Maruti Suzuki Jimny is expected to go on sale later this year or in early 2022 with a 1.5-litre petrol engine
Speculations surrounding the arrival of Jimny off-roader to India existed ever since the fourth-generation model made its global debut in 2018. Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) showcased the three-door Jimny Sierra at the 2020 Auto Expo and it further fuelled the rumours of a launch. It is worth noting that the Jimny is also locally produced for export markets.
The Jimny is definitely one of the highly sought-after vehicles and more concrete details have come up on the internet. Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, MSIL told in a recent internet that a “market plan for the Jimny” is being prepared in India. The largest carmaker in the country is said to be working on marketing and pricing plans for the off-roader.
The evaluations for the Maruti Suzuki Jimny’s India launch were confirmed earlier this year and its launch is expected to happen in the later stages of this year or in early 2022. The extended wheelbase version of the Suzuki Jimny with a five-door configuration was spotted testing on foreign soil a few months ago but India may only get the existing three-door, at least initially.
The India-spec Maruti Suzuki Jimny will have some changes compared to the global model. While acknowledging the good export numbers for the small off-roader from MSIL’s Indian operations, Srivastava said that a lot of feedback data has been collected and research on its pricing is well and truly on ahead of its market launch.
As for the performance, the Jimny will utilise the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder K15B petrol engine developing around 105 PS maximum power and 138 Nm of peak torque in many Maruti Suzuki models currently. However, the mild-hybrid technology is expected to boost the performance numbers to suit the off-roading characteristics.
A five-speed manual transmission will be standard while a four-speed torque converter automatic unit will be an option, paired with a four-wheel-drive system. The Maruti Suzuki Jimny will compete against the second generation Mahindra Thar and the upcoming Force Gurkha and it will crucially help in expanding the brand’s SUV portfolio.