Welcome news for Suzuki Jimny fans: Suzuki Philippines (SPH) will again be selling Japanese versions of the pint-sized off-roader, over a year after it began sourcing the model from Maruti Suzuki in India.
Purists will be happy to find the Jimny sourced from Japan again
According to an unnamed SPH executive, the move takes effect this month, adding that cost was the primary consideration for the switch back to the Jimny’s home country. At its debut in 2018, the fourth generation Jimny proved so popular that Suzuki’s manufacturing facility in Kosai struggled to keep up with demand, resulting in a lengthy waiting time of up to six months.
This led SPH to start getting its Jimny stocks in 2021 from India, where Maruti Suzuki’s bigger production capacity can better cope with global orders. The factory in Gurgaon is also where several other Suzuki models such as the Ertiga, S-Presso, and Celerio are made for export markets.
Suzuki Philippines had to get its Jimny stocks from India due to production backlogs
However, assembly of the model in India meant that almost all its components needed to be shipped from Japan, entailing high costs. This was apart from sending the finished units to Suzuki’s international markets.
The pandemic was also a factor as global parts shortages meant that Maruti Suzuki’s production quotas were not being met. Thus, SPH decided to streamline the process and source the Jimny straight from Japan once again. While customers must still contend with a waiting list, the SPH source claims that it is now shorter than before.
There are currently less than 100 India-made Jimny units in the Philippines still waiting in dealer lots.
The Jimny is also sold as a Kei car in Japan
Maruti Suzuki was reported to have halted the production of the standard 3-door Jimny since October 2022, apparently to upgrade its facilities to accommodate the 5-door version which had its global premiere this month. The new Jimny variant will be assembled for both the Indian and export markets.
In Japan, the 3-door Jimny is available in two trim levels. One carries the code JB64 and is intended to comply with Japanese Kei car regulations, featuring tucked-in front and rear bumpers as well as omitting the fender extensions. The other, designated the JB74 or Jimny Sierra, is the export version, carrying the fender flares and bigger bumpers.
Keep up with the latest developments in the auto industry at Philkotse.com.
Know more about Suzuki Jimny 2023
The Suzuki Jimny 2023 is a 4x4, ladder-frame mini-suv. In the local market, this model is available in four different variants. There’s the GL 1.5 MT, the GL 1.5 AT, the GLX 1.5 AT (Monotone), and the GLX 1.5 AT (Two-tone). Their prices range from Php 1,170,000 to Php 1,285,000.
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 is 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, Mazda CX-3, among others.
₱ 1,170,000 - ₱ 1,285,000
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