Maruti Suzuki Jimny five-door will likely go on sale early next year and is expected to be powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) showcased the fourth-generation Jimny at the 2020 Auto Expo in February and as expected, it gained plenty of attention. The Jimny is sold in two variants in Japan: the regular kei car compliant model and a slight longer Sierra version. The latter is the one that is sold in Europe with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
Speculations surrounding the Jimny’s entry into India have been there for quite a long while and to meet the demands of the overseas customers, the Euro-spec Jimny will be manufactured first locally. However, the India-bound version will have its share of changes as it will obviously be a five-door SUV upon arrival sometime early next year.
The rendering posted here will be more or less the 2021 Maruti Suzuki Jimny look like. We must say, the digital image of the five-door Jimny standing in a petrol station has been realistically rendered. Reports suggest that the India-spec Jimny won’t stretch beyond four metres in length but the rendering looks a little longer for reference from the side angle.
The largest carmaker in the country could position the Jimny with a starting price of just under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom) and it will compete against the second generation Mahindra Thar and the forthcoming Force Gurkha. Both two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive configurations could be on offer and in that way, the SUV could appeal for a large band of customers.
As for the exterior, expect the design elements of the three-door Jimny to be carried over expect for minor tweaks as the upright stance and tall pillars representing the traditional SUV attire will be retained. Expect the India-spec version to be tuned for economy as well. The 1.5-litre K15B four-cylinder petrol engine is already available in the Ciaz, Ertiga, XL6 and Vitara Brezza.
In the 2021 Maruti Suzuki Jimny, it could continue to produce 104.7 PS and 138 Nm. Both five-speed manual and four-speed torque converter automatic transmission are expected to be on the cards. The 4WD system will more likely be restricted to the AT variants in the top-end trims. It will be retailed exclusively from the Nexa premium outlets.