Maruti Jimny Review

Accessorized Jimny - Link

Jimny has always been in high demand. Many Bhpians had been waiting for it since many years. However, this review truly makes all that hoopla worthwhile. What a thorough review! Thank you, Aditya & Chetan.

An amazing & thorough in-depth review as always!

After seeing all the reviews on YouTube & also the other threads here relating to the Jimny, a few questions pop-up in my mind:

If Maruti anyway wanted to position this as a 'premium' & niche product, not expecting much sales; why go through such a long & tedious process of design & engineering over the past few years to develop the 5-door, why not just sell the 3-door as is & price it slightly lower?

And if they've now made the 5-door, then why aren't they offering a lower priced 2WD variant & selling more of them?

Another one being the fact that it's under 4m in length but they only offer the 1.5L engine, they could've at least given the option of the 1.2L & the 1L turbo (ditto for the Brezza).

Just offer all these, milk the product as much as you can, sell it like hot-cakes & earn more moolah; It's a win-win situation for both the consumer & Maruti, them not doing so confuses me to no end!

In my ideal world, (one can always dream!) they should've had the following variants & engines on offer for 3-door as well as 5-door:
1L turbo
1.2L
1L turbo, without 4x4
1.2L, without 4x4
Also the Kei-car version spec (no flared wheel arches) for the people who will use it on narrow city roads)

And yes, I know making so many different combinations isn't feasible for a manufacturer

That's one hell of an ugly car. The Thar in spite of being (or maybe because it is) a copy, looks better. The Jimny seems to draw inspiration from the Hummer and the Jeeps, but the copy job seems incomplete.

The front grill looks out of place while the S logo on the front looks like an afterthought - as if some kid stuck it there with Fevi-Quick.

BTW, I think they should have used the Gypsy name. But I dunno whether the name resonates with the post millennial generation.

Anyway, am sure it will sell like hot cakes - after all it is a Maruti.

Wonderful review. Waiting for a review on 4 speed AT. Maruti claims it recieved more bookings for automatic though it's an old gearbox.

The most comprehensive review on the web for '5 Door Jimmy', definitely deserves a 5 star. The comprehensive dose of images is telling a story and overall a well sorted Maruti product. A big thanks to the T-BHP team of reviews for getting us this Gold of information

As an individual who has booked this when they just opened the bookings, waiting for 5 months, following all the YouTube interactions of Maruti Suzuki folks, still unable to find why this is a premium product. Does a ladder frame and 4wd hardware make anything premium? I think the Maruti swift is more premium with better interiors. Waiting for the price release to make a decision whether to take it or cancel my booking. The wait is on.

Thanks,
Slushamaster

Japanese reliability - Check
NA engine with minimum maintenance - Check
"SUV" among pseudo ones - Check
Maruti - BIG check
What more needed ! Not long back we were discussing this

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5166570 (Maruti sleeping at the wheel | Where are the new car launches? | Why is Maruti missing new trends?)

Quote from review


While the controls are Automatic in the Alpha Version, I hope the technical properties of the Air Conditioning unit remains same in Zeta, i mean, effect of cooling, condenser, other parts etc., The above reads to me, that Alpha unit is much superior than the Zeta unit (old-school HVAC).

Kindly clarify. Thanks

Swami

Love the Jimny and would want it in my garage some day
At 9.99 lakh and 11.99 lakh ex-showroom price for the respective variants, it should sell like hot cakes. Am i dreaming though

Wow, great review, just loved it. The car really looks & feels awesome, makes for a great lifestyle vehicle on a budget. One standout feature for me is the Jazz like refresh mode seats.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Disclaimer:
I have already booked the Jimny, and my decision to get one home will be price and delivery period contingent.

Point of reference:
I learnt to drive & ride in the mountains, and I still drive back home pretty often. Been doing Spiti for three years straight now. Twice in my 2016 Brezza and once in a Compass S (petrol). Been using motorised wheels since 1998.

Point of view:
I simply do not get why, in 2023, the Indian customers have to choose between creature comforts and mechanical capability unless they are forking out between 30-50 lacs. Is there no money to be made through volumes for a product that does both well?
It took a LOT for MSIL to get Jimny to India. Ostensibly because they did not see the three door version as a good fit for Indian customer preferences. So they developed a five door version. They made sure the machine carried forward the celebrated off-roading capability. So far so good.
But can someone who was in charge of product development make me understand the thought behind the curtains when the interiors / kit were being put together?
Did they look at the Thar with its rural disregard to comfort and figure that no one gives the posterior of a rodent about the aspect?
If so, then there should have been someone telling them that the Thar pulls at the heartstrings of a specific customer for whom issues of girth, err... size are critical? (You being an obvious exception dear reader.) And the Jimny might not measure up?
Or was it that the "capability" section was so compelling that, the rest of it could have been left to designers of ISBTs and the car would just sell?
Maybe, just maybe they didn't quite look at the use case scenario of a 4x4 for a mass audience. Which has as much opportunity to go off road as an average Indian does to get a US citizenship.
Also, have they not seen Altos cross Kunzum La? I mean I did it in a manual Brezza 1.3, and seriously, it came off with just one torn fender lining, and that too because a Cret(in)a didn't see it dignified behaviour to use depth estimation.

So here's the thing. You have a "Premium" car offering for a section of audience that has, by now, gotten used to creature comforts. A section that sees the car as a "cute" / storied / different option for a hatchback. And a section that sees the lineage, the capability and might truly put the car through the rough and tumble that it was designed for.

And honestly, for all three of them, the only thing that can overcome the sound of one litre water bottles on the floor when they want to hydrate themselves, is a price that can quench that thirst with tears of joy.

Great review. I anticipate that this one will go abegging after the initial hype of a few months. It is too much of a niche product to be practical. Also anticipate a number of cars being sold off to the used market by customers who come to terms with the reality of such a design. If it is priced too close to the Thar, then all of the above may happen even sooner!

PS- I would love to see the Jimny, Thar and the Gurkha side by side.

Thanks for the detailed review. Waiting for the AT reviews especially for the urban folk. One question though after this much of cost cutting and localization can MS demand a premium for this? I just hope Maruti prices it sensibly and makes it an affordable off-roader. I have been dreaming to own this ever since I saw the 3rd gen 3Door version. Can't wait for June 7th.

Thanks for the excellent review. Even smallest things are covered. Wish you had a chance to drive & review A/T version too.

A fantastically detailed review of a much awaited car! Will turn out to be the most read in this forum without a doubt.

The Jimny, while it has loads of character and a compact footprint, is best suited for the adventure seeking and off road enthusiasts. The heavy steering and the large turning radius will make difficult to drive within the city.

With the high asking price (expected) and single digit fuel economy, the Jimny is a choice to be made with your heart only.