Five-door Jimny gets green light for the Indian market

Updated Nov 15, 2021 | Same topic: Automotive Industry Updates

The model will follow local production of the standard three-door variant.    

We might have gotten your hopes up with a story that previously appeared on this space. And apparently, Maruti Suzuki has heard your prayers.

Jimny render

No, it will NOT be called the Suzuki Jimny Santos

India’s biggest carmaker confirms that it has cleared the rumored five-door version of the Suzuki Jimny mini SUV for production. Mind you, this isn’t going to happen right away. The first step is Maruti Suzuki reviving its proposal to manufacture the standard Jimny for export.

This is expected to take some of the heat off Suzuki’s Kosai plant, which has been stretching itself thin as the lone Suzuki Jimny assembly line in the world. The plan was initially shelved on account of the COVID-19 outbreak, but is now reportedly back on track. 

Jimny 3-door

Maruti Suzuki is pushing through with plans to assemble the Jimny in India for export

The current Jimny will serve as the long-overdue replacement for the long-wheelbase Maruti Gypsy, which bowed out in 2019 after 34 years in production. The model had been a particular favorite of India’s armed forces, with more than 35,000 units delivered to them since 1991. The biggest single order came in 2017, when the Indian Army procured more than 4,000 Gypsy units. 

>>> Related: 5-Door Suzuki Jimny to be called Gypsy and it might look like this

Maruti Gypsy

The Indian Army took delivery of more than 31,000 Gypsy units over the course of almost 30 years

As with many other models offered by Maruti Suzuki, the Jimny’s sole engine option will be the 1.5L K15B gasoline engine that makes 100 hp and 130 Nm of torque. Manual and automatic transmission options will be available, while the lower-spec variants could come with a two-wheel drivetrain to reduce costs.

>>> Related: Xiaomi's all-new SUV is actually a remote-controlled Suzuki Jimny

Jimny render

Rumor has it that only the five-door Jimny variant will be available in the Indian market

At first, Maruti Suzuki will import the necessary components for the three-door Jimny from Japan for domestic assembly. Eventually, it will produce the model using locally-sourced parts, and the five-door version will follow suit.

Manufacturing using local components is expected to commence by 2022, and the carmaker is setting a goal of one lakh (100,000) units at its Gurgaon facility, half that number allocated for export to overseas markets. Unconfirmed reports say that only the five-door Jimny will be available to Indian customers.

Will the future five-door Jimny be something you’ll want to see on Philippine roads soon? Explore the possibilities at Philkotse.com.

Know more about Suzuki Jimny 2024

Suzuki Jimny

The Suzuki Jimny 2023 is a 4x4, ladder-frame mini-SUV. In the local market, this model is available in three different variants. There’s the GL 1.5 MT, the GLX 1.5 AT (Monotone), and the GLX 1.5 AT (Two-tone). Their prices range from Php 1,258,000 to Php 1,330,000. 

Under the hood, the Suzuki Jimny uses a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine capable of producing up to 101 horsepower and 130 Nm of torque. The entry-level GL variant may come with a five-speed manual gearbox, while the GLX exclusively uses a four-speed automatic transmission. All then come with the Suzuki 4x4 All Grip Pro drivetrain. 

Size-wise, the Suzuki Jimny has a length of 3,480mm, a width of 1,645mm, and a height of 1,725mm. It then has a wheelbase length of 2,250mm, and a ground clearance of 210mm. 

Locally, the Suzuki Jimny technically doesn’t have direct competitors. Then again, the closest off-road-focused recreational vehicles available locally are the Toyota FJ Cruise and the Jeep Wrangler. Size-wise though, the Jimny is more in line with the Hyundai Kona, MG ZS, Geely Coolray, Kia Seltos, Chery Tiggo 2 Pro, and Mazda CX-3, among others. 

₱ 1,258,000 - ₱ 1,330,000

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Joseph Paolo Estabillo

Joseph Paolo Estabillo

Author

Joseph holds a degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines Diliman and has been writing professionally since 1999. He has written episodes for CNN Philippines' motoring show Drive, and has worked on corporate projects for MG Philippines and Pilipinas Shell. Aside from being Philkotse.com’s Content Lead, he also writes content for numerous car dealerships in the U.S., spanning multiple brands such as Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Maserati, among others.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kapatilya

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