Maruti Jimny: How does it perform on the road? [Video]

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is currently one of the most talked-about SUVs in the market. Deliveries for the Jimny have started via Nexa dealerships across the country. The Jimny is currently the only 4×4 SUV available in Maruti’s portfolio. It is a proper off-road SUV, but most of the customers buying it would not be taking it off-road often. Most of the time, the car will be spending its time in the urban jungle. We have seen a lot of videos about how the car performs off-road. However, here we have a video that talks about how the Jimny 5-door SUV performs on the road.

In this video, we discuss how the Jimny performs on the road. The Jimny is 3,820 mm long, 1,645 mm wide, and 1,720 mm tall. It offers a decent amount of space for occupants, and even with the second-row seats up, the car has decent boot space. We start by talking about the engine of the Jimny. Unlike many new Maruti models, the Jimny still uses the K15B series engine that was available with the 3-door version. The car comes with a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic transmission.

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The Jimny offers a commanding seating position, which is quite useful. This helps in offering a very wide view of the road ahead. The video starts by talking about the automatic transmission. It is definitely not the best option available in the market. On the mountain roads where we were actually driving the Jimny, it felt good. However, as we started driving on straight highways and roads, the gearbox started showing its true colors. At higher speeds, it felt like the engine was going through too much strain.

At triple-digit speeds, the noise from the engine would filter inside the cabin. One of the great things about the Jimny, be it on or off the road, is its ride quality. Engineers at Maruti have really done a great job in this department. The suspension setup on this 4×4 ladder-on-frame SUV feels well-balanced. Neither is it too stiff nor is it too soft. It is a well-balanced setup that can offer a comfortable ride to the occupants. The 15-inch wheels also play a crucial role in this.

Just like any ladder-on-frame SUV, there is a decent amount of body roll in the Jimny. This is not an SUV that we would recommend for taking high-speed corners. The center of gravity in the Jimny is quite high, which means it won’t offer much confidence to the drivers during high-speed turns. The steering on the Jimny is very light, which is extremely suitable while you are going off-road. However, the moment you hit the road and start driving at high speeds, you start wishing it had a bit more weight or was a little more connected.

We also drove the manual version during the media drive, and as expected, the manual version felt a bit more eager. The long-throw gearbox would remind you of the Gypsy and older Maruti models. At higher speeds, the engine felt a bit more relaxed in the manual version than in the automatic. Other than this, both the manual and automatic versions of the Jimny behaved in the same manner. The K15B engine offers better low-end grunt when compared to the new K15C series engine. The 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine generates 105 PS and 134 Nm of peak torque. This power may seem low, but one must remember that the Jimny 5-door only weighs 1,200 kg, offering the Jimny a great power-to-weight ratio.

When it comes to braking, the Jimny comes with disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. The stopping performance is good, and even during hard braking, there is a screeching sound from the brakes. In short, the Maruti Jimny feels like a great car that can be driven inside the city without many problems (due to its dimensions). If you are a person who uses the car on highways often, we would recommend going for the manual version over the automatic.

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