other small 4wd anything like it and don't let the 1.3 litres fool you, it's better everywhere than the big trucks except on the highway. So unless you are a regular interstate traveler it's the best 4wd around. Great on fuel. Fun to drive and goes anywhere  Show details

Cheap and reliable off roder – Good small 4X4, cheap to buy and run, super reliable. Not a great highway car but OK for odd long trips. Narrow track and just adequate power. Good in bush and sand. Fishing or shooting buggy, not drive 50 km per day to work up hills etc. Adequate room for two people and gear, if you're not a kitchen sink type. I'm a motorcycle mechanic who loves… Read more

Zooks. My uncle has two original Zooks from 1970 something. If you need a status symbol or you're a bit overweight then get something bigger.

Jimny Ragtop 2000 – I've had this little 4wd ragtop for 16 years since new. It now has 470,000 kilometres on first engine and 3,500 k's on the larger (1600) Baleno engine. Love the car, love the reliability. Love its' ability to go anywhere, usually without having to let the tyres down. I live on the Mallee Hwy in Cowangie Vic 3506. Murray-Sunset National Park… Read more

15mins north of me, the Big Desert 10 mins south of me so I am always out in the bush on any day ending in y ;) Travel all over Oz, love the Flinders Ranges and the Coorong in South Aussy and the top end and all parts west in WA. As a bulldozer operator, my Jimny goes wherever the dozer goes and some places it can't :D I have a mini speedboat and a small sailing dinghy (Fairy Penguin) either of which I am happy to take anywhere with the Jimny.

Most overrated, petrol guzzling shopping trolley non event – It's nippy, quick steering in town and good for shopping, that's it. I wanted a change my from Mazda Bravo double cab, something less bulky and easier with fuel. I was told the Jimny will everything the Bravo can, all be it a bit smaller. Ok, it has 4x4, low gearing and low ratio, why, it can't carry anything of weight and it has no room, why? The… Read more

engine is a gutless 1.3 ltr. I hoped it would do to take me hunting to the edge of the rough stuff, NO. With the back seats out and floored I have to put a rifle in diagonally in the back, so much for packing camping gear around it. There is no ground clearance, forget the snazzy video, that's guff. The fuel tank is SMALL, the Bravo gave 11kms+ per litre, the Jimny 13kms+ driven cautiously. But, when in any kind of rush that drops to 8kms per litre, that's appalling. On balance I really find nothing to justify it's existence in the real world.

March 11th 2018 Update: A Joke

Bought new I took out the back seats for space for the bush. I`ve put up with little space, low power, high fuel consumption, jerky ride and poor towing ability. Now I have a new Hilux, more room, towing ability comfort and lower fuel consumption. Yes the Hilux burns less fuel. The Jimny is a town toy, a shopping trolley at best.

Fills the niche – It does what it was built to do. For those who want simplicity,reliability and economy for a minimum price and also have the option to drive down any 4x4 track you'll need not look further. I first drove one of these on Fraser Island years ago. It was a hire car and I still remember the instructor teaching the clients how to operate their hire… Read more ·  1

4X4s in soft sand so as to avoid becoming bogged and burning out the clutch. As me and a mate were the only ones to hire a Jimny he turned to us and said don't worry most of this information won't apply to you. Just drive it and she'll be right. If it gets stuck give it a nudge from the back and it'll keep moving. He was right. We just got in and sailed over everything. Indian head saw full size 4x4's bogged up to their axles and we'd initially wondered why everyone had "parked" along this stretch as the Jimny drove up with impunity. Since then i knew I'd one day own one of these neat little gems and I haven't had any regrets. I will say that anyone on the lookout for a luxurious high tech 4x4 with all the bells and whistles need not apply. This isn't a sophisticated office clerks BMW or a fuel slurping bogan paddock beater. It's old ,but not obsolete. Awesome!

Understand it and love it – What the critics say It’s slow, noisy, handles poorly and is small. These are all valid observations, if you “don’t get it”. The reason is on the outside it looks like a cute city SUV a twenty something woman might own, under the skin someone has got an original Toyota FJ land cruiser and built a scale model. So full ladder frame chassis,… Read more ·  2

transfer case with real hi/low range and solid axles. Just like a real 4WD this adds weight and upsets handling (compared to a modern car).

What the owners say

Robust, reliable, cheap to maintain, excellent 4WD ability, great visibility, good economy (by true 4WD standards)

On the dirt this will outperform any SUV, and keep up with real 4WDs easily. I've been off road with land cruisers, Navara’s and Hilux’s and never been caught out. So on the road its rubbish, right? As long as you understand what’s going on underneath its fine. Cruise around town or at 100 on the highway and there are no problems, dream that it’s a sports car and it will bit you. It has plenty of lean in corners to warn you, but if you just keep pushing on it will let go. During the daily commute to work it’s great in traffic with big windows for visibility, nippy if you keep it on the boil and a breeze to park. When my wife needs to drop the kids at sports or go the shops, rather than take her behemoth SUV with poor visibility she steals the Jim.

But it can’t all be wine and roses?

The first thing is you have to get the concept, If you like modern cars with no engagement, where driving is secondary to streaming Pandora via blue tooth this isn't the car for you. If you can understand how people would own a classic mini, classic beetle or land rover defender with their “character flaws” that bring both pain and joy then you get it

So on to actual design fails as opposed to the concepts execution.

The electric window buttons are in pod that sticks out right where you knees are, so you sometimes rub your knees. They should have just gone old school and put the controls on the dash.

The rear seats don’t fold flat like the old sierra, and are not easy to remove like the old sierra. For camping or carrying big loads this is a major fail. When going away I just spend the 20 minutes completely removing them.

The stereo is absolutely terrible, factor in a few dollars to both replace the stereo and the speakers. If your handy search the web, it’s very simple.

Its false advertising, it looks like a toy but is built like a tank. So the critics don’t like it and people buy it expecting a simple SUV city runabout with the underpinnings of a normal car.

You said it’s reliable what about the “Death wobble”?

I had a sierra, and then did the family mortgage, boring car thing for decade now have the Jim. I never had the death wobble. The car is excellent off road without modification, but when you put on big rims and tyres and / or lift kits things go wrong. If you’re honest with yourself and it really is used mostly on the road then leave it standard. The best return on investment without major modifications is replacing the H/T tyres with A/T, in the sierra and this car it makes it almost unstoppable without worries of mechanical issues. Robust, reliable, cheap to maintain, excellent 4WD ability, great visibility, good economy False advertising (read the review)

Looking at my 3rd one! – Where do I start?Purchased my first Jimny in 2001.Yes,they are a bit rough suspension wise,but handle better very well for what it is.This 1 did Fraser Island easy,seeing all the sites to be seen.Great on the sand!Drove it to cooktown on the bloomfield track which was a walk in the park!Super reliable,never missed abeat till I traded it for a 2nd… Read more

after 3 years(cause I could).The 2nd jimny now has 200,000 on the clock.Has been eveywhere!been to the tip(Cape york)twice(and yes did the telegraph track!)Karumba 3 times towing the tinnie,and to top it off,Coast to coast around Australia towing the same tinnie all the way!There has been natural wear and tear along the way,but the motor has never failed me once!Have even pulled out other bogged vehicles on Bribie Island surf beach a few times!Even did the legendary CREB track when it was not ideal conditions(took 12 hours,lol!).All in all,one tough little truck,and looking at my next one right now!Update as of 26/05/2015-Now has 240,000 kms(no problems!),and has done the Creb again,and Cape York again!I have inherited smithy Jimny(so now have 2!)The newer one has 150,000 on the clock and has done a little bit of off roading...But the biggest achievement has been made in this vehicle doing the Old Coach Road from Maytown to Laura(with no assistance!).And a bit of advice for buyers,DO NOT use Coopers as they may be hard wearing,but are almost impossible to align and are extremely slippery in the wet!Best tyres(and ones I currently have on are Yokohama Geolanders AT,which I can't fault and are awesome in the wet!More updates in the future.Update as of 6/2/2017.Well,the silver jimny is now being retired...It has had a hard life,and now at 290,000 kms,and being a loan vehicle to friends and family,it is time.let it be known that the engine still purs better than my new one,but the alternator died(original),and the cost of owning 2(rego and services), doesn't justify holding onto it.My current Jimny,which is a 2004 model,has 190,000 kms,and is going strong.Has done the Creb track a couple of times recently,and the Yokohama tyres still have more than half tred since the last update.The only issues and one worth keeping an eye(and ear) out for are your belts.Any sign of weird noise from this any,get them checked or replaced,as I have had one give way and thus can lead to issues if you aren't into it straight away!Otherwise all is good! Goes anywhere,super reliable,pretty efficent when driven right,and easy to clean if you get the bare bones JX model. Wear on the front knuckles is the only problem,which I have had done twice,and due again now,but it has been driven hard when off road!Bigger fuel tank would be good.

Suzuki Jimny is an excellent compact and true 4x4, there are some winter climate challenges though – The Suzuki Jimny is an excellent compact and true 4x4 for all the reasons stated by other reviewers (ground clearance, hi-lo gears, a simple robust engine, etc.) As others say, Jimny drive best at not more than 75 or 80 mph on the open roads because of the small normally aspirated engine (1.3L) One thing the Suzuki Jimny is less good for is the… Read more

Nordic winter climate, for the following observations:

Damp and condensation are daily challenges (at least in the variant without AC) I suspect because there is very little insulation in the bodywork.

I also suspect the glass is thinner than normal because it is harder to scrape frost off the windows than from my Audi's windows. It takes more effort and, worse still, the inside of the windows are prone to frosting too, which exacerbates the dampness issue.

Another observation regarding the wide gaps in the bonnet air ventilation - they let leaves in too easily. The Jimny has had the Autumnal issue of leaves getting into the air ducts due to wide bonnet ventilation gaps that ought to have some wired net beneath to keep leaves out.

So my overall hunch is Suzuki did not give much winter climate thought to the Jimny's design, rather, designing it for the warmer Southern and Eastern climates.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining - these are just my personal experiences with a Suzuki Jimny. If I had designed it, I'd have ensured the following:

A turbo for the engine, better bodywork insulation, thicker glass, and AC standard.

I love this little truck....everything about it – The only thing I'd do if I could, would be to whack a turbo on it. I'm doing the Simpson Desert next year and am a little worried that it doesn't have enough torque for the big sand dunes.  Show details

Great little picnic truck – Bought it 7 years ago it was 5 years old with 30000k, its now12 with 170000k, never missed a beat. Good approach/departure angles and short wheelbase it goes anywhere you want. Serviced every 10000 and its never needed any other repairs. Use only 98 octane the extra cost doesn't matter as its so economical reliable solid little vehicle Your butt gets a bit sore on long trips e.g. Syd - Melb. Show details

"Jimny Death Wobble" – I bought a second hand Jimny 2 weeks ago. Overall I would be satisfied with it if it didn't have a death wobble.. at 60km/h the steering wheel and the whole car shakes uncontrollably. Apparently it is a very common problem with no real lasting solution. There are a few solutions which I will try in the coming weeks which will hopefully patch the problem. :( fun, fairly good on fuel if you drive it right death wobble Show details

UNBREAKABLE!! – Having 150 acres up on the NSW mid North Coast , I wanted a 4WD that I could leave there and use my Toyota Prius for the commute between Sydney and ' The Farm'.. That meant looking high and Low for the right car at the right price.. I had heard of the Jimny's before and sough one out that was a fair price and available.. Its been up at the farm… Read more

now for over a year and does EVERYTHING!!! The Farm is rolling hills and small mountains that are well wooded.. The Jimny takes everything in he stride ! My only planned expenditure is to get some decent Mud Tyres( its wet n cold and rains a lot up there ! ) so we can traverse all the areas without spinning tyres too much on the ( as yet) uncut fields..

Would i buy another one !! In A Heartbeat! Except for slightly higher fuel consumption than i might like, (the Prius does spoil me ) The Jimny is Heaps fune and can do anything we ask of her! Anything , Anywhere, Anyhow ! a little thirsty!

Great car for the weekend – Bought a 2002 model car 2nd hand 6 months ago and honestly can say this will not be the only Suzuki Jimny I will own. The original reason to purchase this car was to teach my partner to drive, she is 5'4" and it fits her well. I even seem to fit into it and I am 6'3". The car itself had seen a bit of action so unfortunately it has been for… Read more ·  1

service 2 times already, Mainly idling problems.

Not a great car for everyday around town, although parking, turning and merging are so easy in this nice short beast. A nice bit of zip to.

Suspension feels more comfortable with 4x 85kg+ blokes in it, definetly over engineered. Roof racks are a must, as there is very little boot space if you want to transport 4 people. Although the back seats in my car rarely seem to be up.

The gearbox is clunky and I find it difficult to change gears, although this might be the fact I need a new clutch.

If you are on the highway you will want to be on your way to a holiday and not running late. Even though I like getting my speed kicks on my 600cc motorbike, I like sitting sitting in the far left lane in this car travelling 90-95km/hr in the 110km/hr, watching everyone else on the highway pass me by. Not to say the car has the heart to travel 110km/hr, it is just more comfortable at 90 for long distances. This car feels like it could do about anything car idling problems, clunky gearbox, however not sure this is a issue with the model.

Great car – My Jimny had to follow the biggest lemon I had ever owned so my expectations were high! It has lived up to them and more ... Not one issue! Easy to service, run, drive, park and have fun in! It even was great when we had a child with a good height for getting baby capsule in and out while sitting on reclined front seat. I have never written a… Read more

review for anything until now .... That is how great my little car is! Everything ... Reliable, easy and inexpensive to service and run. Small boot ... Difficult if there is more than 2 of you going camping

Greatest car ive owned and I've had 8 cars. Love it!! – Had my jimny for over a year now (1999 model) its 13 years old now with 110000km. It is the greatest car ive had by far, Ive had a vitara and and hilux and this is like the perfect combo of size and comfort. The coil spring suspension is smooth and handles great. The power steering is strong and easy, Clutch is vacuum assisted so even your 90… Read more ·  1

year old grandma could drive it. It doesnt use much fuel. The 1.3L engine is adequate for its small size. Got a ARB bullbar for it and it looks fantastic.

Super easy to fix as everything is small and accessible.

The vacuum hub 4x4 system is fantastic. When everyone else is jumping out in the rain to lock in the 4x4 at the wheels, you're just sitting back enjoying your jimny.

The rear door is huge and helps load the car up, The overally large windows for the size of the car allow for excellent vision all round. Windscreen is fantastically sized and the side mirrors are actually huge and great for seeing whats going on around you

Typical excellent Japanese build quality. Simple but practical interior. Air con works nicely.

Quiet possibly the easiest car to park ever. Fits anywhere AND can park on anything such as bushy kerbsides on slippery slopes.

Heaps of off the shelf mods for it and a huge following of jimny fans. Whenever you're out 4x4ing people are always interested in your car over the typical hilux/landcruisers that are about.

Overall the greatest car ive ever had, Its small size is ideal for daily use and even longer trips for just two people. I would highly reccommend this car to singles or couples who want a small light cheap go anywhere 4x4 that wont let you down. Size, Economy, Practicality, Holds Value, Suspension It is small but thats what it is, a small 4x4.