Hundreds of people have plonked down deposits on a Suzuki Jimny 5-Door despite the lack of local pricing and spec details, the company claims.
Revealed last week in Delhi, the stretched new Jimny variant is on track to hit Australia in either late 2023 or early 2024, offering more practicality than the cult three-door 4×4.
“We announced that car Friday last week and we said pre-orders are available, and our dealers have been inundated. We’ve had a couple of hundred orders come through, 90 per cent for the automatic,” said Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota.
Mr Pachota confirmed these were $1000 deposits from customers rather than mere expressions of interest.
It suggests the longer Jimny will attract the same fanatical following as its shorter sibling, which is still subject to yearlong wait lists four years into its life.
At 3985mm long, the Jimny 5-Door is 340mm longer than the regular model, while the 2590mm wheelbase on the ladder frame grows by the same. Ground clearance is a claimed 210mm.
There are no substantive changes to the drivetrain to handle the added bulk, with the current 1.5-litre petrol carrying over – mated to a part-time 4×4 system with low-range, and available with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission choices.
Maruti Suzuki in India did, however, mention the fitment of automatic start/stop.
Official details are scarce but the livestream mentioned the fitment of curtain airbags for both rows, a new touchscreen infotainment system, and some new colours including Sizzling Red.
Unlike the Japan-made Jimny, the Jimny 5-Door will be assembled in India for export to Australia.
Australia has become a major market for the Jimny. It was Suzuki’s second top-selling model here last year and remains subject to long wait times after four years on sale.
Suzuki had its best sales performance in Australia for almost a decade in 2022, growing volume 23.5 per cent year-on-year.
The Japanese company sold 21,578 cars last year across Australia (including in Queensland where it has a separate distributor), passing the 20k mark for the first time since 2013 (22,075).
The Jimny accounted for 5697 of these sales last year, up 70.1 per cent, and demand remains sky high.
This result placed Suzuki 15th overall, ahead of the likes of Tesla, Audi and Honda, and narrowly behind BMW and GWM.
Its brand market share finished at 2.0 per cent, up from 1.7 per cent the previous year. This gave the company its highest market share since 2012 (2.2 per cent).
2024 Suzuki Jimny 5-Door key specs
- 1.5-litre petrol engine
- 77kW and 134Nm outputs
- 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic
- 40-litre fuel tank
- 3985mm long
- 2590mm wheelbase
- 1645mm wide
- 1720mm tall
- Boot space 208L (five seats in use)
- Boot space 332L (back seats folded)
- Approach angle 36 degrees
- Breakover angle 24 degrees
- Departure angle 50 degrees
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