By Malusi Msomi

Suzuki made waves at the Festival of Motoring 2023 with the unveiling of its new 5-door Jimny off-road SUV. This South African premiere provided an exclusive preview of the extended Jimny model that’s yet to hit the market.

Originally showcased at India’s Auto Expo, the 5-door Jimny has achieved global acclaim, becoming a best-seller in its market segment and for Suzuki in the Indian market.

Brendon Carpenter, Suzuki Auto’s Brand Marketing Manager, shared, “The new Jimny’s overwhelming popularity has our production facilities working at full capacity to meet demand. We’ve placed our first order and plan to launch it in the last quarter of this year.”

Differentiating from its 3-door counterpart, the 5-door Jimny features a lengthened wheelbase, adding 340 mm of space for added practicality without sacrificing off-road prowess. It is powered by a the same 1.5-litre K-series naturally aspirated petrol engine you find in the 3 door variant. It produces 78 kW and 134 Nm. The engine is paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission and comes standard with the automaker’s AllGrip Pro 4WD system with low-range transfer gear.

At the festival, the vibrant Jungle Green 5-door Jimny drew attention, while new exclusive paint options, like Celestial Blue and Granite Grey, are set for the official launch.

Though test drives were unavailable, festival-goers explored Suzuki’s latest SUV additions: the sporty coupé-SUV, Fronx, and the spacious XL6.