Report 1 24/05/24 - Report 220/06/24 - Report 3 20/06/24
REPORT 3: HANGING UP THE PHONE (17th July 2024)
Mileage: 2621km
I think Suzuki has pretty much nailed the look of the Jimny’s dashboard: it’s all clearly made down to a price, but also packed with tongue-in-cheek chunky details that are perfect for its baby-4x4 vibe.
What Suzuki very much hasn’t nailed is storage for personal items, especially mobile phones. There’s nothing up high and only a sliver of a tray down on the floor, which is perfect for a packet of Tic Tacs. The door pockets are about right for a sheet of A4 paper and that’s pretty much it, unless you want to keep everything in the glovebox (which is actually an okay size for a small vehicle).
Cupholders, surely? No, they’re back between the front seats, so they’ve not really much use if you use phone projection, because the USB port is in the centre console and you end up with a cable running along the transmission tunnel. Messy. Unacceptable.
This month has devoted to some phone problem solving. I briefly considered one of those magnetic mounts that clamps onto the ventilation outlets (even though I loathe them), but guess what? The Jimny’s are actually so tiny that I couldn’t find one small enough to actually latch on. I was cross. Then I smiled, because that’s kinda cute.
I also considered a plug-in wireless phone projection unit, which would mean I could just keep my phone in my bag, but I wasn’t brave enough to commit the money to one and be sure it would be reliable. Even some factory systems are a bit flaky.
But it won’t surprise you to learn that there are literally thousands of pieces of aftermarket equipment specifically designed to make the JB74 Jimny interior more practical; it’s that kind of car and, frankly, stuff like this is sorely needed.
I stumbled across a strange, but strangely appealing mounting arm on a UK 4x4-specialist website that clamps directly to the Jimny’s dashboard grab handle - straight onto any place where you can remove a novelty bolt (those little fake rubber screws that hide the actual, much uglier screws).
The cost was an issue, though. Purchasing and shipping were going to total over $200, which seemed like a lot for a few flimsy bits of plastic. I almost clicked Add To Cart anyway, because I thought I had no other choice; the assumption being that this was a clever bit of kit unique to this particular company.
But yet another morning online revealed that it was in fact an item available in Japan that dated back to the dawn of Jimny in 2019. Yes, I had found the “Seikou EXEA Smartphone Holder Toughness EE-213 JB64 JB74 Dedicated For Jimny”, and could get it delivered for $100. Which is still a lot of money for a few flimsy bits of plastic, but still; I’m not sure I’ve ever been happier.
It arrived within a week, and even the packaging was delightful: it showed a Kinetic Yellow kei-Jimny on the box. Some assembly was required, but it was simple enough that even I did it without breaking anything. That’s a huge endorsement, by the way.
It’s hilariously complicated-looking and a bit oversized for the dashboard (isn’t everything with a Jimny?), but it’s brilliant. You can adjust it any-which-way and it places the phone close to the USB port below, for the cable; although to be honest, the mobile can now be so conveniently positioned that I sometimes just use the map on the phone-screen rather than plugging in, because the usable display area isn’t much smaller than that on the Jimny’s 9in infotainment unit. Adorable, right?
REPORT 2: FIELD WORK (20th June 2024)
Mileage: 1321km
Fieldays this month afforded our Jimny Sierra a double-header of sheer excitement: its first road trip of any real length and its first opportunity to head off-tarmac, or at least into the often-muddy world of Mystery Creek parking.
Jimnys are only designed to be good at one of those things, of course. Especially when the road trip in question is basically 300km of motorway.
So here we go: a step into the real world of motoring after largely city running and the initiation ceremony for any new Suzuki: a post-1000km service check at the dealer. All good.
With two of us on board, the Jimny was as you’d expect: noisy (3000rpm at 100km/h, 3500rpm at 110km/h on the Waikato Expressway) and bouncy. But despite/because of all that, also funny: we laughed pretty much the whole way, especially when two elderly blokes (well, more elderly) steamed past us at an estimated 120km/h in another current-gen Jimny. They say the hearing is the first to go.
High-speed directional stability is not this vehicle’s forte. It’s actually fine at 80km/h, gets the wanders at 100km/h but settles again at 110km/h. Motorway driving has never felt so engaging.
Unusually fine weather at Fieldays for the opening day meant off-tarmac parking wasn’t a challenge at all: firm underfoot and not even worthy of a shift from 2WD to 4WD High. Oh well, another time. But our Kinetic Yellow super-kei did cut a fine figure amongst all the working utes.
An overall average of 6.6l/100km for the trip was pretty good considering the car has no discernable aerodynamic quality and the 1.5-litre engine is always busy; the manual could really do with a 6th ratio and indeed seems to be geared with the expectation that there is one. No such luck.
The large cargo tray, which sits permanently over the folded rear chairs, was useful for simply chucking gumboots and bags in, but it’s a bit… slidey on the move. A partition would be good; or hooks for the side panels, which I know do exist in the aftermarket. I will investigate.
We were also somewhat surprised the front seats were relatively comfortable, given they seem to be basically made of two small sponges; my back often suffers even on short trips, but it was fine in this car, on this occasion.
Might have been because you sit so upright in a Jimny; might have been all that walking around at Fieldays. Whatever, the little Suzuki was a colourful addition to the team for our annual rural outing.
REPORT 1: JIM MEMBERSHIP (25th May 2024)
Mileage: 121km
I've just got a hard-core 4x4 in a pretty colour. I’m going to drive it mainly around town. Yes, now I’m one of those people.
Meet the latest addition to the DRIVEN Car Guide long-term fleet: the Suzuki Jimny Sierra 3dr. And just to set the ground rules, this one’s a bit different to our other long termers. Usually they are supplied by car companies, we share them around staff/contributors and report on our experiences far beyond the normal week-long review. They give us a more of an insight into what it’s like to “own” a car.
You have to accessorise a Suzuki Jimny. It's the law.
But I do actually own this one. I bought it. Which is not just my way of saying I won’t be sharing, but also to state that it was purchased at full price (there’s no other way to get a Jimny really, they’re in demand) from a main dealer.
Same financial status for the accessories: all purchased at retail. Fair and square, no consideration given or asked for its future fame within the DRIVEN world.
With a different engine and shorn of its plastic wheelarch extensions, the Jimny is small enough to qualify as a 'kei' micro-car in Japan.
I’ve always wanted a Jimny, I love the heritage and I love the fact it’s pretty much made to do just one thing really well: go off-road. Even though that’s not its primary role for most buyers.
I also love Japanese kei-cars (a micro-car class with restricted engine size and exterior dimensions) and this is the closest any New Zealand-new vehicle gets to one. In fact, with a 660cc engine and shorn of its plastic wheelarch extensions, the Jimny does actually qualify as a kei-car in Japan.
The optional cargo tray renders the rear chairs useless, but they pretty much are anyway in a car this size.
I also feel I can afford to be a bit indulgent/silly with my personal vehicle, given I mostly drive other cars for my job. This is not a daily drive for me, although it still serves as a family car at my house.
To answer your next question, I did consider the new Jimny 5dr. It looks almost as adorable as the 3dr and the extra legroom is useful if you need it. I don't. The rear seats fold completely flat in the 3dr (not in the 5dr) which makes it a much more useful thing for me. Especially with the addition of the optional cargo tray - which renders the rear chairs useless, but they pretty much are anyway in a car this size.
Mine’s the Sierra, but with the above in mind I did consider the JX two-seat van - because I think its steel wheels look awesome and it’s $3k cheaper. However, it’s lacking a few key features: self-levelling LED headlights, phone projection and climate control to name a few. I think it was the very basic-feeling urethane steering wheel that finally put me off. Oh, and you can’t have the JX in Kinetic Yellow.
I was a little surprised to find that in the time between ordering and receiving the car (a matter of weeks), the sat-nav formerly part of the Sierra specification had disappeared. Deleted by the factory across the range starting with my shipment apparently, and not a big deal for me personally because I always use phone projection; but a potential issue given I had signed up and paid for a car fitted with what's presumably a costly piece of equipment. Actually, I didn't care. But some might.
Anyway, here it is: Jimny Sierra 3dr manual with the optional factory two-tone exterior finish (it adds $510 and a black roof to Kinetic Yellow, Chiffon Ivory or Brisk Blue) for $36,500. I had the carpet mats replaced with heavy duty rubber ones (no extra cost) and I also opted for the $899 3-year service package.
You have to accessorise a Jimny: it’s the law. The original grille is now hanging on my office wall, replaced by the blacked-out Wilberforce Tactical Grille, which I think looks great with the yellow. Perhaps more importantly, it’s a $215 aftermarket item (there's so much out there) that’s less than half the price of Suzuki NZ’s own grey/white Heritage Grille.
What could clash more with yellowy-green than red mudflaps I thought, so I got those ($400). That and the cargo tray ($250) are both Suzuki accessories supplied by the dealer (which also kindly fitted my outsourced grille at no charge).
Finally, I need to carry two bikes. I considered and rejected roof racks on the basis of cost combined with limited load capacity on the gutter mounts (yes, just like a 1970s car) and opted for a Yakima Spare Ride 2 ($500), a brilliant piece of kit that’s designed for 4x4s with external spare wheels: it’s locked to the back door through the wheel mount so it’s really safe and strong. It’s also good protection against other people’s errant parking.
Yes, I do know the Jimny is famously crude on-road (beam axles front and rear!), but that’s part of the cheeky character and it’s certainly not pretending to be anything other than what it is. The closest thing in spirit (if not size) is a Toyota Land Cruiser 70: basically a classic 4x4 that you can buy brand new.
To those who taunt me (there have been several already), I am intending to go off-tarmac, because I’ve been lucky enough to experience what Jimnys can do through my day job.
But mine’s not hopping over any rocks until the new-car smell and shine is well gone.
What is the Suzuki Jimny?
Cute looks and city friendly dimensions sell it to many, but the Jimny is also a heritage 4x4 with tough underpinnings that date back decades. It's one of the world's great off-roaders.
Why are we running it?
To see how much the overwhelming emotional appeal of this little mite is undermined by the reality of real-world driving. And to have fun!
