Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Inside, the Jimny prioritises function over form, so we must say that you must manage your expectations if you want a well-appointed, plush cabin draped in soft-touch materials.

Cabin Layout and Quality

The dashboard layout is entirely utilitarian. It has hard, scratchy plastics designed to be cleaned easily after a dusty drive. The switchgear feels chunky, with exposed faux bolts, and the large analogue dials are highly legible, sitting within a deeply recessed instrument cluster to prevent glare.

Seating Comfort

Front Row

The front seats are decently padded, though there isn’t much lateral bolstering here. The driving position is commanding, and headroom is generous, but larger drivers will undoubtedly complain about the available foot space.

Second Row

Accessing the rear is easier than in a three-door rival, but space is still extremely tight. Knee room is surprisingly adequate, and under-thigh support is virtually non-existent. It fits two passengers reasonably well, but you would not want to spend hours inside the cabin.

Features That Improve Daily Use

• A nine-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
• Automatic climate control.
• Cruise control for longer highway stints.
• Push-button start/stop.

One major flaw is the complete lack of basic storage.

Preetam points this out,

“It’s shocking how few ‘cubby holes’ there are. No bottle holders in the doors.”

Thanks to some aggressive discounts, the Jimny has now turned into an attractive vehicle for buyers who want a solid 4x4.

Ex-Showroom Prices (India)

The Jimny is a relatively lightweight 4x4, but its boxy aerodynamics and tall gearing honestly stop it from being truly frugal. However, it still pulls off some acceptable figures for an off-roader.

Observed Fuel Efficiency During Testing

In heavy traffic, the manual Jimny will deliver between 10 and 12 kmpl. Out on the highway, if you keep the speed modest around 90 kmph, it will give 15 kmpl. Meanwhile, the four-speed automatic is noticeably thirstier, primarily because the engine sits at higher revs while cruising.

The Jimny is an old-school ladder-frame vehicle, meaning it does not have any of the advanced active safety technology found in modern, road-biased crossovers.

Passive Safety and Crash Protection

Maruti Suzuki offers six airbags as standard across all variants, ensuring comprehensive baseline protection for all occupants is guaranteed. The chassis also feels solid over unexplored tracks, and the vehicle has ISOFIX child seat anchor points in the rear, too. However, neither Global NCAP nor Bharat NCAP has crash-tested the India-spec five-door model yet; it only has a three-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Active Safety and Stability Systems

The vehicle covers most basics effectively with Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. For tricky off-road situations, hill hold control and hill descent control are standard. It also has a brake-based, limited-slip differential setup that stops spinning wheels and routes power to the tyres with grip. But it misses out on any Level 2 ADAS functions, tyre pressure monitoring, or a 360-degree camera.

Safety Verdict

For basic modern safety requirements, the Jimny is sufficient, but beyond that, it lags behind similarly priced soft-roaders. Its main safety asset is actually its sheer capability to tackle horrific terrain at slow, controlled speeds without falling apart.

The kit list on the Jimny covers all the basics, but we can clearly see how it puts functionality over flashiness.

Infotainment and Interface

The top-spec Alpha trim has a nine-inch SmartPlay Pro+ touchscreen display. The system is quick, bright, and easy to read under direct sunlight; we didn’t find any disturbing glare. It also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the physical dials in the instrument cluster look pleasingly retro.

Cabin Convenience and Practical Features

You get a few modern comforts here, like push-button start, automatic climate control, cruise control, and a reversing camera. However, the cabin severely lacks everyday stowage; there are no bottle holders in the doors, and good luck finding a secure spot for your smartphone.

Preetam states,

“I’ve had to switch to small flasks just to stay hydrated on long drives.”

The load bay offers a rather modest 208 litres of capacity with all the seats up. The rear door opens wide, and the low load lip makes sliding heavier bags inside quite simple. You can easily fit two cabin-sized suitcases here, along with a few soft duffels. But if you need more room, the rear seats fold down in a 50:50 split to expand the space to 332 Litres. For two people, the vehicle has enough space, but for four, things will get difficult.

Under the skin, the Jimny’s traditional ladder-frame chassis has rigid axles at both ends, giving it a very specific, very familiar old-school driving character.

City Driving

In heavy stop-start traffic, the compact footprint means it’s surprisingly nippy. The steering requires some physical effort at parking speeds, and it feels quite dead off-centre. However, the suspension easily cushions occupants from most harsh bumps and ruts.

Bilal observes,

“Its tiny dimensions allow it to squeeze through gaps where larger SUVs get stuck.”

Highway Driving

On highways, the vehicle’s long gearing ratio means you have to work the engine to maintain triple-digit speeds, and you will also notice some body roll if you take sweeping bends too quickly. However, it settles down nicely for long-distance cruising.

According to Preetam,

“It comfortably sits at 100 km/h all day. I’ve set the cruise control at 118 km/h on expressways and covered 300 km in a day without any stress.”

Off-Road Driving

Once the paved surfaces end, the Jimny comes to life. It stays incredibly stable on loose gravel and steep, muddy inclines. The low-range transfer case additionally gives you the exact grunt needed to crawl over rocks, and its lightweight body makes sure that it rarely sinks into deep mud.

The Jimny is sold in just two broad trims: Zeta and Alpha, but you can still get more variants depending on the transmission and styling you choose. Suzuki’s AllGrip Pro 4x4 system is standard across the board here.

The Essentials That You Don’t Get

• Bottle holders in the door pockets
• Height adjustment for the driver’s seat
• Reach adjustment for the steering wheel
• A dead pedal in the automatic variants
• A tyre pressure monitoring system

Picking the right Maruti Suzuki Jimny depends entirely on how often you plan to leave the city and hit the trails.

Best for Everyday Commutes: Zeta Automatic

If you strictly want a rugged daily driver for the city, the entry-level Zeta automatic makes the most financial sense. It has the crucial safety kit, wireless connectivity, and the convenience of a two-pedal setup for heavy traffic.

Best for Weekend Adventures: Alpha Manual

Enthusiasts who actively seek out difficult terrain should pick the Alpha manual. The five-speed gearbox offers far better control over the engine's powerband on steep inclines, and the top-spec trim adds better lighting for night drives.

Best for Premium Appeal: Alpha Automatic Dual Tone

If you want the full visual package and do not mind paying for the absolute best, this fully loaded variant gets the distinctive black roof and striking alloy wheels.