Maruti Suzuki is expected to launch the Jimny SUV as a five-door model in India and is expected to launch early next year
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) displayed the Jimny Sierra at the 2020 Auto Expo and it fueled the speculations about the nameplate’s entry into the market further. Even before the discontinuation of the Gypsy, several rumours surfaced on the internet about the Jimny’s showroom debut and we broke the story that the three-door model’s production could begin in the coming months for export markets.
There is no secret that MSIL’s high success rate in India has largely depended on its understanding of the customers in the volume segments. The latest Jimny sold across the globe was the biggest upgrade the mini off-roader had received over the last two decades and its demand in Europe and Japan exceeded expectations with reservations taken in large numbers.
The Jimny is indeed a spiritual successor of the Gypsy and its market debut could happen sometime next year. The domestic-spec small SUV is expected to have five-doors offering room for five occupants and adequate bootspace, as practicality plays a significant role in buying decision among customers. As you can see in the rendering, the Jimny bound for India will likely have longer wheelbase.
We do expect it to be positioned as a lifestyle off-roader and thus it could be slotted above the Vitara Brezza within Maruti Suzuki’s SUV portfolio. The Jimny may create a niche of its own with dedicated off-roading characteristics compared to the regular mid-size SUVs with Suzuki AllGrip AWD system. It could be retailed only through the Nexa chain of premium dealerships to maintain exclusivity.
The digital imagination of the production-spec Maruti Suzuki Jimny retains the design cues of the global model with round-shaped headlamps, upright pillars, rectangular side fenders, sturdy front bumper and body, vertical black grille elements and so on. The addition of two doors at the rear adds to the increase in the practicality of the SUV.
It will sit on the same ladder frame chassis as the international model and it will more likely be powered by the 1.5-litre four-cylinder K-series petrol engine developing 104.7 PS and 138 Nm of peak torque. The same powertrain with BSVI compliance can also be found in the Vitara Brezza, Ertiga and Ciaz and is mated to either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.