1.3 SZ3 3dr SUV

Love it!!

This is my second Jimny and I will very likely eventually get a third if Suzuki don't mess up the new model.

The dealer reviews are always very derogatory, but the owners' verdict is always at the top of the scale. It shows that the rugged, characterful little car is simply not understood.

Let's have a look at the usual gripes:

Noisy - I love the way the engine is always speaking to you.
Bumpy/Wobbly handling - Yes, you are on a narrow base off road suspension and high speed smoothness/cornering, etc is not what the car is about. It doesn't have an identity crisis, it is what it is. I love that about the car. No compromise.
Slow - Fast enough for keeping up with traffic. That's all I want.
Lack of refinement/gizmos - Another massive plus for me. Again it comes down to character.

On the plus side is the sheer joy or getting wherever you want off road, parking in places unattainable by any other cars, even other 4x4s because they are too big and heavy. The visibility is fantastic, and the seats/driving position very comfortable, despite having next to no adjustments.

Even on the road, I love driving it. The gear change to me is tight, and the biting point fierce, so stalling is always possible, but get it right and changing gear is a joy as it snaps in.

The Jimny is a car derided by experts, but loved by their drivers, and has sold steadily for years and years without very much advancement in essentials. I for one, hope they don't mess with the formula.

The Jimny is a throwback to the days when driving a car was not an extension of your front room with all the media, comforts and embellishments that make you forget you are even on the road, but a visceral, vivid experience that kept you on your toes, and made of the car and driver a partnership based on mutual respect rather than simply something to always do your bidding.

Marc Rattue

Report as offensive