Suzuki Jimny. Tamer of bad roads
Suzuki Jimny is a small 3-door 4WD SUV, produced since 1970 by Japanese Suzuki. First models were RWD. Besides SUV 3-doors, Jimny used to be a convertible. There are 4 generations of this small-size SUV today. The latest generation is sold in Israel since 2018.
First generation
The first generation of Suzuki Jimny, offered since 1970 until 1981, belonged to the Japanese class of K-cars. The first Jimny was based on the Mitsubishi model with 4×4 wheel arrangement. Suzuki acuired rights for this wheel arrangement in 1968 and started its production in 1970 in form of the first 4×4 truck from Suzuki - LJ10 Jimny or Brute IV. The convertible first-gen Suzuki Jimny had 3 seats and an air-cooled 25-hp engine of 360 cm3. After the upgrade in 1976 and after changes in requirements to the K-car class, the first Jimny became a 4-seater, it received a version with a metal hadtop, and the engine became much more powerful - 800 cm3 and 41 hp.
Second generation
The seond-generation Suzuki Jimny started to be produced since 1981 until 1998. The second Jimny received even more powerful engine, called Suzuki Samurai, and later - a turbocharged engine. The second-gen Jimny received a 3-speed automatic transmission. The coil suspension was exchanged with a spring one. The drive is a low-range part-time 4WD. This car is still produced in India as Maruti Gypsy.
Third generation
The third-generation Suzuki Jimny was produced since 1998 until 2019 год! It’s a real long-liver! The third Jimny was updated several times: in the early 2005, the interior was upgraded, the engines were slightly modernized. In the summer of 2012, both exterior and interior were renovated. New equipment was added without affecting the existing engineering.
Suzuki Jimny is not only a long-liver, but also one of the last classic SUVs. It’s a fully-fledged frame SUV with short overhang, rigid axles, and a part-time 4WD.
The third Jimny received a taller bodywork with roof bars, prominent wheelarches, grille with five slits and vertical taillights. The car has a classic part-time 4WD with switchable lateral axle. It has 3 operating modes: 2WD - all the traction is transferred to the read axle; 4WD - half of the traction comes to the wheels of the lateral axle (4WD starts at the 100 km/h); 4WD-L is the designation of the 4-whhels drive with switchable lateral axle. On a bad road, the third-generation Suzuki Jimny takes its way like a duck to water. Angle of approach and departure reach 40 and 49 degrees, respectively, the deepness of a fording point reaches 450 mm. The production of the third-generation Jimny is stopped in early 2018.
Fourth generation
The fourth-generation Suzuki Jimny, that appeared in 2018, is available in Israel today. Suzuki Jimny is not only a long-liver, but also one of the last classic SUVs. It’s a fully-fledged frame SUV with short overhang, rigid axles, and a part-time 4WD… And all this regardless of its small size. When the road fades to mud, this humble Japanese can easily outmactch its bigger, famous, and powerful competitors.
